Nigeria's men's football team won bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Solomon Dalung, minister of youths and sports, says the bronze-winning feat of the Dream Team VI at the Rio 2016 Olympics is “the beginning of something new in Nigerians sports”.
Dalung, who described the players and coaches of the team, as the “real heroes’’ of the games, was speaking on Sunday, the final day of the games.
“I want to commend these brave heroes who against all odds surmounted obstacles to finish as the third best team in the football event,” he said.
“They are the real heroes of this Olympics. They showed determination in the face of challenges to win this ‘golden’ bronze. I believe the nucleus of future Super Eagles can be built around this U-23 side that performed creditably in spite of numerous challenges before and during the Games.
Advertisement
“This victory is symbolic. It came at the right time and it is the beginning of something new in Nigerian sports. Overall, Nigeria placed 75th of 205 countries.
“We could have done better but we will now have to go home and bring all stakeholders on board to begin preparations for the next Olympics.”
Samson Siasia, coach of the Dream Team, praised his players, especially captain John Mikel Obi, for ensuring that the country will not leave the Rio 2016 Olympics without a medal.
Advertisement
According to Siasia, winning bronze medal in the men’s football event is “not easy”.
“I want to say thanks to the players. They did a great job. It is good to take something home,” he said.
“Having bronze is not easy; we are happy and we have to celebrate. We have to enjoy this moment.”
He also thanked the Brazilian crowd for being there for the team throughout the matches, saying: “I want to thank Brazil for the great support and hospitality. We are very pleased staying here.”
Advertisement
Also commenting on the feat, Mikel said: “I was disappointed against Germany, where we lost 0-2 in the semi-finals because I don’t like losing, I always want to win. But I am so proud of this team; they boys worked so hard.
“We have an amazing coach, he’s always been there for his boys. Winning a medal means a lot to Nigerians; it is very important because football in Nigeria is absolutely massive. We had extra-pressure but we have done it for ourselves, for our family, for Nigeria.”
Habu Gumel, president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), commended the team for “relieving all Nigerians at home and abroad of all the tension that marked our presence at the games”.
“It is rewarding to at least take home a bronze. I know it could have been better,” he said.
Advertisement
“They have broken a jinx of returning home empty-handed since the last London 2012 Olympic Games. Opportunities are there for us all to plan for the future.”
Advertisement
3 comments
Can someone standing near this alakori Dalung forget his hand on his face for Nigeria?! Yeye minister!!
Somebody please tell this Dalong to shut up!
Let’s stop deceiving ourselves, a man promised to give the dream team $390,000 without even known that they can win any medal, and yet he fulfilled it. But am hearing that PMB and Daloung said that no allowance for the dream teams why? What our people do not value is things that other countries are using to make glory for themselves, we don’t value our children other countries are using them. USA Won almost 120 medals, Great Britain 86, etc. All these 50% of their athletics they are from our country Nigeria, the money that we failed to spent on they are spending it on them over there. FG should learn how be faithful in giving assignments to the right people that will go there and do the right things, in sports sectors assigned people that know about the sports there, eg.like JAY JAY and others we thank God for our brother Samson Siasia who still be faithful to his father land. We doesn’t need foreign coaches nor any, only faithful in their Caring that we, in 2010 Las Largabas what do we achieved from him millions of naira perished there only thing we got in that world cut is Red Card, Enough is enough.