Nigeria Professional Football League hotshot Junior Lokosa is overwhelmed by his invitation to the Super Eagles for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, chairman of Kani Pillars FC, Alhaji Muhammad Tukur Babangida, has revealed to CompleteSports.
Babangida said Lokosa who arrived in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital city on Tuesday, was overjoyed when the news of his call-up to national team reached him through his agent.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have maintained their 47th position in the latest FIFA world ranking.
The latest ranking was released on Thursday on FIFA’s official website.
Also in Africa, the World Cup-bound Super Eagles remain sixth.
The Saudi Football Federation has banned referee Fahad al-Mirdasi for life over bribery and urged FIFA to remove him from the pool of referees for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Mirdasi was suspended for offering to take a bribe to influence the outcome of a match, the federation’s disciplinary and ethics committee said late Tuesday.
The 32-year-old is one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent referees, having earned a FIFA badge in 2011 and officiating at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 and the Confederations Cup in Russia in 2017.
The Colombian Football Federation announced on Monday a provisional list of 35 players for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. Included in the squad are 11 veterans of the 2014 World Cup, among them are James Rodriguez, David Ospina, Carlos Sanchez, Abel Aguilar and Cristian Zapata.
Arsenal star Mesut Ozil, Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos and Bayern Munich trio Mats Hummels, Thomas Mueller and Jerome Boateng are part of Germany’s 27-man provisional list for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The list was confirmed by FIFA on their verified Twitter handle on Tuesday.
Long-term injury absentee Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus, who missed the 2014 World Cup due to injury, are included.
Niger Tornadoes have been thrown into mourning mood following the death of their defender, Hussaini Isah, CompleteSports reports.
Hussaini lost his life during a motorcycle accident along Maitumbi Road, Minna.
“With sorrow heart, we painfully announced the sudden exit of our dedicated and humble defender Hussaini Isah, who lost his life this Monday evening,” the club wrote on their Twitter handle on Monday.
