•Bukayo Saka

Arsenal and England winger Bukayo Saka won the 2026 Sócrates Award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony at London’s Palladium Theatre on Monday.

He was presented with the award by Nigerian superstar Burna Boy.

France Football established the Sócrates Award in 2022 in collaboration with Peace and Sport.

The award is named after the late Brazilian football legend Sócrates, renowned for his social activism and defence of democracy.

The award is presented at the Ballon d’Or ceremony to recognise male and female footballers who use their influence and resources to support humanitarian causes and promote social inclusion beyond the pitch.

• FIFA U15 World Cup Festival

Nigeria’s U15 team made a stunning statement at the ongoing FIFA U15 World Cup Festival in Azerbaijan, with a commanding 7-0 victory over New Caledonia on Wednesday.

The Nigerian youngsters dominated the encounter from the outset, with Oche opening the scoring in the first minute to give his side an early lead.

Ijachi doubled Nigeria’s advantage in the 12th minute before adding two more goals in the 16th and 35th minutes to complete his hat-trick and put the contest beyond New Caledonia’s reach.

Muhammad also impressed in front of goal, scoring twice in the 21st and 39th minutes as Nigeria continued to overwhelm their opponents with a ruthless attacking display.

Salu completed the rout in the 40th minute, taking Nigeria’s tally to seven goals in an emphatic performance by the young side.

Ijachi’s hat-trick was the standout individual achievement, while Oche, Muhammad and Salu also contributed to a comprehensive victory that highlighted Nigeria’s attacking quality.

The convincing win provides an encouraging boost for the Nigerian youngsters as they continue their participation in the FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival.

Team Nigeria will compete in six sports with 19 athletes at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games as preparations enter their final stage ahead of the historic event, which begins in Senegal on 31 October.

The Nigerian contingent comprises 12 women and seven men who will compete in athletics, boxing, road cycling, swimming, table tennis and beach volleyball at the fourth edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games.

The Games, which run until 13 November, will mark the first time an Olympic sporting event is hosted on African soil, with competitions taking place across three locations: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

Athletics will provide Nigeria’s largest representation, with nine athletes, comprising five women and four men.

Swimming will feature four Nigerian competitors, split equally between men and women, while table tennis will have two representatives, one male and one female.

Nigeria will also field one female boxer, one female road cyclist and a two-athlete women’s beach volleyball team.

The contingent is undergoing final preparations following a 21-day camping programme that began on 9 October and is scheduled to end on 29 October.