NFF and players sign agreement on World Cup bonuses as Super Eagles thrash Argentina 4-2

NIGERIAN Football Federation (NFF) officials and the Super Eagles have agreed on a World Cup remuneration agreement for the players ahead of Russia 2018 following the team's dramatic 4-2 victory over Argentina yesterday.

Last night, in the southern Russian city of Krosnador, the Eagles came from two goals down to beat Argentina in the first of a series of friendlies organised in the run-up to the World Cup.  Goals from Kelechi Iheanacho, debutant Brian Idowu and a brace from Arsenal's Alex Iwobi enabled the Eagles to stage a dramatic comeback and win the match.

Following the victory the NFF and the players agreed a historic and binding agreement that will eliminate all manner of rancour and distractions around Nigeria’s preparation and participation at the World Cup finals in Russia. NFF president Amaju Pinnick, vice presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and technical and development committee chairman Yusuf Ahmed Fresh represented the NFF at the meeting.

Technical adviser Gernot Rohr, chief coach Salisu Yusuf, team administrator Enebi Achor and captain Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa, Kenneth Omeruo and William Ekong stood in for the team. Before the meeting, Mr Pinnick, said that the NFF was determined to, with the single agreement, put behind it all the crises and confrontations that had bedevilled African teams’ participation at the Fifa World Cup in the past.

Mr Dikko added: “We have done it, we have concluded negotiations and come to agreement with the team as regards bonuses, allowances and share of income from Fifa for the 2018 World Cup. Every detail has been agreed on match bonuses for each match and each round up to the final as well as a share of income from Fifa money for each round until the stage we are able to get to at the finals.

“We also agreed on preparation, such as how much players will be paid for the friendly matches, including how and when the monies would be paid. We even delved into how the NFF would apply the funds due to it from Fifa after paying the players their share.”

Messrs Pinnick and Sanusi signed for the NFF while Gernot Rohr and Salisu Yusuf signed for the technical crew and Mikel Obi and Ahmed Musa signed for the players. It is the first time in the history of Nigeria’s participation in international championships that a formal agreement between the NFF and the team is documented and the major actors see this as a catalyst for the Super Eagles’ best performance ever at the World Cup.

Mikel said: “We are very happy and excited with this development. This is the first time since I started playing for the senior team that I would see everything regarding preparation and bonuses and allowances put down in black and white and a binding agreement executed.

"It is reassuring that we now have a federation leadership so committed to making everything work that they arranged this meeting and allowed the players to contribute and then set out to sign the agreement."