Triumphant Golden Eaglets arrive to heroes' reception in Abuja after World Cup victory

NIGERIA'S victorious Golden Eaglets have returned home to a heroic reception after winning the U17 World Cup in Chile being received by sports officials and a tumultuous crowd at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

 

Entering the record books with a fifth U17 World Cup victory, the current crop of Eaglets became the first Nigerian team to ever retain the trophy in successive tournaments following their 2-0 win over Mali on Sunday. To add to the success, team captain Kelechi Nwakali was voted the best player of the tournament, while striker Victor Osimhen was its top scorer with a record 10 goals.

 

Having left Chile on Monday, the team stopped over in Dubai and arrived in Abuja yesterday where they were received by leading sports ministry officials. Among those at the airport to welcome them were Mallam Alhassan Saleh Yakmut, the director general of sports in the Federal Ministry of Sports, Seyi Akinwunmi, the Nigerian Football Federation's (NFF) first vice chairman; Shehu Dikko, it second vice chairman, NFF board members Sunday Dele-Ajayi, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande and Ahmad Kawu, and its general-secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi.

 

Led by coach Emmanuel Amunike, the team touched down in Abuja aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Dubai.  A cultural troupe entertained the Eaglets just outside the arrival hall and made it possible for several airport officials, travellers and fans to take photographs with the players and officials, as skipper Kelechi Nwakali held the glittering trophy aloft.

 

Mallam Yakmut said: “The entire nation is proud of you. You have done a great thing to bring honour to this country and Mr President is very delighted and I also wish to convey to you the joy of the new honourable minister of youth and sports.”

 

After the reception, the players and officials were driven round some areas of the Federal Capital Territory in a motorcade before the convoy arrived at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel. New minister of youth and sports, Solomon Dalong, later had dinner with the Golden Eaglets at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

 

Members of the National Assembly led by the chairman of the Senate Com­mittee on Sports, Sena­tor Obinna Ogba, also received the players. Later today, the team will be decamped to go and spend time with their families, to reconvene for a presidential reception at a later date.

 

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to announce a series of goodies for the boys when he receives them. Earlier this week, he said he would honour a pledge made to the first Nigerian team to win the U17 World Cup in 1985 when he was first head of state.