Isiaka Olawale: Ex-Sand Eagles captain laments Kebbi BSC’s World Winners Cup miss

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Isiaka Olawale, former captain of the Nigeria national beach soccer team, has voiced his disappointment regarding Kebbi Beach Soccer Club’s (BSC) failure to participate in the 2024 World Winners Cup in Alghero, Italy.

The three-time Nigeria Beach Soccer League (NBSL) champions announced that they would not be attending the prestigious tournament, citing visa issues stemming from a late application to the Italian Embassy, despite ongoing communications since August.

“It is quite disappointing,” Olawale remarked during an interview with Brila FM.

“This is the third edition, and they have represented Nigeria in two previous tournaments. This time around, they failed to participate, which is best known to them.”

Kebbi Beach Soccer Club was hoping to make their third appearance after competing in the 2019 and 2023 editions.

Olawale emphasized the potential benefits of the tournament, stating, “Had it been that they tried to go for the competition, it would have helped the team, and as individual players, it would also have benefited them greatly.”

Reflecting on their previous experiences, he added, “When they returned from the last tournament, we all saw the improvement in both the team and individual players. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do now. Perhaps this is how it was meant to be. We just have to remain optimistic and move forward.”

Looking ahead, the Kebbi Beach Soccer Club will now focus on preparations for the upcoming 2024/2025 Kebbi Beach Soccer League (KBSL) and the 2025 Nigeria Beach Soccer League (NBSL), with hopes of retaining their league title and achieving their fourth championship in five seasons.