Ivorian football sensation and 2018 African Champion of Freestyle Football, Abdoul Titi Kone, has successfully defended his crown at the 2019 edition held in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the final of the African Freestyle Football competition was held at the Balmoral Events Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island on Sunday night.
The African Freestyle Football Championships launched in 2017 was organised by “Feet ‘n’ Tricks International Ltd in partnerships with the World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA).
The finals had in attendance over 120 freestylers drawn from 20 African countries.
Kone, however, fended off stiff competition from the last year’s runners-up, Yousuf Riesco and Nigerian Blessed Ezeakabudu to win the 3,000 dollars prize money at stake.
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For the female category, Nigerian Freestyler, Evelyn Okafor emerged champion.
It is against the backdrop of the competition that Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, promised to give more support to the entertaining part of football.
“We need to encourage this entertaining part of football because what they are doing here is great. Freestyle is quite interesting and I am happy with what I have seen so far.
“With this project, a goal has been achieved. I also want more ladies to come out and do freestyle football because it is highly entertaining and competitive.
“I will see to how we can give more support to freestyle football in the future,”he said.
Meanwhile, Valentine Ozigbo, Chairman, “Feet `n’ Tricks International Ltd, organisers of the championships said that the competition would continue to grow in leaps and bounds.
“We will continue to give our best towards making the competition better. We know have one of the widest coverage in terms of competition.
“In order to broaden our horizon, I will like to see Nigeria host the World Championships of freestyle football in the nearest future,” he said. (NAN)
