Osimhen equals U-17 World Cup record

President Muhammadu Buhari had congratulated the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria on their victory over Mali in the final match of the 2015 Under-17 Federation Internationale de Football Association World Cup tournament in Chile.

President Muhammadu Buhari gave Nigeria’s U-17 football team Golden Eaglets, a few major encouragement on Saturday, as he held a video call with them, offering inspirational words ahead of their match with Mali scheduled for Sunday.

The Eaglets success was the first by Nigeria outside the Asian continent as all previous four wins had been achieved in China (1985), Japan (1993), Korea Republic (2007) and United Arab Emirates (2013).

The Emmanuel Amuneke-coached Golden Eaglets scored a total of 23 goals and conceded five throughout the competition, while the team Captain, Kekechi Nwakali, emerged the most Valuable Player of the Tournament.

The jubilant scenes on the final whistle in Vina Del Mar will surely live long in the memories of the Nigerian heroes of the present, a few of whom may just become the stars of the future.

The Nigerian team is expected back in the country on Wednesday.

According to the website of the NFF, the President, in chats with players and officials of the team via Skype aided with telephone, said Nigerians were behind them and expect that they will bring the trophy home yet again.

Jighere, 36, defeated Lewis Mackay of Cambridge, England, by 448 points to 426 to win the championship which was competed for by 450 players from around the world. If we can get a few of these things right, then the snide remarks and the sniggering will cease but for now, we will have to live with the insults because they are self-inflicted.

“They deserve scholarship awards too, especially for those of them who would want to continue their academic pursuits. Please, pass my congratulations to other members of Team Nigeria”, Buhari told Jighere.