Ronaldinho To Lead Barça Legends Against Africa Legends In Abuja Clash

Barcelona’s Legends side will storm Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, in October for a star-studded clash against the Africa Legends at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium. The fixture, scheduled for Saturday 25 October with kick-off at 3pm local time (4pm CET), will see Albert Ferrer’s team make their second outing of the season following a 3–2 victory over Monterrey Legends in Mexico, inspired by a David Villa hat-trick.

According to a statement released on Barcelona’s website, the visit to Nigeria marks the Legends’ fifth trip to Africa since the project was launched in 2016. Previous stops include Maputo in Mozambique (2017), Mohammedia in Morocco (2019), Lusaka in Zambia (2023) and Kinshasa in DR Congo (2023).

Ferrer’s squad for Abuja boasts global superstar Ronaldinho, who has confirmed his participation. He will be joined by fellow ex-Barça players Ludovic Giuly, Javier Saviola, Jesús Angoy, Samuel Okunowo, Marc Valiente, Fernando Navarro and Roberto Trashorras, with more names to be announced before the match.

On the other side, the Africa Legends will parade some of the continent’s biggest names, including Nigerian icons Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu, former Arsenal and Manchester City forward Emmanuel Adebayor, and Cameroonian midfielder Alex Song, who also featured for Barça between 2012 and 2014. Their line-up will bring a wealth of experience from Europe’s elite leagues, with further additions expected.

Nigeria, the hosts, remain one of African football’s powerhouses, with three Africa Cup of Nations titles (1980, 1994 and 2013) and six runner-up finishes. They have qualified for six of the last eight FIFA World Cups and are also Olympic medallists, including the historic gold in Atlanta 1996.

The country also shares a rich connection with Barcelona. Four Nigerians have represented the club’s first team: Emmanuel Amunike, a two-time league winner; Samuel Okunowo, who collected a league medal; Haruna Babangida, who became the youngest Barça B debutant at 16; and Elohor Godswill, who featured in the Copa Catalunya.

The Barça Legends initiative, launched in 2016, has brought together over 80 former players to represent the club in matches across the globe. Through these games, the project aims to celebrate the club’s history, spread the Barça brand, and promote its values worldwide.

Faridah Abdulkadiri

Source: Arise