The Super Eagles are now 14 places higher in the latest FIFA ranking after a stellar performance at the just-concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023. According to the latest ranking table, the Super Eagles garnered 1,522 points as against the 1,474 points they got in December 2023.
Following their impressive display at the just concluded African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 tournament, the Super Eagles football team was rewarded with the National Honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at a ceremony which was held on Tuesday at the State House, Abuja. All team members and officials were in attendance for the ceremony and were each given a flat and one plot of land in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ivory Coast again came from behind to beat Nigeria and win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final on home soil through a heroic stunner from star striker Sebastien Haller. The Elephant’s striker, who had also netted the semi-final winner just 13 months on from his return from testicular cancer, flicked in Simon Adingra’s cross with the toe of his boot with nine minutes remaining to complete a second-half comeback and spark wild celebrations in Abidjan.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will be introducing the blue cards in football; the blue card as part of the sin-bin will used by the referees to send players off the match for 10 minutes for dissent or cynical fouls. More so, two blue cards would amount to players' dismissal for the rest of the game, as well as a blue and yellow card. However, FIFA called blue cards in elite football "premature" and said, "any trials, if implemented, should be limited to testing in a responsible manner at lower levels". Meanwhile, sin-bins will not be used in this summer’s European Championship or next season’s Champions League after UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, last month said he was not in support adding that “It’s not football anymore.”
Vice-president of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Shehu Dikko, has applauded the head coach of the Nigerian national team, Jose Peseiro, for his ingenuity and bold move against South Africa that send the Bafana-Bafana back home. The Super Eagles needed a penalty shoot-out to see off Bafana Bafana in the semi-final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations on last night to guarantee Nigeria into finals.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria after defeating Bafana Bafana in a puslating event in Bouake, will play hosts Ivory Coast who downed The Leopards of Congo DR 1-0 to progress for a showdown in Abijan on Sunday 11th February 2024.
