‘Yamal still needs to prove himself’ – Makelele picks 2025 Ballon d’Or winner

Published

7 months ago

July 9, 2025

Claude Makelele, a former Chelsea midfielder, has snubbed Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and picked Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele as the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner.

The former France international believes Yamal still needs to prove himself, adding that the Spain winger is a kid.

Yamal and Dembele are two of the top contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or.

When asked for his opinion on who should win the top-individual prize, Makelele said (via Diario AS): “Dembele. Lamine still needs to prove himself over a longer period of time.

“Ousmane started earlier. If we give it to the young one, Lamine… (laughs).

“He needs to show more. Let him be, he is a kid, he is a talent. Don’t beat him up.”

Both Dembele and Yamal were impressive for their clubs last season.

Dembele won Treble – UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1 and French Cup – with PSG, while Yamal won LaLiga and Copa del Rey with Barcelona.

2026 World Cup: Super Eagles waiting for FIFA’s decision – Iwobi

Published

11 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Super Eagles playmaker, Alex Iwobi, has admitted they are waiting to see if the team would still play at the 2026 World Cup.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is optimistic of a potential lifeline from FIFA, after it submitted a petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Iwobi was asked by SuperSport if he would rather lift the AFCON 2025 trophy or qualify for the World Cup?

The 29-year-old, who played at the 2018 of the World Cup, replied: “I mean we’re still waiting, well hopefully we can go to the World Cup, but I feel it’s a tough one.

“It’s a tough one because winning AFCON is like… It’s a great legacy, it’s a great thing to have like in your career, a memorable moment.

“But then at the same time, because I’ve been to the World Cup already, a lot of the players haven’t been. They would like to say ‘I want to go to the World Cup,’ so I can’t be selfish and say win the AFCON and for my teammates to not go to the World Cup. So it’s a tough one. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Politics

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONDOLES WITH SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE OF THE SUPER EAGLES ON THE PASSING OF HIS MOTHER

Published

1 week ago

January 30, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

President Bola Tinubu sends his condolences

to Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze on the passing of his mother.

The President also extends his sympathies to the family and friends of Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, who passed away on Thursday.

President Tinubu mourns with the Chukwueze family and encourages them to find solace in the memory and legacy of their late matriarch.

“The passing of Mrs Chukwueze, the mother of one of our bright football stars, just a few days after the passing of Super Eagles’ captain Wilfred Ndidi’s father, is deeply saddening.

I mourn with them, and I am with them in prayers during this difficult time,” the President says.

President Tinubu prays that God Almighty will grant the departed eternal rest.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)