Mason Greenwood and Jean-Phillip Mateta lead the way. The European football marked the return from the October 2025 international break with a sensational weekend of individual brilliance and thrilling comebacks, with standout performances across the continent’s top five leagues setting the tone for the challenges ahead. From Selhurst Park to Seville, the action was defined by players rising to the occasion, often turning the tide single-handedly after their teams had fallen behind. The results saw movement at the top of several tables, underscoring the immediate impact these star players had on their clubs’ fortunes. From historical Mason Greenwood to the…
Author: Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
Gut for Guilt or Guilt for Gut: Eric Chelle and the Burden of Nigeria’s Playoff Redemption Gut and guilt often share the same bench in football, and while one calls for courage, the other whispers caution. For Eric Chelle, Nigeria’s head coach in this long, exhausting World Cup qualifying journey, a choice between the two now defines his path. When the former Valenciennes defender took charge, the Super Eagles were gasping for identity. The early rounds had been corrupted, not by conspiracy but by confusion. Under José Peseiro and Finidi George, Nigeria stumbled through tactical uncertainty and by the time…
Ghana coach Otto Addo has reaffirmed his belief that only players who truly value the Black Stars should wear the national colours. His recent comment, that Ghana must “check the commitment of each player” to preserve unity, comes at a time when several foreign-born players are impressing at club level and reigniting talk of possible call-ups. “I think Ghana should always have a certain pride, said Addo. As a country, we need to check the commitment of each player, which is very crucial because we have very good unity, and we definitely don’t want to destroy it by bringing players…
Nigerians face another dilemma in the FIFA World Cup qualification playoffs. While the majority celebrated the massive win against Benin in Uyo, the minority, who have deeper knowledge of what qualification playoff means, know that the Super Eagles have left room for more, and would need something beyond the ordinary to survive it. Victor Osimhen delivered a masterful performance, one that has rarely been seen from a Nigerian in national colours, as his hat-trick propelled the Super Eagles to a place in the CAF World Cup qualification playoffs. It was more than a consolation for a nation that had seemingly…
Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori have become the headliners at Arsenal. Arsenal have been recognized as one of the sides with the best defence in the world, with the duo of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba taking all the hype, but Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori could be set to take the crown off them. Mikel Arteta’s charge has begun another season with great intention, and the defence has again been one of their main strengths. The quartet of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, and Riccardo Calafiori has all made vital contributions. Seven games into the Premier League season,…
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to face the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in a decisive Matchday 10 encounter of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. This highly anticipated fixture marks the second meeting between both sides in the qualifiers. In the first leg, Benin stunned Nigeria with a 2-1 victory. However, Nigeria holds a dominant historical record, winning 14 of their 19 previous encounters, drawing 3 and losing just 2. Super Eagles battle Benin The stakes are sky-high in CAF Group C. Benin currently tops the group with 17 points from nine matches and could secure a historic…
The October 2025 international break is upon us, and here are the five focuses as Africans conclude World Cup qualifiers, while Europeans step up their campaign. Top 5 Focus of the October 2025 international games 1. Africans conclude qualification African countries finalize their fates in the World Cup qualifiers as the penultimate and final rounds of games will be played in this October 2025 international break, with hopefuls looking to join the train to North America next year. Morocco and Tunisia have already secured their ticket for the global showpiece, while the likes of Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, and Cape Verde…
Ange-Yoan Bonny scored on his Inter debut, but that achievement pales in comparison to what he did on his first start, and he leads the way, accompanied by other stars, in this week’s nomination of top performers from Europe’s top five leagues. Top Performers of the Weekend in the Top 5 Leagues English Premier League: Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth Antoine Semenyo is up there as one of the best players in the Premier League this season, and after his Player of the Week performance in Bournemouth’s win over Fulham, there is emerging debate over whether anyone has been as good…
Man United Player of the month nominees looks hideous for any club. Not many things are surprising in today’s Manchester United, where the standard is so low that they only celebrate a league win on average once a month. On Tuesday, Manchester United released a list of three nominees for their Player of the Month for September, featuring Bruno Fernandes, Benjamin Sesko, and Patrick Dorgu, who are also close to being their worst players during the same period. The Mancunians played three games in the month, compared to the six by their top English counterparts who are still active in…
Alejandro Balde makes injury return. Barcelona have confirmed that young full-back Alejandro Balde is back in the squad for their Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain on October 1st, 2025. This comes nearly a month after the 21-year-old sustained a minor injury to his left leg during a training session on September 3rd. At the time, the extent of the injury was unclear, and no timeline was given for his recovery, sparking concern among fans. Alejandro Balde’s return could not have come at a better time for Flick’s side, who are preparing for one of their most important fixtures of…