Sports
Top 5 football clubs in Nigeria
Nigeria has one of the best football scenes on the continent. Over the years, some of its clubs have managed to reach iconic status, not only across the country but in the entire world! While football continues to grow as a sport, attracting more and more viewers with each year, the industry standard is also changing.
While around 50 years ago soccer betting was not a huge part of the industry, nowadays you cannot really talk about any major sporting event without mentioning the betting aspect of it. In the long run, new betting sites that offer various sports bets and especially soccer betting has helped viewers and fans feel more connected to their favorite teams and clubs. Also it makes them engage more frequently with the sport in general.
Here are the top five football clubs to look out for!
Akwa United F.C.
The first football club we will be discussing is based in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom, Nigeria. The club was founded back in 1996, by the Military Administrator of the state, Joseph Adeusi. The team competes in the first division of the Nigerian Professional Football League. The Akwa United team has some of the most admired football players across Nigeria, including the notorious fan favorites. Their home stadium is still in Akwa-Ibom and according to various sources, it also has some of the highest-paid footballers in the country.
Enugu Rangers F.C.
This team is based in Enugu, as the name suggests. They are commonly referred to as Enugu Rangers. They are historically one of the most successful Nigerian football teams, with seven appearances in the African Champions’ Cup. The club has also appeared in the CAF Champions League three times. Enugu Rangers have also been a part of the Premier League, though they have failed to get to the finals since 1984.
Enyimba International F.C.
Enyimba International is the most successful Nigerian football club, founded almost 50 years ago. The team’s name itself translates into “People’s Elephant in Igbo”. Enyimba is definitely among the top or most supported football teams across the country. The team is the nation’s favorite because of its outstanding successes. Enyimba International has won two African Champions League titles, four Federation Cups and also several Nigerian championships. It is easy to understand why the team has become the pride of Nigerian football!
Kano Pillars F.C.
This particular club is among the newest or most recent ones on the Nigerian football scene. It was only founded in 1990. Having won titles in the Nigerian Premier League four times, the team has firmly managed to establish itself as one of the leaders. They also play in the highest division of the Nigerian Professional Football League. Having said that, Kano Pillars are yet to return to the place they were in 2014. This is when they won their last Premier League championship.
Lobi Star F.C.
Lobi Star, previously known as BBLHawks adopted its current name in 1990. The team is based in Makurdi, Benu state, playing their games at the Aper Aku Stadium. The sports venue can accommodate up to 15,000 people. Yes, it has a large following, coming mostly from Makurdi. It has great potential, which is likely to grow in strength. The Lobi Star team has had a good run but only the future will tell what the team is really capable of!
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they were to be remembered like the “Invincibles” side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.
Arsene Wenger’s side romped to the title 22 years ago without losing a single league game.
Arsenal headede into last night’s clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool with a five-point lead at the top of the table after Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points against Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, respectively on Wednesday.
Arteta’s men, runners-up for the past three seasons, have two more points and four more goals than Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ managed after 20 games.
But the Spaniard said those stats matter little unless Arsenal go on to win the league.
“No, because ‘the Invincibles’ won a lot,” Arteta told his pre-match press conference on whether his side can be considered better than Arsenal’s last title winners.
“They won consistently, and they created a history and a legacy, and we have to do that.”
The lone major piece of silverware won by Arsenal in six years under Arteta remains the 2020 FA Cup
“There are a lot of stats, but in the last two or three years we have managed more points and more goals than ever before. But at the end, we have to translate that to major trophies,” he added.
“Probably doing what we are doing now would have been enough (in 2004), but now it’s not, and we have to make the margins even bigger.”
Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield back in August in what was billed as an early showdown between title rivals.
The defending champions headed to the Emirates 14 points off the top after a difficult second season for Arne Slot, but Arteta insisted the Reds remain a superb side.
The Gunners were without sidelined defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera but were“monitoring the load” on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward intensified his training while continuing to recover from a long-term leg injury.
Nigeria sharpshooters Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will provide a stern test to the flawless record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco.
Zidane is the only first-choice goalkeeper amongst the eight quarter-finalists to have kept a clean sheet in all of his tournament matches so far, but the task facing him in Marrakesh tomorrow will not be easy.
Former African player of the year award-winners Osimhen and Lookman have tormented defences during the tournament, scoring three goals each.
Zidane, 27, kept clean sheets in group matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso before being rested against Equatorial Guinea.
He was recalled for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo and once again was unbeaten during a dramatic extra-time victory.
Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, his Spanish wife and another son have been among the crowds in each match Luca played for the Desert Foxes.
“It is special when your family come to watch,” said Luca Zidane, who began his career with Real Madrid B in 2016 and now plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada.
Born in France, Zidane represented his country of birth at five age-limit levels. Under FIFA rules he could also play for Spain or Algeria, where his grandparents were born.
Zidane chose Algeria, debuting in a 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Uganda last November and, when an injury ruled first choice Alexis Guendoez out of the AFCON, he was promoted.
“I am proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It is a great experience,” he told reporters.
“I try to be myself, to build my career on my terms, step by step,” he said.
Algeria have been an AFCON bogey team for Nigeria, winning four and drawing two of nine meetings, including a 5-1 drubbing of the Super Eagles en route to winning the 1990 tournament at home. But the current Super Eagles appear to be in the mood to get this one over the Algerians.
The Desert Foxes have put successive group-stage exits behind them under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic and substitute Adil Boulbina unleashed a thunderbolt to eliminate DR Congo.
Nigeria are the 12-goal leading scorers in Morocco with Osimhen, Lookman and Akor Adams forming a potent frontline.
But coach Eric Chelle will be concerned that the three-time champions have conceded four, the most among the eight title hopefuls.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said that the club would sell captain Marc Guehi this month if his asking price is met.
The England defender is out of contract in the summer and Manchester City have emerged as contenders to sign him during the January transfer window.
Palace blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer but risk losing the 25-year-old for nothing at the end of the season.
City’s interest in Guehi has progressed following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during Sunday’s draw against Chelsea.
“I’m not naive,” said Glasner, as reported by Tidesports source. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.
“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.
“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.
“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”
Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.
The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.
“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.
“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”