Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has credited Argentine football scout, Marcelo Houseman, with playing a key role in launching his professional football career.

Ighalo said that Houseman discovered him and fellow Nigerian footballer Kim Ojo and created opportunities that exposed them to European football.

“Houseman discovered Kim Ojo and me in Nigeria and took us to Hertha Berlin in Germany for trials when we were still unknown players,” he said.

According to Ighalo, Houseman’s support went beyond talent identification, as he invested his time, resources and personal commitment in developing young players.

“Hertha Berlin wanted only me, but Houseman stood by both of us. He believed we deserved equal opportunities and rejected offers he considered inadequate,” he said.

The former Nigeria international said Houseman subsequently took them on a two-month tour of European clubs, including Sporting Lisbon of Portugal and RCD Espanyol of Spain.

“Although those moves did not materialise, Houseman never gave up. He introduced us to another trusted agent who arranged trials in Oslo, Norway,” he said.

Ighalo said Houseman also provided financial assistance that supported both players and their families during difficult periods.

“He gave us money that helped our families greatly. I passed the trials in Norway, signed a pre-contract, and the rest became a 19-year professional career,” he said.

He described Houseman as a mentor whose vision and sacrifices contributed significantly to the development of many African footballers.

“Without Houseman, my football story could have been different.

“He saw potential in me before many others did and opened doors that changed my life,” Ighalo said.

Ighalo began his professional career with Nigerian clubs Prime FC and Julius Berger before joining Norwegian side Lyn in 2007.

He moved to Italian club Udinese in 2008 and enjoyed successful loan spells with Spanish side Granada, where he established himself in European football.

In 2014, he signed for Watford and played a pivotal role in the club’s promotion to the English Premier League.

Ighalo later featured for Changchun Yatai and Shanghai Shenhua in China before joining Manchester United on loan in 2020.

He made his debut for the Super Eagles in 2015 and represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The striker emerged as the top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, helping Nigeria secure a third-place finish.

Ighalo currently plays for Al Wehda FC in Saudi Arabia, bringing to bear experience gained from successful spells across Europe, Asia and international football.

Two nations, four points, one crazy World Cup day.

There may be about 5,000 miles between the Netherlands and their former colony Curacao but the World Cup meant members of the Dutch royal family managed to see both sides play on Saturday.

King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and Princess Ariane of the Netherlands were in Houston for a noon kick-off and saw the Dutch side power to an impressive 5-1 win over Sweden.

A mere 800-mile trip north to Kansas City later and the royals were able to see Curacao claim their first ever World Cup point against Ecuador.

All but one of the Curacao squad was born in the Netherlands, with the royal party ending the day celebrating with the players in the dressing room.

“It is an extra-special World Cup because we have both the Netherlands and Curacao,” Willem-Alexander said.

“So we have twice as many teams to cheer for. It’s a great opportunity to cheer on both the Blues and the Oranges.

“All in all, it will be a special World Cup for me with two teams, and I naturally hope they go extremely far.”

Queen Maxima is from Argentina and could squeeze in the holders’ match against Austria if she pops to Arlington, Texas on Monday.

Curacao is smaller than the Isle of Man with a population of 158,000 and remains part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

During the 17th Century the Netherlands conquered large swathes of territory in regions that now make up Indonesia, South Africa, Curacao and West Papua.

Thousands of people were trafficked from Africa to Dutch colonies in the Caribbean and South America – amounting to about 5% of the entire transatlantic slave trade – before the practice was banned in 1863.

King Willem-Alexander formally apologised for his country’s role in the slave trade in 2023, saying he felt “personally and intensely” affected.

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will still receive his full tournament fee.

Artan was interrogated for 11 hours by US immigration authorities at Miami International Airport on Monday before being told he would not be allowed into the country after his diplomatic passport and single entry US visa were rejected.

A US government official said Artan had not been allowed to enter the country because of an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations”.

Artan said he had been questioned by border officials over his links to Somali militant group Al Shabab and had told them he knew nothing about the organisation.

“I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa,” said Artan.

“I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”

After being put back on a plane to Turkey, Artan received assistance from Fifa officials in Istanbul before boarding a flight to the Somali capital Mogadishu.

Sources said that even though Artan will take no part in the World Cup, Fifa has committed to paying his salary.

Referees do not know the actual fee they will receive for officiating at the World Cup, which is paid after the tournament is over.

Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (Caf) men’s referee of the year, has since been invited to officiate the Uefa Super Cup between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria on 12 August.

The 34-year-old, who thanked “my people and my country” after being welcomed in his homeland, has vowed to officiate at the 2030 World Cup.

Artan had a year to remember in 2025, becoming the first Somali to take charge of a continental final.

In June 2025, he officiated the second leg of Pyramids FC’s African Champions League final victory over Mamelodi Sundowns.

Fifa appointed Artan to the U-20 World Cup in Chile, where he took charge of three matches including the third-place play-off.

At the end of the year he refereed two group games at the Africa Cup of Nations, having also officiated at the tournament in 2024.