Wilfred Ndidi Named Super Eagles Captain for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations

Wilfred Ndidi will captain the Super Eagles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following the retirement of William Troost-Ekong. Troost-Ekong announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, leaving the leadership role in the team open. Ndidi, who led the Super Eagles during last month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs in Morocco, is set to officially assume the captaincy at AFCON. Winger Moses Simon, one of the team’s most experienced players alongside Ndidi, is expected to be named vice-captain. The midfielder made his Super Eagles debut in August 2015 and has since earned 71 caps. He was sidelined for the delayed 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire due to injury.

Read More

Super Eagles Captain William Troost-Ekong Retires From International Football Ahead Of AFCON 2025

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has retired from international football, weeks ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. “Honoured. Grateful. Forever a Super Eagles. Playing for Nigeria has been the greatest privilege of my life. The journey may end here, but my support never will. Here’s to the next chapter,” he wrote on X on Thursday, reflecting on his career with the national team. The 35-year-old ends his international career after weeks of speculation about his future with Nigeria. Troost-Ekong earned 83 caps, featuring in five major tournaments and winning a silver and bronze AFCON medal, as well as an Olympic bronze medal. He played a key role in Nigeria’s runners-up finish at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast but recently struggled to maintain a regular starting spot, especially with the rise of young defender Benjamin Fredrick. Despite being named in Nigeria’s 55-man preliminary squad for the 2025 AFCON by the Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday, Troost-Ekong opted to step away from the national team ahead of the tournament.

Read More

Leeds Beat Chelsea 3-1 To Climb Out Of Relegation Zone

Leeds delivered a crucial and emotionally charged victory at Elland Road, defeating Chelsea to climb out of the Premier League relegation zone at a time when it mattered most. With reports swirling this week that Daniel Farke’s job was under threat, the German manager watched his side respond in style with a fearless and disciplined performance that overwhelmed a heavily rotated Chelsea team, who slipped to fifth on the table as a result. Leeds set the tone early when defender Jaka Bijol rose highest from a corner to power home a superb header and give the hosts a dream start. The pressure continued, and Ao Tanaka doubled the lead with a stunning strike from the edge of the box, rifling the ball into the net for his first Premier League goal. The effort also made history as the first goal scored by an Asian player for Leeds in the competition. Chelsea attempted a response after the break, with Enzo Maresca making a double substitution at half-time. One of those changes paid off when Pedro Neto pulled a goal back, finishing at the far post after a dangerous delivery from Jamie Gittens. Cole Palmer returned to action for the first time since September and nearly drew Chelsea level, but after a powerful run down the left by Alejandro Garnacho, he pulled his shot wide of the target. Leeds made Chelsea pay for that missed opportunity late on. Sloppy defending from Tosin inside the box allowed Noah Okafor to steal possession in the six-yard area, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin was left with a simple tap-in to seal a famous 3–1 victory. The result lifts Leeds out of the relegation zone and eases the immediate pressure on Farke, while Chelsea are left to reflect on a damaging defeat.

Read More

Arsenal Tighten Grip On Premier League Summit With Comfortable 2-0 Brentford Win

Arsenal continued their steady march at the top of the Premier League with a calm 2–0 win over Brentford on Wednesday night, as Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka delivered the decisive goals. Mikel Arteta rang the changes after the draw with Chelsea, bringing in Ben White, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Ødegaard. The reshuffle paid off almost immediately, with Arsenal settling into control from the opening minutes. The breakthrough arrived in the 11th minute when White surged forward on the right flank and whipped in a dangerous delivery. Merino met the cross with a firm header that left Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher with no chance. Operating in an unfamiliar attacking role because of injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyökeres, Merino once again proved his value in front of goal. The strike took his tally to 13 goals in 2025, the best return among Arsenal players this year. Brentford’s best opportunity came from a set-piece, as Kevin Schade rose highest at a corner, only for David Raya to claw the header onto the crossbar. Beyond that moment, the visitors struggled to build any real momentum. Just before the interval, Arsenal struck again. Merino turned provider, threading a clever pass into Saka’s path, and the winger kept his composure to finish, even after Kelleher got a touch to the ball. Arsenal remained on top in the second half without needing to move through the gears, though Arteta was forced into two changes as Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice both picked up knocks. The victory stretches Arsenal’s unbeaten run across all competitions to 18 matches and makes it eight straight home wins, further strengthening their grip on the summit of the Premier League table.

Read More

Manchester City Edge Fulham 5-4 To Move Within Two Points Of Arsenal

Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to two points after a chaotic night in which Fulham nearly wiped out a four-goal deficit with a wild 20-minute surge in the second half. What should have been a straightforward victory for City instead turned into a frantic scramble, despite Erling Haaland hitting his 100th Premier League goal for the club — reaching the landmark in just 111 games and beating Alan Shearer’s long-standing record. Haaland, who had earlier fluffed a simple chance, smashed in his milestone strike before slipping a clever pass to Tijjani Reijnders, whose neat lifted finish doubled City’s lead. Bernd Leno then gifted City a third when his failed punch dropped perfectly for Phil Foden, who bent in the first of his two goals. Fulham refused to fold. Emile Smith-Rowe’s header before the break reduced the deficit, and Alex Iwobi found the net early in the second half shortly after Jeremy Doku had made it 5-1 for City. Then the game erupted. Samuel Chukwueze struck twice in six minutes, dragging Fulham back to 5-4 and setting up a breathless finale. Fulham poured forward, and City held on only thanks to Josko Gvardiol’s desperate goal-line block in the 98th minute. City ultimately escaped with their 19th straight win over Fulham in all competitions — but a night that promised a statement victory instead ended with relief. Arsenal can restore their cushion when they face Brentford on Wednesday, while City leave London knowing this win was far more complicated than it should have been.

Read More

Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle Unveils Provisional Squad For 2025 AFCON

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has unveiled his provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), sharing the list via the team’s official X account on Tuesday. The attacking lineup is set to feature stars like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Tolu Arokodare, while goalkeeping duties will be handled by Maduka Okoye and Stanley Nwabali. The midfield boasts experienced players including Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, and Frank Onyeka. The 2025 AFCON is scheduled to kick off later this month and will run until January 2026. Provisional Super Eagles Squad: Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United), Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars), Maduka Okoye (Udinese), Adebayo Adeleye (Volos FC), Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC), Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos) Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood), Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest), Calvin Bassey (Fulham), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto), Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague), Felix Agu (Werder Bremen), Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers), Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors) Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Frank Onyeka (Brentford), Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge), Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace), Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC), Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias), Peter Agba (Maccabi Haifa), Tom Dele-Bashiru (Gençlerbirligi SK) Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta), Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray), Simon Moses (Paris FC), Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla), Tolu Arokodare (Wolves), Akor Adams (Sevilla), Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod), Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad), Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic Glasgow), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest), Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor), Terem Moffi (Nice), Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen), Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos), Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes), Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen), Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United), Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves), Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (OH Leuven), Philip Otele (FC Basel), Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961), Emmanuel Michael (Linzer Athletik SK) Chelle’s squad is now set for further preparations ahead of the tournament as Nigeria looks to make a strong showing at AFCON 2025.

Read More

AFCON 2025: Onana Left Out As Cameroon Shockingly Omits Vincent Aboubakar From Squad

Cameroon has made a major surprise in its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad, leaving out goalkeeper André Onana and veteran captain Vincent Aboubakar. Onana, the Trabzonspor shot-stopper who has been a regular presence for the Indomitable Lions, was not included by newly appointed head coach David Pagou. Aboubakar, a long-serving leader of the team, was also omitted from the traveling squad to Morocco. Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo has been named in the squad, strengthening Cameroon’s attacking options as the team gears up for the tournament starting December 21. The changes follow the sacking of coach Marc Brys and the hiring of Pagou, a seasoned Cameroonian coach and physical-education teacher. His selections have already sparked debate among fans and analysts, with many seeing the moves as part of a plan to refresh the squad and inject new energy. Cameroon, five-time AFCON champions, aim to bounce back on the continental stage after recent setbacks, including failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under Brys.

Read More

Arsenal Held To 1–1 Draw By Ten-Man Chelsea As Merino Cancels Chalobah’s Header

Arsenal left Stamford Bridge with a single point after Mikel Merino wiped out Trevoh Chalobah’s opener in a contest that felt equal parts chess match and street fight, even after Chelsea were reduced to 10 men. The evening opened with promise on both ends: Bukayo Saka drifted into a pocket of daylight but couldn’t turn it into gold, while Estêvão flashed a reminder of his threat without delivering the final spark. The rhythm never quite settled. Every duel carried a charge, and Moisés Caicedo cranked up the voltage when he flew into Merino with a studs-up challenge that caught the Spaniard above the foot. Merino hobbled but survived, refusing to surrender his place in the storm. Chelsea, a man down, refused to retreat into a shell. Early in the second half, Reece James curled in a teasing corner from the left, and Chalobah rose through the crowd to thump home his third league goal of the campaign, the roar from the stands swelling like blue thunder. Mikel Arteta had both Viktor Gyökeres and Gabriel Jesus waiting on the bench, but Arsenal found their breakthrough through a midfielder who’s been moonlighting as a poacher. Saka clipped in a searching cross, and Merino ghosted into the box to guide it home just before the hour mark, a finish with all the calm of a man flicking a switch. Arsenal pushed. Chelsea bent but refused to break. Robert Sánchez delivered two heroic moments late on, first smothering Merino’s low strike, then springing up to hurl himself into the path of Gyökeres’ rebound, absorbing the impact and the applause in one breath. For Arsenal, the draw tasted like a meal missing seasoning. They never truly exploited their advantage, and the chance to widen their grip slipped away. They still end the weekend five points clear after Manchester City’s win over Leeds. Chelsea, meanwhile, battled with grit sharpened by adversity, matching their visitors stride for stride and climbing back into third place ahead of Aston Villa.

Read More