Qatar 2022: Perpetua Nkwocha, Sunday Oliseh make Africa’s FIFA Legends Cup squad

Nigeria duo of Perpetua Nkwocha and Sunday Oliseh are amongst former players listed to feature in the 2022 FIFA Legends Cup in Qatar.

The 2022 FIFA Legends Cup is part of the event to honour legends at the ongoing World Cup and Nkwocha, who is the only Nigerian and second African woman on the African squad landed in Doha on Tuesday.

The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) in a bid to honour these football legends have gathered former players who enjoyed fame and success during their international careers for a mini competition.

The two-day competition is slated to take place on the final rest days in-between matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Thursday, December 15, and Friday, December 16, 2022

Nkwocha and Oliseh have both won the women’s and men’s AFCON for Super Falcons and Super Eagles respectively during their playing careers.

Four times African Footballer of the Year, Nkwocha will be joined by another former Super Eagles star Aiyegbeni Yakubu in the African selection which has 13 players.

Senegalese legends El-Hadji Diouf, Khalilou Fadiga, and Demba Ba were listed while three other legends who played for Chelsea; Geremi Njitap (Cameroon), Michael Essien (Ghana), and Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire) are also listed.

Former Manchester City player, Yaya Toure will also play for the African Lions with Robert Kidiaba and Thomas Nkono listed as goalkeepers.

Retired Indomitable Lionesses star Gaelle Enganamouit is the youngest player on the selection and joins Nkwocha as the only ladies in the African team, also known as African Lions. They are drawn in Group A alongside Northern Bears, East Tigers and Arab Falcons.

Among other global footballing legends lined up to feature in the two-day tournament are former Brazilian stars Ronaldinho, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, and Uruguayan former ball hitter Diego Forlan who will all feature for the South American Panthers.

The likes of Luis Figo, Clarence Seedorf, Andrei Shevchenko, Deco Souza, Hristo Stoichkov, and Peter Schmeichel are among a star-studded cast of the European Dragons.

Greats of the global game will lace up their boots in Doha this week when the FIFA Legends Cup takes place at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex.

The FIFA Legends Cup will feature eight teams, 18 matches, and nearly 100 FIFA Legends across two days of pre-FIFA World Cup Final fun.

Kicking off on Thursday 15 December, matchday one will feature 12 matches as some of the best players in FIFA World Cup history unite to entertain supporters on a modified, centre-court pitch at the tennis complex according to a release on the FIFA website.

Six matches will be held on matchday two (Friday, 16 December), with games starting at 1400 (local time) and concluding with the Final at 1800 (local time).