Former Nigerian international, Waidi Akanni, has emphasized the importance of supporting grassroot football, saying it is essential for discovering new talents and producing the next generation of football superstars, like Jay-Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo, who brought glory to Nigerian football.
Akanni, who is the technical director of 1XCup, a community championship endorsed by the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), noted that the tournament aims to promote grassroots football development and discover new talents.
The second season of the tournament will kick off on August 5, 2024 at Legacy Field and climax on September 25, 2024 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.
Speaking after the teams were drawn into groups, Akanni said, “For so long, Nigeria has abandoned grassroot football, and I am happy that 1XBet has chosen to invest in it. Community games are what I like to promote, and approaching 1XBet wasn’t a big deal. It’s where we discover talents like Jay-Jay, Kanu, and others, which helps Nigeria form a team by getting the best players from the grassroot.”
On challenges faced with grassroot football, Akanni said, “Many community teams are individual efforts, not sponsored. We need to sponsor them because we can’t get the best out of unsponsored teams. They need money, water, and other things, making sponsorship crucial for grassroot football.”
Correcting the notion that grassroot games are underage-based, Akanni said, “Grassroot football is not just for under-18 players. We have 30, 40-year-old players participating, and that’s what it’s all about.”
On the game and participating teams, Akanni believes the 1X Cup has come to stay. “1X Cup is a grassroots tournament, and I’m impressed by the numbers here today for the draw. About 200 teams registered for the qualifying stage, and now we have 20 teams competing for N20 million prize money. It’s what the grassroots needs – money and exposure.”
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