By Don Ferdy
The Super Eagles have had their first training session in Nizhny Novgorod as they prepare for Tuesday’s international friendly match against Russia’s senior men national team.
The team will have two more training sessions on Sunday and Monday before the encounter at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Players and officials travelled aboard Turkish Airline and Ethiopian Airline flights, through Istanbul and Addis Ababa respectively, before arriving in Moscow and then flown to Nizhny Novgorod.
On 6th June last year, Russia and Nigeria played to a 1-1 draw at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, with the Russians going in front through an own goal by defender Semi Ajayi, before Tolu Arokodare levelled for the Super Eagles.
Nigeria’s ambition to host the 2034 Commonwealth Games was at the Centre of discussions between the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Commonwealth Sport leadership in Abuja.
The National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko and Director-General Bukola Olopade, alongside Nigeria Olympic Committee president, Habu Gumel, hosted the Commonwealth Sport President Donal Rukare and Director of Sport, Darren Hall, at the National Sports news Commission headquarters in Abuja.
The discussions provided an opportunity to review Nigeria’s hosting proposition and assess progress towards a potential 2034 bid.
The key part of the engagement is a presentation by the Commonwealth Sport team on its detailed review of Nigeria’s 2030 Commonwealth Games bid.
It is expected to provide a foundation for developing the country’s proposed 2034 bid, in line with the Commonwealth Sport hosting strategy.
Former Germany forward, Thomas Muller has picked the top two candidates to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Muller has surprisingly gone for the duo of Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) and Michael Olise (Bayern Munich).
In his monthly email newsletter, the 37-year-old claimed these are the players that have impressed him the most.
Mbappe and Olise have been included in the 30-man nominee list for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, which will be announced on October 26.
