Sports

Ibrahim Gusau Hails Super Falcons’ Historic Victory: “Mission X Accomplished”

Published

2 months ago

July 27, 2025

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, has expressed immense joy and pride following the Super Falcons’ dramatic comeback victory in Morocco, calling the win “a great day for Nigeria” and a testament to the team’s “commitment, dedication, and resilience.”

Speaking after the thrilling match in which the Nigerian women’s national team fought back from a 2–0 deficit to claim a crucial victory, Gusau struggled to contain his emotions.

“Well, I can’t just explain how happy I was, because this is a great day for us at the NFF, as well as for Nigeria in general,” Gusau said. “Because it’s not easy — it’s not easy for you to come to this kind of tournament in a country like Morocco, with all that has been said about Morocco. At the end of the day, we came up from 2–0 down to catch up as well as to get the big fruit yesterday night. So it is really a great accomplishment that we can never forget.”

Gusau credited the Super Falcons’ triumph to years of deliberate preparation and unwavering support for the team following the last Olympic Games. He detailed the series of high-profile friendly matches organized to sharpen the squad, including games against France, Algeria, Cameroon, Portugal, and Ghana.

“We tried to organize a high-profile friendly match for them with the French national team… Then secondly, we also organized a friendly match with the Algerian national team… We also organized another friendly match against Cameroon,” Gusau recounted. “When they commenced full preparation for the tournament proper, we ensured they got to Lisbon to play against Portugal, which ended 0–0. From there, they camped in Casablanca and played Ghana, which we defeated there.”

He emphasized that the victory was not only the result of tactical and physical readiness, but also a show of national support — including timely payment of allowances to boost morale.

“Most importantly, we must thank Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. All the support and contribution has been given to us, especially for this tournament,” Gusau noted. “Just a few days ago, we were able to pay all the allowances. And I think it motivated them a lot.”

The NFF boss concluded with gratitude and optimism for the future.

“We can just not say anything but to say Alhamdulillah, we thank God. Mission X is fully, fully, fully accomplished,” he declared. “Now our focus shifts to the next agenda — the qualification for the World Cup.”

The Super Falcons’ comeback in Morocco has been hailed as one of the greatest moments in Nigerian women’s football, reinforcing their status as Africa’s most decorated women’s national team and fueling hopes for another successful World Cup campaign.

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Sports

FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification

Published

12 hours ago

October 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Legal Practitioner And Administrator Barr Bucknor Threatens To Petition FCT Minister Over Abandoned Stadiums

Despite Nigeria’s precarious position in the race for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Barrister Babatunde Burknor, a board member of the FCT Football Association (FA), remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can still secure qualification.

Nigeria currently sits third in their qualification group with 11 points from 8 matches, trailing Benin Republic and South Africa, who both lead with 14 points. Yet Burknor, a seasoned football administrator and grassroots sports advocate, believes all is not lost.

In a recent interview made available to BSN Sports, Burknor said: “Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may appear almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is out of reach. The situation is tough, yes, but looking at the quality of players in our squad, I still believe we can make it.”

He added that unexpected results from other group rivals could work in Nigeria’s favour.

“Football is unpredictable. There is still a chance that South Africa, Benin Republic, or Rwanda could drop points. If we win our remaining two games, we still stand a chance. Sometimes football reflects life where the strong may fall while the seemingly weak stand tall.”

Calls for Grassroots Reform in the FCT

Beyond national team concerns, Burknor also used the opportunity to address the state of sports development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take concrete action to revamp local infrastructure.

“We have deep-rooted problems when it comes to grassroots sports. The major issue is a lack of funding and commitment from those charged with driving development at that level,” he said.

Burknor lamented the disappearance of once-thriving youth competitions like the Chairman’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, and Shell Cup, stating that such events played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent.

“It’s disheartening that these programs are no longer active. Development is impossible without facilities, yet we lack even basic training grounds.”

The legal luminary revealed that he personally upgraded the sports facility at a government secondary school in his area to serve as a makeshift training centre, due to the absence of a functioning local stadium.

He is currently drafting a petition to Minister Wike, over abandoned stadiums in FCT, urging a comprehensive audit of officials responsible for sports development across the six Area Councils of the FCT.

Progress in Gwagwalada Football Development

As Vice Chairman of the Gwagwalada Football Council, Burknor highlighted the success of the Gwagwalada Football League, which has become a model for other Area Councils.

“In just two years, we’ve turned the Gwagwalada Football League into a success story. Several players from the league have already secured contracts in Europe. This shows what can be achieved with vision and consistency.”

Barrister Burknor, emphasized that grassroots football holds the key to Nigeria’s long-term football success and must be taken seriously.

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