Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has cleared the air on his purported retirement from the national team.

The former Leicester City forward has not featured in a competitive match for the Super Eagles since 2021.

He started his last game for the national team three years ago during a World Cup qualifier against Cape Verde, he played 67 minutes in the 2-0 victory.

Musa did not play in any of Nigeria’s seven matches at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, where the team finished as runners-up.

His most recent appearance was a seven-minute cameo in a friendly game against Guinea in January.

Musa has also been without a club since he parted ways with Turkish side Sivasspor after his contract was terminated in February.

But speaking with reporters after a friendly match he organized, Musa disclosed that he has not drawn the curtain on his Super Eagles’ career, adding that he was only on a hiatus.

He explained: “I only took a little break from the national team.

“But I didn’t exit the team.”

Chelsea, on Sunday, announced that academy graduate, Michael Golding, has completed a permanent transfer to Premier League club Leicester City.

The Blues disclosed this in a statement on their website.

“We wish Michael the best of luck in the next chapter of his career and thank him for all his efforts during his time as Blue,” Chelsea’s statement partly read.

Golding joined Chelsea as an Under-12 and represented the youth teams.

His performances for Chelsea also earned him international recognition between the Under-15 and Under-18 age groups.

He captained the England side that competed in the Under-17 European Championship in the summer of 2023 and later that year played three times at the Under-17 World Cup.

Golding recently featured for England Under-18s.

[DailyPost]

Uruguay beat Brazil on penalties (4-2) to reach the semi-finals of Copa America after an ugly game ended goalless on Saturday.

Uruguay, who finished the game with 10 men after Nahitan Nandez was sent off in the 74th minute, will face Colombia in Charlotte, North Carolina, in their semi-final on Wednesday.

Colombia, now unbeaten in 27 games, beat Panama 5-0 in Saturday’s other quarter-final earlier in Arizona.

The other semi-final, in New Jersey on Tuesday, will see world champions Argentina face surprise package Canada.

For five-times world champions Brazil it was a disappointing early end to a tournament in which they never truly clicked, and a lot of work remains to be done if Dorival Junior’s team are to be in shape to compete for the title in the 2026 World Cup.

In a city better known for boxing than for the beautiful game, it was a bruising contest with little quality play and a tournament high 41 fouls.

A poor quality playing field hardly helped with both teams struggling to produce their best football on an uneven surface.

The first – and best – chance of a game of few opportunities came in the 35th minute when Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez had a clear header in front of goal but mis-timed his effort which flew wide off his shoulder.

Within moments, Brazil created an opening of their own with Raphinha breaking clear, but Uruguay keeper Sergio Rochet stayed tall and made a vital save.

Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay were as tenacious as always, harrying Brazil in midfield and never afraid to interrupt their flow with a foul.

Brazil resorted too often to long balls forward but with only their 17-year-old talent Endrick, in for the suspended Vinicius Junior, as a central striker they lacked the physical presence to make that approach effective.

The game deteriorated the longer it went on with foul after foul, not deterred by lenient refereeing.

But Uruguay’s hopes of wearing Brazil down were dealt a blow when Nandez hacked down Rodrygo with a dangerous slide into his ankle and after a VAR review the defender was sent off.

From then on it was clear that Uruguay were simply trying to make it to full-time and penalties and with no extra-time in Copa America, they were able to achieve their aim.

– Tight game –

After Federico Valverde scored with the first spot kick, Eder Militao saw his effort saved by the diving Rochet.

When Douglas Luiz hit the post for Brazil, they trailed 3-1 and Jose Gimenez had the chance to clinch the game for Uruguay. His effort was superbly saved by Alisson Becker.

Substitute Gabriel Martinelli scored to keep Brazil alive but midfielder Manuel Ugarte kept his cool to drive home the decisive kick and send the 15-times Copa champions into the last four.

Bielsa praised his team’s calmness in the shoot-out and their desire during the 90 minutes.

“I’m more seduced by attacking than defending, but I have to appreciate that in a tight game we created one more situation than our opponents, we defended well and we played 15 minutes with one less player, which at this level is a real factor,” he said.

“If you ask me if I’m happy with having created three goal situations in 90 minutes, no, I’m not. But our opponents had two,” he said.

“Today we outplayed Brazil in segments of the game and were outplayed in others,” added the Argentine.

For Brazil the thoughts turn to the need to ensure they make it to the next World Cup after a poor start to CONMEBOL qualifying.

“We leave the tournament undefeated but not satisfied,” said Dorival Junior whose team won once and drew twice in the group stage.

“We didn’t play at a high level from a technical point of view, but I don’t dismiss any of the games. I think there was commitment, fighting spirit. At no time did the team stop going for the result,” he added.

“This process needs patience. We have two years to work before the World Cup. The first thing is to qualify for the World Cup because we are sixth in the (South American qualifiers) and it is a position that makes us uncomfortable,” he said.

The tournament’s final will be held in Miami on July 14.

The Netherlands scored twice in the second half to complete a come-from-behind win over Turkey in their European Championship quarter-final encounter at the Olympic stadium in Berlin on Saturday.

Ronald Koeman’s side fell behind in the pulsating encounter and had to wait until later in the second half to overpower the Turks, thanks to two quick goals within six minutes.

Turkey were without Merih Demiral, their two-goal hero in the last-16 following a two-match ban, and his defensive solidity was sorely missed on a night they matched the Netherlands for long spells before the eventual capitulation.

Despite is absence, Samet Akaydin scored in the 37th minute with a header from Arda Guler’s cross to put The Crescent Stars in the lead at the interval.

The Dutch worked their way to the equalizer on 70 minutes with Memphis Depay crossing for Stefan de Vrij to power home a header from a shot corner. Fans regained their voice and the Netherlands went ahead for the first time in the match six minutes later, when Mert Mulder bundled a cross into the net for an own goal as Turkey crumbled.

The Netherlands held on to claim a deserved victory that put them in the last-four stage where they will face England. The Three Lions had needed a 5-3 shootout win over Switzerland following a 1-1 scoreline after 120 minutes.

Manuel Akanji saw his kick saved while Trent Alexander-Arnold converted the winning kick.

The Dutch became the second country after Portugal in 2016 to qualify for the semi-final after finishing the group stage as one of the four best losers.