Nigeria beats Japan to win Bayern Youth Cup

A Nigerian-selected under-15 side has won the Bayern Munich Youth Cup.

The Nigerian side were crowned Bayern Munich Youth Cup winners on Saturday, October 15, 2022.

The FC Bayern Youth Cup included Brazil, China, India, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States of America (USA).

The FC Bayern Youth Cup is the world's biggest and oldest international youth football tournament series organized by a football club. 

Selected members from all teams and top Academies defeated Bayern U15s 3-0 in a friendly game to start.

This was the first time the Bayern Youth Cup was played at the Olympiastadion in Munich.

The Nigerians in the preseason beat USA 3-0 and Argentina 4-0 in friendlies. 

In the group stage beat Singapore 3-0, Japan 1-0, and played a 2-2 draw with Mexico.

In the knockout stages defeated Argentina 4-0 and then beat Japan 3-1 in the final.

All three individual awards also went to Nigerian players. Bayern Legends Klaus Augenthaler and Hans Pflüger gave Victor Ikechukwu Jonathan Orakpo the best player award.

Abdulgaffar Abubakar was the best goalkeeper, while Abdulfatar Omale was the top scorer with six goals. 

Seven Nigerian players made it into the team of the Tournament. Following the game, the players went to see Bayern Munich beat Freiburg 5-0 in a Bundesliga fixture.

The Bayern Youth Cup established in 2012 gives children from several parts of the world the chance to show their talent irrespective of their social background.