Sports
Ibrahimović announces retirement from football

Ibrahimović announces retirement from football
Swedish professional footballer, Zlatan Ibrahimović announced his retirement from football on Sunday after AC Milan’s final match of the Serie A season.
“It’s the moment to say goodbye to football, not just to you,” said Ibrahimovic on the San Siro pitch following Milan’s 3-1 win over Verona.
Ibrahimović is known for his acrobatic strikes and volleys, powerful long-range shots, and excellent technique and ball control. He is regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time and is one of the most decorated active footballers in the world, having won 34 trophies in his career.
He has scored over 570 career goals, including more than 500 club goals, and has scored in each of the last four decades.
Ibrahimović began his career at Malmö FF in 1999 and signed for Ajax two years later, where he gained a reputation as one of the most promising forwards in Europe. He departed two years later to sign for Juventus before joining domestic rivals Inter Milan in 2006, where he won three consecutive Serie A titles.
In the summer of 2009, he moved to Barcelona in one of the world’s most expensive transfers. After just one season, he returned to Italy having signed for Inter’s rival Milan. With them, he won the Serie A title in his debut season.
In 2012, Ibrahimović joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), leading them to their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years and soon establishing himself as a leading figure in their dominance of French football.
During his four-season stay in France, he won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles, was the top scorer in Ligue 1 for three seasons and became PSG’s all-time leading goalscorer at the time.
In 2016, he joined Manchester United on a free transfer and won his first European honour in his debut season. Ibrahimović joined American club LA Galaxy in 2018 and rejoined Milan in 2020, winning his fifth Serie A title in 2022.
Ibrahimović is one of eleven players to have made 100 or more appearances for the Swedish national team, over a 20-year international career. He is the country’s all-time leading goalscorer with 62 goals.
He represented Sweden at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 UEFA European Championships.
He has been awarded Guldbollen (the Golden Ball), given to the Swedish player of the year, a record 12 times, including 10 consecutive times from 2007 to 2016.
Ibrahimović’s 35-yard bicycle kick goal for Sweden against England won the 2013 FIFA Puskás Award and is often considered one of the best goals of all time.
Ibrahimović was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2013 and the UEFA Team of the Year in 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2014. He finished at a peak of fourth in the FIFA Ballon d’Or in 2013.
In 2015, UEFA included him as one of the best players that have not won the UEFA Champions League, while in 2019, FourFourTwo magazine named him the third-greatest player ever to win the competition.
Sports
Ajibade, Oshoala, Nnadozie Lead Super Falcons’ 24-Woman Squad for WAFCON

Super Falcons’ Head Coach Justine Madugu has unveiled a 24-woman squad for Nigeria’s campaign at the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), with star names Rasheedat Ajibade, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Francisca Ordega, and Asisat Oshoala making the cut.
The squad announcement marks the beginning of the team’s march toward a record-extending 10th continental title, with the tournament set to take place from July 5 to 26 in Morocco.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a portion of the squad began training in Abuja on Thursday and will continue sessions on Friday and Saturday before departing for a final training camp in Lisbon, Portugal, on Sunday.
Also included in the list are Saudi Arabia-based defender Ashleigh Plumptre, American fan favourite Michelle Alozie, veteran centre-back Osinachi Ohale, and midfielders Deborah Abiodun, Jennifer Echegini, and Christy Ucheibe.
Home-based talents like goalkeeper Rachael Unachukwu and defenders Sikiratu Isah and Miracle Usani have also been called up, while midfield general Halimatu Ayinde returns to bolster the team’s engine room.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed friendly matches to sharpen the team ahead of their Group B fixtures against Tunisia, Botswana, and Algeria. The Falcons will face Portugal in Lisbon on Monday and square off against the Black Queens of Ghana in Morocco on June 29.
Full List of Super Falcons for 13th WAFCON Finals:
Goalkeepers:
- Chiamaka Nnadozie (just finished contract with Paris FC, France)
- Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia)
- Rachael Unachukwu (Nasarawa Amazons)
Defenders:
- Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico)
- Shukurat Oladipo (AS Roma, Italy)
- Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA)
- Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies FC, Saudi Arabia)
- Sikiratu Isah (Nasarawa Amazons)
- Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray Sportive, Turkey)
- Miracle Usani (Edo Queens)
Midfielders:
- Rasheedat Ajibade (just finished contract with Atletico Madrid, Spain)
- Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosenburg, Sweden)
- Deborah Abiodun (Dallas Trinity, USA)
- Jennifer Echegini (Paris Saint Germain, France)
- Toni Payne (Everton Ladies, England)
- Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal)
Forwards:
- Francisca Ordega (Ittihad Ladies Club, Saudi Arabia)
- Chinwendu Ihezuo (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico)
- Ifeoma Onumonu (Montpellier FC, France)
- Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto, Canada)
- Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain)
- Folashade Ijamilusi (Liaoning Shenyang Shenbei Hefeng, China)
- Chioma Okafor (University of Connecticut, USA)
With high expectations and an experienced squad, the Super Falcons are poised to make a strong push for another continental crown in Morocco.
Sports
Plumptre Joins Fight Against Child Trafficking as Mission 89 Ambassador

Super Falcons defender, Ashleigh Plumptre, has been named an ambassador for Mission 89, a global research and advocacy organization dedicated to combating child trafficking in sports.
The appointment, conveyed in a letter on Friday by Mission 89’s Executive Director, Lerina Bright, highlights the organization’s commitment to protecting young athletes and preserving the integrity of football.
Bright emphasized that the partnership with Plumptre comes at a crucial time as the sports industry grapples with rising challenges in safeguarding young talents from exploitation. She praised Plumptre’s dedication to social justice, noting that her influence will strengthen Mission 89’s efforts.
“Her extensive experience at the highest levels of professional football, alongside her passionate advocacy for ethical practices, positions her as an exemplary representative for this vital cause,” Bright said.
She further stressed the urgency of tackling sports trafficking, calling for immediate action from stakeholders, including governments, advocates, sports leaders, professional athletes, and policymakers.
Plumptre, in her acceptance remarks, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, acknowledging that her experiences as a footballer would play a key role in her new position.
“As a footballer, I have observed firsthand how aspirations can serve as both a source of hope and a potential vulnerability for young athletes,” she said.
“My experiences in professional sports have taught me that talent alone is insufficient; protection, education, and ethical pathways are vital components.”
The Leicester City defender described Mission 89 as more than just an organization, but a platform for reshaping the narrative around youth in football.
“We are not merely preventing trafficking; we are reclaiming the true spirit of the game — a spirit characterized by opportunity, dignity, and hope,” she said.
Plumptre reaffirmed her commitment to using her platform to protect young players who see football as a means to a better future.
“Football has the potential to transform lives. However, it is imperative that we ensure this transformation is both positive and secure,” she added.
Headlines
Wike to honour FCT athletes, pledges support for sports

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has pledged to honour victorious athletes that recently represented the FCT in various sporting events.
Wike made the pledge in a statement from the FCT sports department on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that a reception, scheduled for Thursday, is in recognition of athletes that represented the FCT at the 2022 National Sports Festival, the 7th and 8th National Youth Games.
According to him, the honour is to appreciate the athletes for their acts of sacrifice, patriotism and determination that have brought glory to the FCT.
“We are committed to the development of sports in the FCT, and we will continue to create the enabling environment for sports to thrive.
“This is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s focus to engage youths to help discover their potentials and empower them to be better,” he said.
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