By Amaechi Agbo

Waldorf Knoll Academy on Saturday emerged champions of the maiden FCT Secondary School Football Tournament after defeating HHH Foundation School by 2-0 in the thrilling final played at the Waldorf Knoll Academy Football pitch, Jabi, Abuja.

Several talented footballers were discovered during the competition including Hussaini Yahaya of Aduvie International School who won as the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Yasir Yusuf of HHH Foundation School got the Best Goalkeeper award while Moses Yakubu of Waldorf Knoll Academy was the Highest Goal scorer with four goals.

Addressing the winners as well as participating teams after the final, former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Vice President, Shehu Dikko lauded the brains behind the tournament.

The ex-Chairman of defunct League Management Company, LMC who doubles as the Chairman of the event encouraged other states across the country to put such grassroots football tournament involving young boys for the development of the game.

Speaking at the event, Dikko said, “Grassroots football is the way for us to go. We have to connect with our schools because the kids that play at that level whether U13, U15, U16 or whatever, the first thing is to make sure that they are of school age. That is the best connection and we must make sure that we include schools within that framework so that we can get success and proper records for these boys and follow up with them so that they develop and reach the level they want to reach at the the U17, U20, national teams, clubs and a couple of them.

“I think we have to encourage this kind of competition. All schools should be encouraged to organise what we have seen here today. It could be annually, quarterly or what have you and prepare these kids for the future. These are truly young players who only played for fun but showed great football artistry and display.

“I have seen a lot of good players with bright futures and I have told the schools involved that they should keep eyes on them and even some of our colleagues who are involved in managing players because, in the next one or two years, some of these boys will be really up there,” Dikko said.