White Tigers retain title at 2025 spires 5-aside naija street soccer tournament

Lagos Island-based White Tigers have successfully defended their title at the 2025 Spires 5-Aside Naija Street Soccer Tournament in Lagos, Sport360NG reports.

Under the guidance of Coach Emmanuel Olom, White Tigers defeated Papa SA Football Club 4-0 in the final at the Stables Sports Center in Surulere on Sunday, securing back-to-back championships.

The winners took home N5 million, while runners-up Papa SA received N3 million. Greater Tomorrow FC claimed third place, defeating Chekas United 3-1 and earning a consolation prize of N1 million.

Individual accolades were also awarded, with Ojo Rhaman finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 14 goals and being named MVP, receiving a combined N500,000 prize. Coach Emmanuel Olom was recognized as Coach of the Tournament with N250,000, while Papa SA goalkeeper Sadiq Ridwan received the Golden Glove award, also with a N250,000 cash prize.

Dr. Bankole Allibay, the tournament’s founder, expressed satisfaction with this year’s edition and outlined plans for continued growth. “Preparations for the next edition are already underway. We are engaging with brands to elevate the tournament to an even higher level,” he said.

Allibay emphasized the event’s broader mission: “The Spires 5-Aside Tournament goes beyond football. This year, we introduced a ‘Sports Meet Tech’ program, giving players the opportunity to learn skills such as AI, machine learning, graphic design, and coding. The positive impact is clear for everyone to see.”

The 2025 tournament featured 40 teams competing in divisional qualifiers, with the top 16 advancing to the state championship.