FOUR more top players from Europe including William
Gallas, Louis Saha, Tim Howard and Steven Pienaar have been booked on the
flight to Port Harcourt for the Joseph Yobo Centenary Game, the befitting
testimonial match planed to mark the retirement of the former Super Eagles
captain from football on May 27.
Yobo’s associate and former Super Eagles player, Waidi
Akanni, confirmed on Monday that plans for a befitting testimonial was on
course with the quality of players who have confirmed their presence in Port
Harcourt.
“It is becoming very exciting the number of top players
who have confirmed their readiness to be in Nigeria for the Yobo testimonial. I
can assure you that before that date in May, more top players are going to be
unveiled,” stressed Akanni.
Gallas is a former Chelsea and France defender, who
helped the Blues win back-to-back the
English Premier League titles under Jose Mourinho in 2005 and 2006. He is also
a former Arsenal, Tottenham and Perth Glory (Australia) player who called time
on a glittering career after 84 caps for France. He retired from the game two
years ago.
Saha, Yobo’s former teammate at Everton is also a French
former professional footballer. Saha was capped 20 times for the French
national team. He moved over to Goodison Park after four and half years at Old
Trafford.
Also, Everton and United States of America goalkeeper,
Tim Howard is listed for the Garden City football fiesta.
Howard is an iconic figure in U.S. soccer, especially
after his epic performance in the 2014 World Cup, when he delivered a 15-save
effort in the round-of-16 defeat against Belgium. He has also been a mainstay
for the Toffees, logging more than 400 appearances in all competitions.
The fourth player to also confirm his presence in Nigeria
to honour Yobo is another Everton and South African star, Steven Pienaar. He
was captain of the Bafana Bafana, until October 2012.
Earlier, Yobo’s former Everton teammate Wayne Rooney and
African greats Samuel Eto'o, Yaya Toure, plus a host of other international
football personalities have all shown interests in honouring the Ogoni-born
star who amassed 100 international caps, scoring seven goals in a career that
spanned 13 years.
He featured at three FIFA World Cups and six AFCON
tournaments, leading Nigeria to victory in his last outing in South Africa.
Some of the corporate bodies who have indicated their
support for the Joseph Yobo Centenary Game include, Sifax Group, NICON
Insurance and Beko Electronics Ltd.
The testimonial game which is being put together by the
Joseph Yobo Foundation in partnership with the Rivers State Government will be
an occasion to celebrate a worthy son of the state who had a distinguished
career.
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