By Every year the company sponsors different teams from across the world under the ‘Meet the world with SKF’ initiative and literally sponsors every spectrum of the experience.
From the passport application, to visas, to flight tickets, to accommodation, to feeding, to in town transportation. And the man at the centre of it all from our lens as Nigerians is the country Manager of the company, Mr. Dare Oyegunle. He is the face of SKF in Nigeria.
Other notable members of the company included Mr Seyi Abisoye who does all the logistics and registration ‘wahala’, Mrs Omotoyosi, the selfless secretary of the company, Mr Uti, Miss Pamela and other very accommodating and esteem personalities.
You will recall that my part crossed with Mr Dare Oyegunle late 2023 when I was introduced to him by the then Vice chairman of our LCDA, Hon Seyi Jakande as a football enthusiast from his constituency.
Hon Seyi Jakande, who coincidentally is the present chairman of the LCDA, saw an opportunity to support the vision and aspirations of his boss, Hon Rasaq Ajala, who was the chairman at the time.
I will not forget in a hurry as Hon Seyi Jakande recommended me to Mr Dare as a very good coach for the Nigerian Eagles. Hon Ajala arrived later that day and gave the same recommendation.
I believe these recommendations went a long way in making me get the nod as head coach of the Nigerian Eagles to be assisted by the highly experienced Coach Mike who had valuable international experience having led Chrisland schools to the world school games some years ago.
At the time, I equally had a robust reputation managing B15 boys, having won the 2021 Lagos State First Generation Schools Masters Cup in 2021 and the 2022 National principals’ Cup (Lagos championship) with Eko Boys High School. Before leading Ghetto Tigers FC to their first FA cup win in 2023 and guiding the Ghetto Tigers Ladies into the Nigerian Women football League (NWFL) Championship in 2024.
Once again we were gearing up to take on the world in Gothenburg having exited the competition in the round 16 in 2024.
The journey started with a keenly contested SKF Nigeria tournament at the Inspire sports Arena formerly known as Nitel between Ghetto Tigers FC, Inspire Sports Academy, Unique Heights FC, Hive FC, Real Achievers, Anthony City FA, Tinubu FC, Unification FC and SKF Nigeria Eagles.
On Friday July 11, 2025 we arrived Gotenburg, Sweden, checked into the lodge provided by SKF, a Swedish based engineering company who is the major partner of the Gothia Cup.
Our team list for the 2025 expedition had Faruq Idris as Captain and in goal being deputized by Anis Onyemuchi, Anas Abdullahi, Alu Azuka, former captain Daniel Olajide, Mubarak Adisa and Shittu Azeez in defense. Demilade Oyegunle, Demilade Osho, Ezekiel Oshofowokan and Waliu Alayaki in the midfield while Fawaz Salami, Olaoluwa Oyegunle, Godwin Sorika, Zikora Ifezue and Shamsu Yakub Mustapha provided the firepower in attack.
Unlike in 2024, when we literally spent all days together from arrival to departure. In 2025, we had to wait a few days before linking up our top Swedish fans and tactical support systems in the face of Gustav, Max, Hannah and Joachim.
Joachim was in another Facility, Gustav was now team psychologist at BK Hackens and Max now works in another State and comes back to Gothenburg late in the evening. So none of our regular fans witnessed our first victory but they followed it on the app no doubt. Then came a new set of fans, Frode, Alvin and licensed FIFA agent Nathan.
Due to our pedigree as a team in the competition majority of our games were scheduled out of town. I would believe it was because we did not have enough streaming subscriptions as we were an underdog in that B16 category that had 193 teams from 29 countries of the world. Most fans rooting for an African team will likely pitch their tent behind Right to Dream FC of Ghana owned by a former Manchester United employee.
The aforementioned situation formed the bases of the team talk during the group stages. We told the players, nobody will go all the way to Kviberg to watch you. If you want people in town to watch you play, then you need to finish top from this group and we’ll see.
On Monday July 14 2025, we played our first game in Djupedalsplan. We introduced ourselves once again to the world with a comfortable 5 – 0 victory over Vellinge IF, a solid Swedish based side. Mercurial forward, Fawaz Salami who made his Gothia debut in 2024 scored a hattrick with creative midfielder Waliu Alayaki and Centre back Anas Abdullahi grabbing a goal each.
Although we had won our first game unlike the 1 – 1 draw in 2024 and also scored 5 goals in the process, we kept celebrations in check as knew that it was just the beginning of a marathon. Instead, myself and coach Mike concentrated on pointing out the missed chances and the mistakes that didn’t make the scoreline more emphatic. With the privilege of hindsight, I believe that emotional check was the diffidence between 2024 and 2025.
Next up was an England based team LSS Academy at Heden. Trust me, they gave us a good fight. However, it was in the game we made a significant discovery of most of the European teams at the tournament. After a very difficult first half where they were leading 2 goals to 1. We discovered that just like the team we had played earlier they adopted the popular PSG pressing pattern which was getting a lot of applauses in the Club World Cup, which was ongoing and also introspectively we discovered we always get a chance in the first 5 minutes of both half. I told the boys all we had to do was get that equalizing goal and we will win. We got the goal in the first 5 minutes and went on to win 4-2. Salami Fawaz scoring 3 taking his tally to 6 while debutant Godwin Sarika opened his Gothia account with the 4th.
With 6 points and a place in the second round already secured the game Swedish based side Österäker United FK on a return to Heden was about the most less tensed out of the nine games played between July 14th to July 19th. The game ended 4-0 with Clinical Forward, Shamsu Mustapha finally get his debut goal after firing blank in the his first 2 games of his debut campaign. Alayaki Waliu and Ezekiel Oshofowokan also got debut goals as Mubarak Adisa opened his Gothia account in his second season.
It was the first knockout game. We looked up our opponents NorCal Premier PDP from USA and we already knew it was going to be a difficult game. We got the idea of looking up players names because of our experience in the last edition where we felt we were playing a team from UAE. The boys were a bit relaxed as they felt the pedigree of a team from the Asia would not be threat. Little did we know it was an academy that housed European players based in the Emirate. Before we knew what was going on. The game was in the penalty shootout. And we lost. As expected, on one arrival at Vallhamra IP we saw a Latino dominated the NorCal team and we needed our best strikers Shamsu and Fawaz to be at their best to walk away with victory and they delivered a goal apiece. We won the game 2 – 0.
This game I remember vividly because on the tram to Åby stadium Gustav made me understand the Stockholm/Gothenburg rivalry. He has never pressured me to win a game. He is always like, it’s the lessons from the game that matters but this one, Gustav as a Gothenburg man wanted us to get one over Stockholm and we did. We won the game 3 – 0 against Stockholm based Nacka FC with a brace from Shamsu Mustapha and Godwin Sorika sealing the game. It was the first of what would be an eventful day of 3 knockouts games.
Few hours after Nacka, we had to tram trip to Hangenplan in a faceoff against Josh Evans soccer school of England. At this point it had become confusing the exact stage we were as it looked like semifinals on the table and was looking like round of 16 on the same table. We had played 5 games already and the table kept expanding. We played 4 games in 2024 and felt we were in the round of 16. We were preparing for the 6th game and the final wasn’t visible anywhere near the tunnel. Shamsu Mustapha completed another brace, taking his account to 6 goals as Fawaz and Godwin scored one apiece to ensure a 4 – 2 victory for the Nigerian Eagles.
And then came the 3rd game of the evening, the first game in 2024 was against an Iceland team and now we play another team from the country with tired legs. We had registered just 16 players who had played 6 games 5 days and were heading into their 7 of the campaign. Many of our players believed it was the most difficult game of the campaign for a number of reasons. We lost a penalty and scored the winner when the game was heading towards the lottery of penalties. It was a serious test of fitness and mentality and we managed to escape with a 3 – 2 victory over Stjarnan FC with goals from Ezekiel Oshofowokan, Fawaz Salami and Godwin Sorika at Kviberg.
Coincidental, we drew against the Iceland team and also lost to the penalty shootout to the UAE team in 2024 at Kviberg.
For the first time in the competition, we were sure of the round we are playing. It was a semi final game and the winner gets the tickets to the grand finale at Gamla Ullevi Stadium later that day. The task ahead was clear. We could not afford any slip up. The game was played at the Bravida Arena, home of BK Hackens and Gustav would have some commitments before joining up with us. Even in the semi final we still went north of Gothenburg and we told the boys. This is our 8th game. We don’t know if we will get to this stage next year. Nobody will remember we came here if we don’t get the tickets to Gamla Ullevi. The opponent was Lørenskog IF of Norway. What we brought was more than they were expecting and it led to an overwhelming 3-0 semi final win. With Shamsu taking his tally to 8 with 2 goals and Fawaz scoring 1 to extend his lead to 10.
We knew, we were flying back home via Turkish airline on Sunday morning. We knew the only window we had to shop were the hours leading up to the final at Gamla Ullevi. But we also knew, we will not recover well enough if we went shopping and it may affect the outcome of the final. We chose being in perfect condition for the final ahead of exploring the city of Gothenburg one last time. We didn’t know what we were waiting to achieve and it was a blessing in disguise that we didn’t know. Because if we knew it could have added to the pressure.
Since the inauguration of the Gothia Cup, no African team has ever won the Boys 16 category. In fact, no African team had played in the final.
Hon. Rasaq Ajala and his then vice Hon Seyi Jakande who was with us when we suffered the heartbreak in the 2024 shootout loss had surprised players and fans of Ghetto Tigers FC at the open viewing of the final of the Gothia cup at Ayantuga street, Mushin, Lagos State. Hon Seyi Jakande has just won his election to replace Hon Rasaq Ajala as Executive Chairman of Odi Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA. It made the day more glamorous for the residents of the community.
Back in Gamla Ullevi the boys were watching the action packed shootout between Beyond Limit and ASEC of Ivory Coast while I was brainstorming on what to say to the players this time. Remember, from the first game the motivation had been to play in the Gamla on the day of the grand finale and not only witness the opening ceremony like in 2024. Now we are in the final. We are in the Gamla Ullevi massive world class dressing room, then I didn’t know what else to say and how else to psyche them. Then I turned to Gustav and asked him what to say at this time. He then responded that at this point all he will advise me to say is nothing. He further posited that they already know they have played 8 games, the players already know they are playing in a final, they already know there is massive crown outside. They’ve seen it on the screen. They already know they haven’t lost any game up to that point. Of course, they wanted to win. So any other demand from me will only increase the anxiety of the boys.
So I listened to Gustav’s advice and for the first time. I didn’t give a team talk stating demands. I told them they were the best team in the category and they have earned the right to play in Gamla. I told them we will get our chances early. I told them to bury them and enjoy the game. I was later tempted to add that they shouldn’t play to get the attention but continue what they have been doing in the past. Playing for the team.And that was what they did against a very coordinated Maryland Bobcats FC
Of USA who, In the semi final this teams had defeated Breidablik Of Iceland tipped by many as favorites after eliminating Right to dream of Ghana.
The evening ended with an impressive 3-0 final victory with Shamsu Mustapha grabbing a brace to take his tally to 10 and also winning the Most Valuable Player, Salami Fawaz rounding the goalkeeper to take his tally to 11 and Captain Faruq Idris keeping a clean sheet and also saving a penalty.
This time we had all our fan base to celebrate with as Gustav, Max, Hannah, Joachim, Frode, Alvin, Nathan and a full contingent of Zambian female players turned cheerleaders for the sake of an African victory.
We had done it, we had struck gold in Gothenburg and for the first time, an African club side had lifted the B16 category of the Gothia Cup. And we have all cemented our place as world champions in Sweden.
The Nigeria community in Gotenburg led by there president traced us to our lodge from the stadium and brought refreshments and even promised and Amala treat on Sunday. But we would be leaving so it wasn’t possible to actualize. It was nice been recognized for making the country proud as we didn’t even know there a Nigerian community in 2024 when we didn’t win.
On arrival in Nigeria, we were welcomed as a priority by the Nigeria Immigration Service having done the country proud and were subsequently hosted by the Government of Odi Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA under the leadership of Hon. Rasaq Ajala and Hon. Seyi Jakande.
To be continue…
