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Besiktas appoints Vincenzo Italiano as head coach, raising questions for Wilfred Ndidi's future
via Punch Nigeria1 min read
Besiktas has announced Vincenzo Italiano as their new head coach, signing a contract until the end of the 2027-28 season. Italiano, 48, joins from Bologna, where he spent two seasons in Serie A, and previously managed Fiorentina and Spezia. His appointment follows a disappointing season for Besiktas, which finished fourth in the Süper Lig, 17 points behind champions Galatasaray. This change in management introduces uncertainty for Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who joined Besiktas from Leicester City in August 2025 for €8m on a three-year contract with an option for a further year. Ndidi, appointed vice captain in October 2025, made 25 appearances, scoring two goals and providing one assist. Turkish sports commentator Mustafa Demirtas has suggested that Ndidi may not fit Italiano’s tactical system, indicating that Besiktas might seek a different type of holding midfielder during the summer transfer window.
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Must ReadMrs. Olabisi Joseph, President of the Nigeria School Sport Federation NSSF, has been elected Continental President for Africa of the International School Sport Federation ISF. Her election took place during the 2026 ISF General Assembly in Belgrade, Serbia, where 79 votes were cast by 82 attending countries. This marks a historic moment as she is the first African woman and the first woman in ISF history to hold a continental leadership position. The NSSF, through its Secretary-General Ijeoma Olopade, congratulated Joseph and pledged full support for her tenure, emphasizing her role in advancing school sports for African children. Joseph previously made history in 2019 as the first female president of the NSSF, winning unopposed, and was re-elected for a second term in 2024.
Nigeria's U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, have arrived in Ivory Coast for the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship, where they will defend their title. The team landed in Abidjan on Monday and then traveled by road to Yamoussoukro, the host city, where they are currently camped at the Trio Corridor Hotel. Their campaign begins on Monday against Ghana’s Black Satellites at the Lycée Scientifique. This match is a rematch of the 2024 final in Lomé, which Nigeria won 2-1. Coached by Aliyu Zubairu, the Flying Eagles will also play against Togo’s Sparrow Hawks on Thursday and conclude their Group B fixtures on Sunday, August 2, against Burkina Faso’s Young Stallions. The team aims to successfully retain the WAFU B crown as part of their preparations for upcoming continental assignments.
Travel disruptions caused by a cancelled flight from the United States delayed the arrival of Super Falcons midfielder Deborah Abiodun and forward Gift Monday at Nigeria's training camp in Casablanca. The Nigeria Football Federation had to purchase new tickets for the players after their initial flight was cancelled due to technical reasons. Despite this setback, the Super Falcons' camp grew to 23 players with the Tuesday afternoon arrival of forward Folashade Ijamilusi from China. Ijamilusi, who plays for Liaoning Shenyang Shenbei Hefeng, scored twice in the previous Women's Africa Cup of Nations, including Nigeria's equalizer in their 3-2 comeback victory against Morocco in the final. Abiodun and Gift Monday are expected to complete coach Justine Madugu's 25-player squad for the tournament. The 10-time African champions are preparing at the La Noria Club in Casablanca before moving to Rabat for their Group C matches against Malawi, Zambia, and Egypt. Nigeria, as defending champions, will begin their title defense against Malawi on Tuesday, July 28, followed by matches against Zambia on Saturday, August 1, and Egypt four days later. This tournament also serves as the African qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with the four semi-finalists automatically qualifying and one additional team securing a spot through intercontinental play-offs.