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Nigeria's U17 team get rousing welcome from home fans after winning FIFA World Cup

Xinhua, November 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nigeria's Under 17 football team got a rousing welcome back home when they arrived the country on Wednesday, three days after winning the FIFA World Cup tournament in Chile on Sunday.

Fans of the team, also known as the Golden Eaglets, trooped out en masse and followed a motorcade which drove from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport straight to the city center in Nigeria's capital Abuja. The long motorcade comprised of local football officials, journalists, entertainers and well-wishers of the national team.

The Golden Eaglets not only won the coveted Under-17 FIFA World Cup, but also brought home highly-valued individual awards such as the Golden Boot won by Victor Osimhen for being the tournament's highest goal scorer and the Golden Ball, won by the team captain, Kelechi Nwakali for being the best player.

They displayed their trophy, gold medals as well as golden ball and golden boots won at the competition as security operatives led them round the capital city.

Team coach Emmanuel Amuneke told Xinhua that he was delighted by the warm reception they received upon arrival. "I am glad that Nigerians had confidence in us and supported the team all the way," he said.

Captain of the team, Nwakali, also told Xinhua he and his colleagues were glad to have made positive impacts at the competition.

"The support we got from the home fans will encourage us to do more in our outings," he added.

Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari is expected to receive the team and the trophy at a formal reception ceremony billed for Thursday.

The Nigerian U17 team won African champions, Mali, 2-0 at the final game played in Sausalito Stadium in Vina del Mar city of Chile on Sunday, thereby obtaining their fifth crown in the U-17 category.

In a statement on Monday, Buhari hailed success of the team in defending the title previously won by Nigeria in 2013. He attributed the success to the rich display of "exemplary zeal, determination, commitment, hard work, patriotism and soccer artistry".

The Nigerian leader added: "The Golden Eaglets' latest victory on the global stage is an affirmation of the significant progress Nigeria is now making towards positively redefining and rediscovering its potential for greatness in the comity of nations. Endit