Nigeria’s ‘All Time Best Football Stars’ are on parade as the maiden edition of the Kanu Nwankwo U19 Interstate Football Tournament takes center stage yesterday.
The ex-Super Eagles ‘football artists’ on the card to add colour, glamour and fun to the tournament, is dominated by majority of the Nigeria squad that first represented the country during her first FIFA World Cup finals in USA, 1994.
They include then Assistant Captain and defender, Augustine Eguavoen, who is currently NFF Technical Director, Uche ‘Gentle Giant’ Okechukwu, George Finidi, incumbent Enyimba coach and Super Eagles Head Coach, and Samson ‘SiaOne’ Siasia.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Victor Ikpeba, Tijani Babangida, Ifeanyi Udeze, Semi Olofinjana and Austin Jay Jay Okocha, make up the list.
It was gathered that eight teams drawn from Imo and its sister state, Abia, are on the cards for the N1m top prize at the end of the tournament expected to come to a fitting end on May 19, 2024.
The opening ceremony held at Abia State Polytechnic Football field with the final slated for Enyimba Stadium, Aba, on May 19, 2024.
Names and identities of the eight participating teams were not however revealed by the organisers.
But it was however learnt that runners-up and third place teams would receive an undisclosed amount of money just as there will be individual awards for Best Goalkeeper, Most Valuable, MVP, and Top Striker at the end of the two-week tournament.
Tico and Select, two renowned Sportswear companies, Kanu Heart Foundation, KHF, and Emeks Sports & Boutique are joint partners of the tournament.
Organisers have also informed that Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, will get a ‘special recognition’ on the occasion.
The tournament is billed to hold on league basis, with the eight teams pooled into two groups with the two top finishers in each group earning a semi final berth.