The Nigeria Football Federation has taken the step to forge a closer relationship with the Chinese Football Association, following a meeting in Abuja between the NFF leadership and the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai.
NFF president, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, reiterated that football is an immensely powerful tool to solidify relationships among nations. He assured the top diplomat that the NFF is eager for closer ties with Chinese football, especially in the women’s category where China is a global force.
“We have received an offer from certain persons who are close to the Chinese FA, and who want our U17 boys to participate in a mini-tournament in China in July,” Gusau said. “We believe that this will be the beginning of a great working relationship with Chinese football.”
“We are looking at more regular games among our teams. Certainly, matches can be organised both in China and Nigeria for both nations to participate, and at all times, the NFF will always intimate the Chinese Embassy and seek its guidance and advice.”
Ambassador Dunhai, who is into the second year of his tenure in Nigeria, praised Gusau for the great interest in Chinese football and said there is a lot of collaboration and exchange programmes taking place between both nations in other sectors presently.
“As you said, football is a very strong instrument for forging unity because it belongs to the youth and the youth represent the future,” Dunhai said. “Presently, there are many Nigerian players and coaches in the Chinese League.”
“And I am always thrilled to realise that Nigeria and China share the same Independence Day – October 1. Actually, my first knowledge of Nigeria came through football – when your boys won the Olympic football gold in Atlanta in 1996.”
“Twelve years later, they won the silver medal right in China. Your U-17 boys are also very strong and have the greatest collection of titles in the FIFA World Cup. Incidentally, their first title was in China in 1985.”
“Football needs no language. Although our men’s team is not that strong, we are better in the women’s game and our people do enjoy watching the game,” he concluded.
