NSSF selects 26 players for friendly match against Ghana
By Tosin Omojola
The Nigerian School Sports Federation (NSSF) has selected 26 players from the recently concluded national under-15 soccer tournament held in Abuja to represent Nigeria in an international match against a Ghanaian side. The friendly is scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana’s capital.
Among the selected players, five come from Kano Government College, which emerged as the tournament’s runner-up in Abuja. The players from Kano are Yusuf Danladi, Ibrahim Adi Ahme, Isa Muhammad, Mukhtar Muazu, and Musa Shaaban.
In addition, three players each were chosen from Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja: Zubairu Muhammad, Suleiman Abubakar, and Nabil (Niger State), as well as John Idokwo, Victor Onyebuchi, and Andrew Samuel (FCT).
Enugu State, with the highest number of selected players, has 11 representatives, including Chike Chinedu, Saliu Yusuf, Udeze Raymond, Godwin Menyega, Nnamchi Chinedu, Elechi Emmanuel, Edeh David Ugochukwu, Usoro God’s will Ime, Ali Bright, Ilono Somto Chukwu, and Johnny Emmanuel. Adamawa State follows with four players: Rufus Raphael, Fadil Ayuba, Ibrahim Mohd, and Abbas Muazu.
Kano State’s Director of Sports, Malam Ibrahim Bello, praised the selection as well-deserved, given the players’ impressive performance during the competition.
He also commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and State Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa, for their unwavering support of the school team. Bello urged the selected players to maintain their determination and represent Nigeria with pride in Ghana.
The NSSF U15 Championship concluded with Enugu State winning the male category and Bayelsa State triumphing in the female category. Organized by the NSSF with strategic support from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the tournament featured teams from Adamawa, Niger, Kano, FCT, Enugu, and Bayelsa.
More than a competition, the event served as a vital platform for fostering athletic excellence, sportsmanship, and networking among young athletes.
Alhaji Mohammed Adebayo Ameenu, Special Assistant to the NFF General Secretary, lauded the participants’ exceptional performances and confirmed that standout players would receive invitations to national teams.
He highlighted the tournament’s role in identifying and developing Nigeria’s future football stars, aligning with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the NFF’s vision for nurturing talent for future continental competitions.
