SPORTS

Yakubu Ayegbeni On His Pride Representing Nigeria And Dealing With Infamous World Cup Miss

Published

17 hours ago

October 24, 2024

Yakubu Ayegbeni on representing Nigeria; World Cup miss | fab.ng

FIFA legend Yakubu Ayegbeni reflects on his illustrious career, expressing no remorse for representing Nigeria despite enduring relentless bullying over a missed goal during the 2010 World Cup.

The 41-year-old striker’s journey with the Super Eagles began at the tender age of 17. Making his debut in April 2000 against Eritrea, he quickly established himself as a prolific goal-scorer.

Over the next decade, Yakubu’s contributions were instrumental in Nigeria’s success, including securing a bronze medal at the 2002 AFCON.

However, the 2010 World Cup match against South Korea greatly shaded his career. A missed goal in that match became a defining moment in Nigerian football history, often overshadowing his numerous achievements.

Despite the negative attention, Yakubu Ayegbeni remains proud of his international career. He considers it a privilege to have represented Nigeria at the highest level, participating in the AFCON, World Cup, and Olympics. Yet, he laments that his positive contributions are frequently overlooked, overshadowed by the infamous missed goal.

“Me, regret playing for Nigeria? No chance. It is an honour for me playing for Nigeria, every player wants to play for his country. I was born in Nigeria, grew up in Benin, Edo state Nigeria. It is an honour to wear Nigeria’s green and white jersey of Nigeria,” Yakubu told Flashscore in a no-holds-barred interview.

“Being at the World Cup in South Africa is (another) great (opportunity) representing my country. We should all forget the miss and remember the good ones. It is funny when people still talk about it – it is almost 14 years already – and people still talk about the miss and not the good ones.

EXCLUSIVE: Yakubu tells he has no regrets playing for Nigeria 🇳🇬 and coping with infamous World Cup miss. 📌 pic.twitter.com/kd3UEwJCAa

— Shina Oludare 🇳🇬 (@sportingshina) October 24, 2024

“They did (not talk) about when I qualified Nigeria for the World Cup in South Korea and Japan but was dropped; they never spoke about that. I still had the courage to take the penalty after 10 minutes and people still send me message about it missing that goal.

“I don’t think we would still win the 2010 World Cup. We have been to other World Cups plus the ones we did not qualify for but people never talked about it.

“We all watch Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, they all miss chances, but people still talk about my own miss – I think people just love me for that.”

Lars Lagerback’s Super Eagles faced a daunting task at the 2010 World Cup, having suffered defeats to Argentina and Greece. A victory against South Korea was imperative to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.

Nigeria made a promising start at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, with Kalu Uche netting an early goal. However, South Korea fought back, taking the lead with two goals.

Yakubu Ayegbeni, renowned for his spectacular goals, had a golden opportunity to equalize but missed from close range, a moment that became a defining point in the match.

Despite the missed chance, Yakubu redeemed himself with a penalty goal later in the game. However, Nigeria ultimately failed to secure a win and exited the tournament at the bottom of Group B.

Yakubu continues to endure bullying over the missed goal but refuses to apologize. He believes football is a game of highs and lows, where even the greatest players can make mistakes.

“They always try to bring it back and say ‘How I wish you scored, we should have been to the next stage’. Are you sure we could have still won the World Cup?

“Regret missing that chance? Of course, as a football player but we move on from that. I keep getting messages upon messages like ‘we will never forgive you’, ‘we will not forget about the miss’.

“It is good they will never forget about the miss; it is one of the bad misses of the World Cup even me, I will never forget about it, it is part of football.

“They said I was smiling, yes, I was smiling but inside me, do you know how I feel? Do you think you are happy about missing chances? Ronaldo, Messi, (Daniel) Amokachi, Jay Jay (Okocha), (Nwankwo) Kanu and other great players also miss chances but we all move on.”

The former Portsmouth star continued when asked how his girls respond to the hurtful remarks made about him: “They don’t even care about it. They say ‘how come they never moved on?'”

Interestingly, Yakubu Ayegbeni’s legacy extends beyond his own playing career. His daughter, Katriel, is following in his footsteps, pursuing a professional netball career and aiming for a spot on the English national team.

Yakubu Ayegbeni made history in 2002 when he became the first African to score a hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League. This accomplishment, achieved while playing for Maccabi Haifa against Olympiacos, solidified his status as a football legend. To this day, he remains the only Nigerian to have achieved such a feat.

Did you know that Yakubu Ayegbeni is the first African and the only Nigerian to score a hat-trick in the Champions League? Show some respect for that achievement biko! #UCL ⚽️⚽️⚽️💕🫡 pic.twitter.com/8A2mATMx0F

— Shina Oludare 🇳🇬 (@sportingshina) October 23, 2024

“To apologise to Nigerians? Never! I will never. They should focus on the situation in the country and stop talking about my chance. No one ever talked about the World Cup I was never taken to; they talk only about the bad ones – that is Nigerians for you,” he continued.

“They don’t talk about the good things you’ve done for the country, sacrificing one’s life for the country. You travel to where there is war to play for your country.

“We did not qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup). Did they speak about it? No. Let’s move on and think about the present and not the past. It is not arrogance, but people have to understand the fact that have to understand.

“I know I have served Nigeria and I am happy to wear the (green and white jersey). Ten years playing for Nigeria is great.”

Yakubu Ayegbeni’s career extended beyond his playing days. Following his departure from Coventry City in 2017, he transitioned into a new role as a FIFA legend and football ambassador, dedicated to developing the future of the sport.

Beyond his football-related endeavours, Yakubu has also established a successful business empire. He is the owner of a chain of businesses. He is the CEO of Yak Sports Academy, a renowned institution that has produced talented players for European teams.

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New Zealand’s Kane Williamson Out Of Second Test Against India In Pune

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SPORTS

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson Out Of Second Test Against India In Pune

Published

3 days ago

October 22, 2024

Reporter

Kane Williamson Out Of Second Test Against India In Pune | fab.ng

Kane Williamson, 34, a former New Zealand captain, continues to rehabilitate from his groin injury. He will not participate in New Zealand’s second Test match against India in Pune on Thursday. This is according to New Zealand Cricket’s announcement on Tuesday.

The master batsman sustained the groin strain during a recent cricket series against Sri Lanka. Williamson has chosen to remain in New Zealand to focus on his recovery process rather than join the team in India.

The Black Caps demonstrated their strength even without their star player when they achieved a historic victory in the first Test match. This win marked New Zealand’s first Test triumph on Indian soil in 36 years.

The team’s success without Kane Williamson highlights their depth and resilience, as they overcame India’s formidable home advantage. New Zealand Cricket aims to ensure Williamson’s complete recovery before his return to international cricket.

The second Test presents another opportunity for New Zealand to showcase their capabilities, as they prepare to face India at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The team seeks to build on the momentum from their remarkable first Test victory.

“We’re monitoring Kane and he’s tracking in the right direction but isn’t yet 100% fit,”coach Gary Stead said in a news release ahead of the second Test.

“We’re hopeful to see further improvement over the coming days and have him available for the third Test.

“We’ll give him as much time as possible to get himself ready, but certainly continue to take a cautious approach.”

Squad News | Kane Williamson will not be available for the BLACKCAPS second Test match against India, as he continues his rehabilitation from a groin strain 🏏 #INDvNZ https://t.co/IE0uoYPZWt

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 22, 2024

India and New Zealand will play their third and final Test match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The match will begin in early November. The historic Wankhede Stadium, located in the heart of Mumbai, will host this decisive encounter between these two cricketing powerhouses.

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SPORTS

Leverkusen Striker, Victor Boniface Only ‘slightly injured’ In Car Accident

Published

4 days ago

October 21, 2024

Reporter

Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, 23, was slightly injured in a car accident on Sunday, the Bundesliga club confirmed to German media.

Boniface, who plays for both Leverkusen and the Nigerian national team, shared footage and photos of his wrecked car on social media before deleting the post. The video showed Boniface looking into the camera and revealing his arm, which appeared to be dripping with blood.

In the now-deleted post, Boniface expressed his gratitude, writing, “God is the greatest” and “God says my time hasn’t come.”

According to reports from the German tabloid Bild, Boniface was a passenger in the car at the time of the accident. The vehicle was on its way to pick up a friend at Frankfurt Airport when it collided with a truck.

Leverkusen representatives assured Bild that Boniface was examined in the hospital and is doing fine. Fortunately, the driver of the truck escaped without injury, although the total damage from the collision was estimated to be around 200,000 euros.

God is the greatest ❤️

— Victor Boniface (@boniface_jrn) October 20, 2024

Victor Boniface joined Bayer Leverkusen last season and quickly became instrumental in the team’s success. His contributions helped the club remain unbeaten in both the league and the cup, securing their first-ever Bundesliga title. His impressive performances also earned him a debut call-up to the Nigerian national team.

This season, Boniface has already scored seven goals in 10 appearances across all competitions. In Leverkusen’s most recent match on Saturday, Boniface missed a penalty. But he redeemed himself by heading in the winning goal during their 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at home.

Leverkusen will continue their Champions League campaign on Wednesday with an away match against French side Brest.

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SPORTS

Women Footballers Call On FIFA To End Partnership With Saudi Aramco

Published

4 days ago

October 21, 2024

Reporter

On Monday, over 100 professional women’s football players issued an open letter urging FIFA to end its partnership with Saudi Aramco, the oil and gas conglomerate.

The players expressed their concern about FIFA’s decision to align with the company, calling for the world football governing body to reconsider the relationship.

Earlier in April, FIFA signed a four-year partnership deal with Saudi Aramco.

This agreement grants Aramco a worldwide partnership role, extending to major tournaments such as the 2026 World Cup and the Women’s World Cup in 2027.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in sports, including soccer, Formula 1, and golf. However, critics, including women’s rights organizations and members of the LGBTQ community, accuse the kingdom of using its Public Investment Fund (PIF) to “sportswash” its human rights record. These groups argue that the country uses its involvement in global sports to distract from ongoing human rights issues.

Saudi Arabia has denied these accusations. The kingdom asserts that its laws protect national security. Saudi Arabia maintains that it does not abuse human rights.

Prominent football players were among those who signed the letter.

They include Manchester City striker Vivianne Miedema, Canadian national team captain Jessie Fleming, and former U.S. team captain Becky Sauerbrunn. Indeed, they added their voices to the growing call for FIFA to reconsider its ties with Saudi Aramco.

“We urge FIFA to reconsider this partnership and replace Saudi Aramco with alternative sponsors whose values align with gender equality, human rights and the safe future of our planet,” the players said in the letter.

They also suggested forming a review committee that includes player representation to assess the ethical implications of future sponsorship deals.

Emphasizing how sponsorship revenues contribute to increased investment in women’s football, FIFA said,

“FIFA values its partnership with Aramco and its many others commercial and rights partners,” a spokesperson for FIFA said.

“FIFA is an inclusive organisation with many commercial partners also supporting other organisations in football and other sports.

“Sponsorship revenues generated by FIFA are reinvested back into the game at all levels and investment in women’s football continues to increase, including for the historic FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup and its groundbreaking new distribution model.”

A representative for Aramco said they will respond to the letter as soon as possible.

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