Category sport-news

Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare has added another feather to his cap, scooping the Ebony Shoe award, a prize that recognises the best player of African descent in the Jupiler Pro League.

Tolu, 24, saw off competition from compatriot and Club Brugge’s Raphael Onyedika; Union Saint-Gilloise’s duo of  Noah Sadiki (DR Congo) and Promise David (Canada), and Genk teammate Zakaria El Ouahdi (Morocco) to land the coveted award.

He got the prize on Monday night at the African Awards 2025 held at the Tangla Hotel in Brussels, Belgium.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Flying Eagles Beat Senegal, Soar Into U-20 AFCON Semi-Final

The Nigerian is one of the standout performers in Belgium this campaign, with 20 league goals and six assists under the tutelage of Thorsten Fink.

His impressive form puts him second on the leading goalscorers’ log in the Jupiler League. Tolu also has two goals to his name in the Belgian Cup this season.

He is the 34th winner of the Ebony Shoe prize, and the sixth Nigerian to bag the award. Other Super Eagles players who have won it include Daniel Amokachi (1992, 1994), Victor Ikpeba (1993), Godwin Okpara (1995), Celestine Babayaro (1996), and Paul Onuachu.

Onuachu was the last Nigerian to win it in 2021.

READ ALSO: Nigerian Striker Awoniyi Rushed To Hospital For Abdominal Surgery

Kevin Denkey, Moumou Dagano, Souleymane Oulare, and Onuachu are the other Genk players to get the Ebony Shoe award.

Following the award, his club said the “entire Genk family is extremely proud of this achievement”. The blue-white believe that,” With two match days to go, he still has a chance to become top scorer of the season”.

Atalanta qualified for the Champions League on Monday by beating Roma 2-1 and mathematically securing a place in Serie A’s top four.

Ibrahim Sulemana’s strike in the 76th minute moved Atalanta, in third, seven points ahead of fifth-placed Lazio with two matches remaining in the season.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s team had taken an early lead through Ademola Lookman only for Atalanta old boy Bryan Cristante to head Roma level in the 32nd minute.

READ ALSO: Carlo Ancelotti To Take Over As Brazil Coach

But Sulemana ended Roma’s long unbeaten run at 19 matches and left Claudio Ranieri’s side one point behind Lazio and Juventus, who sit fourth.

.@ChampionsLeague‘s calling #GoAtalantaGo ⚫ pic.twitter.com/TD959vKSxk

Roma can still snatch a spot in Europe’s top club competition but host in-form AC Milan next weekend while Juve welcome Udinese.

Reaching the Champions League would be a huge triumph for Ranieri as Roma looked like relegation candidates when he came out of retirement in November to take charge of his boyhood club for the third time.

Gasperini has been tipped to take over Ranieri after nine hugely successful years in the Atalanta dugout, winning the Europa League last season.

The Flying Eagles have advanced to the semi-final of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), beating defending champions Senegal 3-1 on penalties.

Monday’s match ended barren in normal and extra-time, pushing the match to the spotkicks, where Nigeria emerged 3-1 winners. 

That victory earned Nigeria a spot in the U-20 World Cup, billed for Chile later in the year.

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Nigeria earned their spot at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025! #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 pic.twitter.com/IwaGnsSMST

Coach Aliyu Zubair’s boys could not break the Young Lions of Teranga’s defence in a feisty game at the Suez Canal Stadium in Egypt.

The Flying Eagles were undefeated in the group stages, earning five points.
But many were unconvinced by the side’s showing, especially after the draw with already-eliminated Kenya.

Semi final ticket ✅ FIFA U20 World Cup Ticket ✅ Weldone Flying Eagles #SoarFlyingEagles pic.twitter.com/C1mM1P4QpO

As the game unfolded on Monday, the West African giants failed to convert their chances. The extra time also did not result in a goal.

But in the penalty shootout, Coach Aliyu Zubair’s boys maintained their cool as Precious Benjamin, Emmanuel Chukwu, and Israel Ayuma scored their spot kicks.

Goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt was the hero after saving two penalties.
Senegal failed to score their spotkicks as Pierre Dorival’s effort was saved, the same as Mame Mor Faye’s strike.

Ousmane Konaté also saw his penalty come off the crossbar.

READ ALSO: Carlo Ancelotti To Take Over As Brazil Coach

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Nigeria just clocked the #TotalEnergiesAFCONU20 semis! pic.twitter.com/yVjiAzWR3z

Although Seydi Diouck scored his kick, it was a little too late for the Senegalese.

With the result, the Flying Eagles soared closer to a record-extending eight U-20 AFCON crown.

An excited Coach Zubairu was full of praise for his boys for beating the defending champions despite the pressure that came with the match.

“We prepared for all scenarios, including penalties. I’m proud of the boys for executing under pressure,” he said.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will leave the club at the end of the season to take charge of the Brazil national team, the Brazilian Football Confederation announced Monday.

The 65-year-old Ancelotti will become Brazil’s first foreign coach, with Xabi Alonso set to be appointed as the new Real Madrid boss after confirming his exit from Bayer Leverkusen.

“The greatest national team in the history of football will now be led by the most successful coach in the world,” said the CBF in a statement.

“He will lead Brazil until the 2026 World Cup and will coach them in their next two qualifying matches against Ecuador and Paraguay next month.”

READ ALSO: Barca Edge Real Madrid Again In Thriller, Near La Liga Title

Brazil sacked Dorival Junior after a 4-1 thrashing by Argentina in March and are fourth in the South American qualifying table for the tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada.

Ancelotti leaves Madrid as one of the club’s most successful managers, winning 15 trophies across two spells with Los Blancos, including a La Liga and Champions League double last season.

In his first spell at Real Madrid he led them to La Decima in 2014 — their 10th Champions League triumph.

He has won the competition three times with Los Blancos: sacked in 2015 he returned in 2021 after Zinedine Zidane resigned to lift the trophy in 2022 and 2024.

Ancelotti has also led Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain among other teams, including AC Milan with whom he won the Champions League twice as a coach in 2003 and 2007.