Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has awarded ?50 million to players and coaches of the state-sponsored Real Madrid Academy following their participation in an international football tour of Southampton, United Kingdom.

Governor Fubara announced the reward when the academy’s management, officials and players visited him at Government House on Friday in Port Harcourt to present a trophy they won during the tour.

The delegation comprised 60 students and 12 staff members who participated in the international football engagement, providing the young players with an opportunity to develop their skills, gain international exposure and experience football beyond their immediate environment.

The governor commended the academy’s management and officials for their commitment to nurturing young talents, while particularly applauding the students for their discipline and good conduct throughout the trip.

Fubara acknowledged that the academy, which combines academic education with structured football training, was established by his predecessor.

He, however, stressed that his administration would sustain the initiative, explaining that the continuity of beneficial programmes should not be determined by who initiated them.

He said his commitment was to policies and projects capable of improving the socio-economic well-being of the people, irrespective of the administration under which they began.

The governor also pledged to immediately commence efforts to address the academy’s infrastructure and funding challenges, assuring the management that the government would work towards creating a more conducive environment for the students to pursue their academic and sporting ambitions.

Governor Fubara urged the young players to take both their education and football training seriously, noting that while professional football offers significant financial opportunities, academic qualifications remain important for their future.

He highlighted the enormous economic potential of the global football industry, encouraging the students to recognise the opportunities available to talented players who combine discipline, hard work and determination.

The governor explained that the essence of the international tour was to expose the students to the realities of football on the global stage, broaden their outlook and build their confidence to compete beyond their local environment.

He expressed satisfaction with reports that some of the academy’s players had attracted interest from international football teams seeking to recruit them.

He described such developments as encouraging signs of the opportunities that international exposure could create for the young talents.

In their separate remarks, Secretary to the State Government, Dagogo Wokoma; the academy’s principal, Prudence Isaac-Harry; the tour facilitator, and former Super Eagles player Ida Peterson, commended Governor Fubara for sustaining government sponsorship of the academy and supporting the students’ participation in the international football programme.

Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa has said that securing the club’s first Premier League victory of the season before a crunch period of games for them was massive.

The Cottagers had been winless in their previous six league matches but secured all three points against Hull City thanks to Alex Iwobi’s 33rd-minute strike.

The result offered respite for head coach Arbeloa, who succeeded Marco Silva in the Craven Cottage hot seat in July but had not seen his side’s promising displays translate into wins.

The result lifted Fulham’s points tally to five and moved them off the foot of the table and out of the relegation zone, while Hull sit ninth.

“It’s a massive game for us,” Arbeloa told BBC Match Of The Day.

He pointed out key upcoming games for Fulham – at Coventry next Saturday, then an EFL Cup tie against Crystal Palace on the following Wednesday – and described that as “a massive week”.

“It won’t be easy, but we know how we need to play and compete. We have to be competitive in this league,” Arbeloa added. “We have our way and hope we can win many games.”

Arbeloa’s side took the lead just after the half-hour mark in the 100th meeting between the sides in all competitions.

Manchester City beat Ipswich Town to make it seven straight wins at the start of a Premier League season for the first time in the club’s history.

Erling Haaland scored twice after Phil Foden’s opener was cancelled out by Daizen Maeda to send Enzo Maresca’s side six points clear at the top of the table.

This was City’s first home game in the competition since being found guilty of breaking its financial rules.

After celebrating victory over Liverpool at a hostile Anfield in their first match since the verdict against the club was announced, the home fans showed their support for the club as they booed the Premier League anthem prior to kick-off and waved inflatable bananas in a recently revived tradition from the 1980s.

On the pitch, Maresca’s players continued to block out the uncertainty surrounding the club’s future admirably.

Haaland’s double ensured City joined Chelsea (2005-06) and Liverpool (2019-20) as only the third club in Premier League history to win their first seven games of a season.