7,057 total views,  3 views today

By Amaechi Agbo

The Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry Enugu Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka has disclosed that his mission in establishing a football team, the Adoration Football Club, is to discover and gather talented footballers, groom them so they can play for top European football teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona, among others, Www.bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

Mr Mbaka stated this in Enugu on Saturday after his team, the Adoration FC emerrged champions of the 20th edition of the Chief of Naval Staff National U-17 football tournament held in the Coal City State.

Adoration FC, representing Enugu State at the tournament, whitewashed Abia State’s New Generation FC 5-0 to win the male U-17 tournament.

Captain of the team, Wisdom Boniface was voted the Most Valuable Player and also won the Golden Boot with 6 goals.

Mr Mbaka who said he was excited with the team’s outing, added that they are preparing to take them to Denmark, which is part of the reward for winning the tournament.

“I’m excited, very happy. The children did Enugu State proud. We are going to Denmark because that is the reward for emerging champions

“We have other packages for them to develop their talents. I’m a talent lover, hunter and developer. My concern is for the integral well-being of these boys, to develop them, they are going far away

“I believe that one day, we will be watching them in big teams in Europe such as Barcelona, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and in all the wonderful teams in the world. So, they are going far, they are the future talented footballers in the country,” Mr Mbaka said .

Mr Mbaka whose senior team, Adoration FC plays in the Nigeria Second Division, the Nigeria National League, NNL, explained why he is investing in football even when he loves other sporting activities

“I don’t just choose football, I love judo, karate, I love taekwondo. But among all these, football gives me Joy, because in taekwondo is one-on-one but in football it is a teamwork and you know what it means, you impact value into the young boys, it will enable them fly on the wings of prosperity.

A total of 28 teams participated in the one-week tournament which held from April 6 yo 13, 2024 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.