It was a dream come true for Shedrack (not real name) when he was shortlisted in the final list of the players that will represent Nigeria at the 2015 edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The team had been training hard in the quest to retain the trophy which was later won by Nigeria.

Unknown to him, he will be abandoned later by the officials.

After he suffered playing on grass-less pitches without pay and sometime had to beg his poor parents to spend money to treat his injuries as an amateur in his village.


He quickly put a call across to his parents in the south eastern part of Nigeria to share the great news: “I am going to World Cup, my life is going to change,” he said.

“It was a dream come true for me after watching top Nigerian players succeed, I also watch the last U-17 when they lifted the trophy and never knew it will soon be my turn, when I saw my name I quickly put a call across to my parents in the east to share the news,” he told naij.com.

The U-17 FIFA World Cup

The U-17 FIFA World Cup is played every two years, Nigeria is the current champion after retaining the trophy which was won in 2013. The Emmanuel Amunike led squad also won the most valuable player and the golden boot of the just-concluded tournament which was held in Chile.

Nigeria has won the tournament for the fifth time and once, back to back.

One of the 2013 winning squad member, Kelechi Iheanacho currently plays for Manchester City and has been invited to the Super Eagles by the head coach, Sunday Oliseh.
A member of the 2015 squad, Victor Osimhen has almost sealed the deal with Tottenham Hotspur, a club in the EPL.
Nigeria won four individual categories: Victor Osimhen won the golden boot and the silver ball, while Kelechi Nwakali won the golden ball and the bronze boot.
The players lamentation

When naij.com investigated the monies owed, a team source revealed that each player is owed N1.5 million (almost USD8,000) and a total of 21 players were taken to the tournament. The NFF has run into a debt that is almost thirty-two million naira, N31,800,000 equivalent to USD160,000.
Some of the players who spoke to naij.com said that they have not been paid a dime, all they got were promises from the NFF and up till now they are yet to fulfill their promises. They only got N35,000 ($175) for their efforts at the world cup:
“They asked us to manage 35,000 and use it to transport ourselves back home, we have not been paid a dime after all our efforts after all we are world champions is this how to treat a world champion, this is so unfair,” a player said under anonymity for fear of stigmatization.

Shedrach continued by saying that all hopes to give money to his parents on his arrival has gone down the drain as he is so broke and had to change his number because people started calling to ask for money from them hoping he had come back with millions:
“Imagine this, I have a new line right now people have been calling to ask me for money and I don’t have and they thought I am lying to them that we have not been paid. The NFF should encourage us now, as we saw them in Chile how they live large and some went shopping but we don’t have any money here, they are users.

“Let me tell you more, we were only given a pair of jersey, they don’t have jersey, during training before we traveled we have to buy USED Nike clothes with our own money to train they didn’t give us training kits they said they don’t have training kits, we are not happy about this.
“Let me surprise you more we also lied to other teams, each time after the matches whenever they reach out to exchange jerseys we couldn’t give them, we only say to them we are coming to run away or ignore them because we only have a pair each, it was not an easy task for us, but we won on empty stomach, this is modern slavery.”

https://www.naij.com/640557-feature-u17-world-champions-cheated-shortchanged-owed-n31-6m.html/?ayomide&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_group=free

Don't worry lads, Buhari's bodyy language and odour will fix every thing for yu guys.

I don't think our Hero GEJ could hav done this to our boys.
We are back to those Handshake days.

Btw,
Happy B'day to the Hero our time GEJ. Remain Blessed Oga Boss.

Why should anyone be paying 16yr olds? Even so, what is Buhari's business with the NFF

Boko-haram in government!!

IyaIode:
Why should anyone be paying 16yr olds? Even so, what is Buhari's business with the NFF

Seriously, you are a big fool! Anuofia!

jonathanOz:
Seriously, you are a big fool! Anuofia!

Ipob frustration. Spits