The Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja will come alive on October 25 when the Barça Legends take on an African Legends XI in a mouth-watering exhibition clash.
The game, scheduled for 3pm local time, is expected to attract a huge crowd to Nigeria’s biggest arena, which seats over 60,000 fans.
Albert Ferrer’s men arrive in Nigeria on the back of a thrilling 3–2 victory over Monterrey Legends in Mexico, a match settled by a David Villa hat-trick. This will be their fifth visit to Africa, after stops in Mozambique, Morocco, Zambia and DR Congo.
For the Barça side, Ronaldinho leads a cast of stars that includes Ludovic Giuly, Javier Saviola, Jesús Angoy, Samuel Okunowo, Marc Valiente, Fernando Navarro and Roberto Trashorras, with more names to follow.
The African Legends will parade some of the continent’s finest ex-internationals. Nigerian icons Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu headline the squad, alongside Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo and Cameroon’s Alex Song, who once wore the Blaugrana shirt.
Nigeria, one of Africa’s football powerhouses, boasts three AFCON titles (1980, 1994, 2013), six World Cup appearances in the last eight editions, and three Olympic medals, including the unforgettable Atlanta 1996 gold.
The fixture also rekindles the link between Nigeria and Barcelona. Four Nigerians have featured for the Spanish giants: Emmanuel Amunike, a multiple trophy winner between 1997 and 2000; Samuel Okunowo, part of the 1998/99 title-winning squad; Haruna Babangida, the youngest ever Barça B debutant at 16; and Elohor Godswill, who played in the Copa Catalunya in 2014.
Launched in 2016, the Barça Legends project brings together the club’s former stars to showcase the Blaugrana style and values across the globe. More than 80 ex-players have featured since its inception.
With Ronaldinho’s flair set against Okocha’s wizardry, and Kanu and Saviola adding their artistry, Abuja fans can expect a night of pure football nostalgia and entertainment.
