Ademola Lookman, the rumored African football player of the year, made a Thursday visit to President Bola Tinubu at his Lagos residence.
The Atalanta forward, 27, received the 2024 Africa Player of the Year CAF trophy from the President during a visit.
L-R: President Bola Tinubu and Mallam Shehu Dikko, the national sports commission’s chairman, during Lookman’s visit to the president’s residence in Lagos.
Lookman won the title of Africa’s best in Marrakech, Morocco, last December, along with fellow compatriot Victor Osimhen.
Lookman’s outstanding contributions to the Super Eagles and his Atalanta club are recognized in the award. Atalanta won their first European trophy with his hat-trick in the Europa League final in 2024.
Lookman also scored 15 goals to help Atalanta advance to the UEFA Champions League in his 2024/2025 campaign.
Following a successful season in Italy, the Super Eagles star is currently taking a vacation in Lagos.
Real Madrid announced on Friday that they have signed Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold until 2031, according to the Spanish giants.
The 26-year-old England international was on his last year of contract at Anfield, but Madrid paid a fee to let him in sooner so he could compete in the Club World Cup.
Alexander-Arnold, a right-back who recently won the Premier League with Liverpool, graduated from the youth academy and won the Champions League in 2019.
He also made 352 appearances for the club while earning a 2020 Premier League title.
The Spaniard has been appointed as Real Madrid’s new coach in place of Carlo Ancelotti, along with former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.
I Want to Give Them a Chance, Home-Based Players Have Quality, by Eric Chelle, READ ALSO.
Due to his close ties to Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold’s announcement that he was leaving the club attracted the disapproval of some supporters, and he was booed during the season’s final game.
He was roundly enthralled when he won the Premier League trophy at Anfield last Sunday after club figures like former managers Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah urged fans to remember his contribution to Liverpool’s success over the past six years.
The defender is a member of Real Madrid’s team that hasn’t won a significant trophy this season.
Alexander-Arnold has occasionally received criticism for his lack of defensive concentration, but he also has a supreme passing ability and attacking edge down the right flank.
Real Madrid has struggled at right-back this year, with winger Lucas Vázquez having to deal with a torrid time out of position while Dani Carvajal is recovering from a long-term knee injury.
On June 18 in Miami, Alexander-Arnold could make his Real Madrid debut when they take on Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in the first Club World Cup game.
In an effort to improve their defensive back-line, which has been hampered by injury this season, Real Madrid have signed Spanish centre-back Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth.
Egyptian fans are encouraged to watch the CAF Champions League final second leg against South African champion Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday in Cairo, according to Pyramids coach Krunoslav Jurcic.
While Pyramids have a few thousand supporters, Al Ahly and Zamalek, two other Egyptian clubs, can draw a capacity crowd of 73 000 people to the stadium.
As Pyramids prepare to win their first African title, the 55-year-old former Croatia midfielder said, “We are almost alone, we deserve support, we are representing Egypt.”
After losing to Sundowns in a 1-1 first-leg draw last weekend, Pyramids have changed from underdogs to light favorites.
With only 37 seconds left, Sundowns had a late lead over Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro.
A 0-0 draw at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo will give Pyramids the title, but Europe has eliminated the away-goal rule in club competitions. However, Africa continues to use it.
After 90 minutes, Sundowns would be declared champions again, just one more goal away, while a score draw and penalties would be used to end the game.
A remarkable rise for a club that is funded by Saudi and, more recently, Emirati petrodollars would be capitulated by winning the first African club competition at the second attempt.
The club, which was founded in 2008 as Al Assiouty, relocated to Cairo ten years later, changed its name, and attracted some of the top talent from both Egypt and Africa.
While Mohamed Chibi and El Karti, the majority of the team is made up of Egyptians, Fiston Mayele, a star of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burkinabe Blati Toure and Mohamed Chibi, both started in Pretoria.
Jurcic, who had a Sundowns side made up of South American stars like Ribeiro and Marcelo Allende, favors an offensive approach.
I Want to Give Them a Chance: Home-Based Players Have Quality, Eric Chelle.
‘Heroes’
On May 24, 2025, Pyramids Football Club and the Mamelodi Sundowns play their first game of the CAF Champions League final football match at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld Stadium. (Photo by Phill Magakoe/AFP)
“The players gave a damn about their outstanding performance,” the player said. He claimed that Sundowns are a much more knowledgeable Champions League team.
Sundowns are in the annual competition for the 18th time, and they have only lost once in the process since losing to Zamalek in the 2016 title decider.
Pyramids made its Champions League debut last year, but they lost in their final group game to lose just one of their six matches. They did draw at Sundowns before losing to the Pretoria outfit with a 1-0 victory.
Jurcic, who came to Pyramids after winning the previous Champions League campaign, admits to feeling anxious ahead of the return game because “we have not won anything yet.”
When Pyramids defeated Ceramica Cleopatra 5-1 on Wednesday, Pyramids made up the majority of their first choices, but they had to settle for second place in the Egyptian Premier League behind Al Ahly.
They now want to win both the CAF Champions League and the FA Cup in Egypt. On June 5, they will face Zamalek in the final of the domestic knockout competition.
After his previous club, Esperance of Tunisia, lost to Ahly last year, Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso wants to avoid losing to the Sundowns in the Champions League final.
Because the trophy’s fate is uncertain, we need to have mental strength. He told reporters, “We must show the greater desire.”
“Heroes emerge in challenging circumstances. The 53-year-old hired by Sundowns in December said it is simple to become a hero in favorable circumstances.
Sundowns has wealthy backers, just like Pyramids. Patrice Motsepe, president of Confederation of African Football, owns the club, and Tlhopie, his oldest son, oversees it.
They just won their eighth straight league title, but they are the ones who want the Champions League. They are the dominant force in South Africa.
With a one-sided victory at the French Open on Thursday, Jannik Sinner put an end to Richard Gasquet’s career, while Novak Djokovic successfully reclaimed the Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.
After Mirra Andreeva, an 18-year-old competitor, cruised through, women’s second seed and former finalist Coco Gauff, who was also a finalist, was given a chance to make it to the last 32.
With a score of 6-3, 6-0, and 6-4, World No. 1 Sinner, who was playing at the tournament for the 22nd and final time against the 38-year-old Gasquet, was unaffected.
Sinner made his comeback from a three-month suspension earlier in May by reaching the final before falling to defending Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.
He saved three break points to end the first set before dominating the match on Court Philippe Chatrier in excellent form against Gasquet.
On day 5 of the French Open tennis competition, which takes place on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 29, 2025, France’s Richard Gasquet and Italy’s Jannik Sinner play. (Photo by Alain JOCARD/AFP)
“I appreciate you being so honest with me today, because I am aware of what was at stake.” After setting up a third-round meeting with Czech Jiri Lehecka, Sinner thanked the crowd for their outstanding career.
Djokovic defeated Frenchman Corentin Moutet in straight sets to clinch his 25th Grand Slam title, taking the latter for medical reasons because he had a foot blister.
The 38-year-old defeated an unimportant Moutet in 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1) to end his reign as the third man to win 100 ATP titles last week in Geneva.
As the Serb nears a potential quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev, Filip Misolic will next face the Austrian qualifier.
After a strong performance against a shaky opponent who missed a set point in the third set, Djokovic said, “I think in general I played well.”
“I left Roland Garros feeling more confident and optimistic, and I’m hoping to keep doing that.”
ALSO READ: Sabalenka Cruise, Sabalenka Cruise, and Alcaraz In French Open Third Round
Zverev and Fils advancement
On day 5 of the French Open tennis competition, which takes place on Court Simonne-Mathieu at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 29, 2025, Germany’s Alexander Zverev plays a backhand return to Jesper De Jong from the Netherlands. (Photo by AFP photographer JULIEN DE ROSA)
In a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Dutchman Jesper de Jong, third seed Zverev overcame his first set defeat.
The German, who lost to Alcaraz in the previous year’s final by five sets, will next face Flavio Cobolli from Italy for a spot in the last 16.
Alex de Minaur, the ninth-ranked Australian, blew a two-set lead to defeat Alexander Bublik, who had already made it four Grand Slam quarter-finals in a row.
Brazilian junior champion Jakub Mensik, the Miami Open champion, also fell to Portugal’s Henrique Rocha, who is currently playing for the first time in two sets, 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
However, Home Hope Arthur Fils sprang from a similar fate.
Despite suffering a back injury, the 14th seed rallied from a set down to defeat Spaniard Jaume Munar 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 0-6, 6-4 in the final set on a raucous Court Suzanne Lenglen.
With a straight-sets victory over French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca made it to the third round of a Grand Slam competition for the first time.
In a thrilling night session match, the 18-year-old will next face British fifth seed Jack Draper, who defeated Gael Monfils in four sets.
Through , Gauff, Andreeva
On day 5 of the French Open tennis competition at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 29, 2025, US Coco Gauff celebrates her victory over Czech Republic’s Tereza Valentova in a women’s singles match at the Roland-Garros Complex. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF/AFP)
Gauff defeated 2024 French Open women’s champion Tereza Valentova 6-2, 6-4, in a battle of her own.
In a scrappy second set, she only managed one hold of serve, but she eight times broke her Czech, age 18, to earn a third-round meeting with Marie Bouzkova.
After falling short in Madrid and Rome, the American is aiming for their first title since the WTA Finals last year.
Gauff said, “The return game was good, but I could have been more aggressive on the serve.”
Andreeva defeated American Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-4, to reach Roland Garross sixth seed. She had an impressive run to the semi-finals last year.
After winning the WTA 1000 series titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, Andreeva is playing her first Grand Slam as a top-10 seed.
The Russian expressed his happiness at the fact that she remained calm throughout the match and that she overcame some minor challenges.
In the third round, third-round rival Marketa Vondrousova will face American third-rounder Ann Li, who defeated her 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
Madison Keys defeated Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-3, in her maiden Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open in January.
Barbora Krejcikova, defending champion of the Wimbledon, was beaten out by Russian Veronika Kudermetova, 6-0, 6-3.
Following a terrible season that left one of the biggest clubs in the world without any next term of European football, Massimiliano Allegri made a recovery at AC Milan on Friday.
Following Sergio Conceicao’s sacking from the San Siro club after five miserable months in charge, Milan turned to serial winner Allegri in their desperate hour.
Massimiliano Allegri has been appointed as the men’s first team’s head coach, according to a statement from AC Milan.
Allegri has signed a two-year contract worth five million euros per year, with the option to extend for two more years, according to Italian media, who did not provide specifics of the agreement.
Allegri, who finished this past Serie A season eighth, has become Milan’s fourth coach in a year.
In his first season in charge, Milan had two years to prepare for one of the most notorious Serie A episodes, and he was Milan’s coach for one of the most infamous occurrences.
When a Sulley Muntari goal was not given despite the ball clearly crossing the line, Milan defeated Juventus, the 2012 league champion, 1-0 in February that year.
Juve then won that game 1-1, ending the campaign unbeaten, and two years later hired Allegri, who won Serie A five more times in his two years with the Turin giants.
Allegri had been on a break since being fired by Juve in May of last year, culminating in a post-game riot after winning the Italian Cup and yelling at officials and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli.
Read more about Real Madrid signing defender Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool.
Conceicao out
On January 26, 2025, former AC Milan players Sergio Conceicao (3rd L) and AC Milan’s players celebrate their victory in the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy’s San Siro Stadium. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI/AFP)
Paulo Fonseca’s contract expires in the fall of this year, and Conceicao, a former Inter Milan and Lazio player, will take his place.
He won the Italian Super Cup in January and defeated local rivals Inter in Riyadh’s final, which he had already won in Milan.
But he was unsuccessful in his bid to secure a spot in the Champions League for a talented but inconsistent team that was frequently accused of being unfazed.
The 50-year-old’s fate was sealed when Milan lost to Bologna in the Italian Cup final earlier this month.
Conceciao, 50, was in charge of Milan for 16 of his 31 games, including 11 victories, seven losses, and three draws, as well as having to deal with angry protests from supporters against RedBird, the club’s American owners.
Before their team’s final game of the season, a dead-rubber against relegated Monza last weekend, fans gathered in large numbers outside Milan’s headquarters.
That protest was the start of a string of ostensible protests from Milan supporters, who had watched them fall into second place in the division following Stefano Pioli’s second-place showing in 2023/24.
As fans watched Inter compete for the Serie A title and advance to this weekend’s Champions League final, owner Gerry Cardinale, the founder of investment fund RedBird, have been making loud demands for the club to be sold throughout matches.
Eric Chelle, the head coach of the Super Eagles, has praised Nigeria’s domestic players and said they possess the qualities to perform at the highest level.
Numerous senior national team coaches have been accused of neglecting their own players.
However, Chelle, who used some local players in the match to give the Super Eagles more chances following their 2-1 victory over West African rivals Ghana on Wednesday, disclosed his intention to give them more chances after speaking to the press following the match.
READ MORE: Dessers On Target As Nigeria Beats Ghana In Unity Cup
“These players, as I previously stated, have some quality, and my job is to analyze and select.” I apologize if I’m wrong, but in reality, I want to give these guys some chances because I need to add some players to my team because we need to win.
“Maybe I can find a guy who can score in the final seconds against Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, or,” inquired Elle.
Therefore, my job is to work and strive to achieve the best results for this team, Nigeria, local players, and the other players. We will work therefore. We are both enjoying our time together and are looking forward to our upcoming September game.
Nigeria will face Jamaica in the Unity Cup final on Saturday, with Chelle remarking that Jamaica is a great team with great players.
