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Bayo’s Goals Earn First International Call For Six Years

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Bayo's Goals Earn First International Call For Six Years

Five goals and a return to your national squad for the first time in six years. It’s been quite a week for Vakoun Bayo.

The 27-year-old has been named by Ivory Coast national team coach Emerse Fae in his 25-man squad ahead of the final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Zambia and Chad.

Bayo has two full international caps, but the last of those was back in October 2018 when he made a late substitute appearance against Central Africa in an AFCON qualifier.

In fact, his senior international career so far only adds up to 15 minutes, and with the last of his caps being so long ago, The Crow might have thought his chance of adding to that was over.

However, his six goals in 14 appearances this season (only nine of which were from the start) has caught the attention of Fae and he joins the likes of Manchester United’s Amad Diallo and Simon Adingra of Brighton in the squad.

“I’m really delighted for him and like I said at Sheffield Wednesday his work for the team and his work every day, he’s a real good role model for Jebbison and Doumbia,” said Tom Cleverley.

“His work hasn’t only been recognised by me, he’s been called up to the Ivory Coast squad and I am delighted for him. He is deserving his goals.

“The media and the supporters will always judge a striker on the goals they score, and rightly so.

“But the reason why he still played for those two months when he didn’t score was because of the job he does for the team.”

Often overly criticised by supporters, Bayo has stayed positive and never lost the faith of his head coach.

“His out of possession responsibilities, his hold-up, how good he is with his back to goal, and what a great character he is,” said Cleverley.

“They’re the reasons why he stays in the team even through dry spells.

“The five goals he’s scored in the last week he thoroughly deserves.

“We’re not getting carried away with ourselves, but I want him to enjoy his goals as it’s been a tough period for him with the lack of them in the last two months.”

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Real Madrid Wonderkid Forced To Retire At 19 After Rare Injury

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One of Real Madrid’s youngest stars, Marc Cucalon, has been forced to retire from professional football at just 19-years-old, after he picked up a serious rare injury which will prevent him playing for Los Blancos. The midfielder announced his decision on social media on Tuesday.

Cucalon was signed Real Zaragoza when he was just 11, and was touted for big things at the Santiago Bernabeu, even drawing comparisons to Real Madrid icon and elite deep-lying playmaker Xabi Alonso. Nicknamed ‘the Xabi Alonso of La Fabrica’, his career was halted by an ACL injury which he suffered during a UEFA Youth League win against Celtic in September 2022.

Although many footballers have suffered ACL injuries and recovered from them to play at the highest level, bacteria entered Cucalon’s body while he was having surgery, which led to an infection. That has subsequently led to it damaging the cartilage in his knee.

Cucalon Announces Retirement
Tributes poured in for the talented youngster

The 19-year-old underwent numerous treatments to try and help him get back on the pitch, but they had little effect on him. With Cucalon still struggling to play the game, he’s been advised to hang up his boots.

Writing on social media, he said: “I arrived at Real Madrid in the summer of 2016 as a kid with a backpack full of dreams and I was very, very happy. And the truth [is] that my life changed completely on 6 September 2022, when I was seriously injured. After several complications, that injury has forced me to make the tough decision to say goodbye to football, at least in the way I had always dreamed of.

“For these past two years I have struggled physically and mentally with all my might and I have tried everything in my power to enjoy this sport again, but it has not been possible to recover from it.

“Don’t get me wrong: this is not a sad farewell at all. After all, I think I have been truly privileged to have been part of the best club in the world and to have lived a dream. I’ve learned and matured as a person and as a player.

“I carry with me for the rest of my life the values that have been instilled in me and, of course, football has taught me in every triumph and in every defeat: you always have to overcome and keep fighting to overcome obstacles. Those lessons will be part of my life forever.”

Alvaro Arbeloa, who coached Cucalon at Real Madrid’s academy, then posted a touching message to the youngster. He said: “You don’t know how many times this game comes to mind. It’s hard for me not to think about the huge player you were going to be (and already were), but you always have to look to the future. You know it better than anyone, you deserve the best, Marc, we will always be there for whatever you need.”

 

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S.Africa Football Chief Arrested On Fraud, Theft Charges

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S.Africa Football Chief Arrested On Fraud, Theft Charges

South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan was arrested and charged Wednesday with using the group’s resources for his own purposes in a fraud and theft case amounting to 1.3 million rand ($72,000), police said.

Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court.

“The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, the president of SAFA used the organisation’s resources for his personal gain,” a police statement said.

He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorisation from the SAFA board, the statement added.

Jordaan, 73, is reported to have hired the public relations firm after his reputation took a knock when a South African singer and former lawmaker alleged in 2017 that he had sexually assaulted her 25 years previously. He denied the allegations.

He was arrested “following an intensive investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation based in Johannesburg into allegations of R1.3 million fraud and theft,” police said.

Jordaan has been SAFA president since 2013 and was elected for a third time in 2022.

He was arrested with SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, head of the communications company cited in the charges, who also denied the accusations.

The court released the three on bail.

 

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Morocco 2025: Ekong, Lookman, Simon, 19 Others Train In Abidjan Tuesday Night

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Morocco 2025: Ekong, Lookman, Simon, 19 Others Train In Abidjan Tuesday Night

Only Spain-based forward Sadiq Umar was being expected as Nigeria’s juggernaut rolled sturdily into the much-familiar environment of Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny on Tuesday, with 22 players set for the team’s first training session ahead of a potentially explosive Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against neighbours Benin Republic on Thursday.

“We have 22 players, with only one person to join the team in the early hours of Wednesday. It has been a particularly great atmosphere here in Abidjan, and we are all very positive going into the first training session ahead of the match,” Coach Augustine Eguavoen told thenff.com on Tuesday.

Eleven players, viz Captain and AFCON Man of the Competition William Ekong, reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, his likely successor Ademola Lookman, defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel, Olaoluwa Aina, Victor Collins and Calvin Bassey, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and Germany-based forward Victor Boniface all arrived at once on Tuesday morning, before being joined by South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Earlier, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Kelechi Iheanacho had arrived, to join the eight that were in camp on Monday: goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defenders Gabriel Osho and Bruno Onyemaechi, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze.

With 10 points from four matches, seven goals for and none against, and top of their Group D, the Eagles will walk with an extra bounce into the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the facility where they upended the aspirations of Guinea Bissau, Cameroon and Angola at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire earlier in the year.

It was also the venue where in the summer, they were slated by two goals to one by the Cheetahs (who have been forced by lack of a CAF-approved facility in their country to adopt Abidjan as home) in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying game in which they scored first.

“The stadium is a familiar one for us and we have good memories from the AFCON. We will rather focus on the positive results we have taken away from here and work hard for another good day in the office on Thursday.

“It is not going to be easy because the Beninoise are also chasing a ticket to the final tournament. However, our objective is clear: three points on the night,” Captain Ekong said on Tuesday.

Senegalese official Issa Sy, who was in charge when the Super Eagles pipped Angola 1-0 at the same venue, in a quarter-final match of the Africa Cup of Nations finals, has been selected by CAF as referee for Thursday’s encounter, which will commence at 7pm CIV time (8pm Nigeria time).

He will be supported by compatriots Djibril Camara (assistant 1), Nouha Bangoura (assistant 2) and El Hadji Amadou Sy (fourth official). Ivorian Rene Williams Sere will be the commissioner while Angolan Inacio Manuel Candido will be the referee assessor.

The Super Eagles need only one point from Thursday’s clash to be sure of a ticket to the 35th AFCON, scheduled for Morocco 21st December 2025 – 18th January 2026.

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