Connectnigeria Articles

Nigerian entrepreneur and business mogul, Nneka Ede, became the first African woman to own a European football club after purchasing Portuguese third division side, Lusitano Ginasio Clube. Information revealed from an official statement on Thursday, July 16, 2020, stated that the Nigerian secured 100% ownership of the European side founded in 1911 for an undisclosed fee. Lusitano Ginasio Clube, a 108-year-old club, last featured in the Portuguese top-flight division in the 1950s.

Read more about Sports

“After months of negotiations with different entities, an agreement has been reached with Mrs Nneka Ede, a sports enthusiast and entrepreneur from Nigeria, a country filled with people as passionate and fiery about football as us and which incidentally share the same green and white in their flags, towards the transfer of the ownership of the SAD to the latter that will help us in our mission to take Lusitano to the next level.” Lusitano Ginasio Clube

Ede expressed excitement towards acquiring the Portuguese club and hopes it improves the already existing bond between Nigeria and Portugal in sports.

“I am excited about this opportunity and I hope that this new chapter will deepen the already great sporting relation between Nigeria and Portugal. And to continue with the rich history of Lusitano club and provide a pathway for young talent to develop and shine through.” Nneka Ede

Sign up to the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter

Crowned champions of the Portuguese second division in the 1951-1952 league season, Lusitano Ginasio Clube gained promotion into the top flight division in the 1952-1953 season and finished 7^th in the league rankings. The club would go on to compete for 14 consecutive league seasons in the elite division, and had its glory days in the 1950s and 1960s, placing fifth on the league table in the 1956/1957 season, and on two occasions reached the semi-finals of the Portugal Cup. In 1966, the club got relegated from the top division and witnessed a period of decline which saw them descend to regional championships. However, the club still ranks among the top 30 clubs in Portugal with more participation in the tier 1 league level. Sources: Complete Sports The Cable NG Featured Image Source: Diana FM

Got a suggestion? Contact us: editor at connectnigeria dot com

You might also like:

This article was first published on 17th July 2020

ugo-chinedu

I am a Lion, I love to hit heights that seem impossible so I can motivate others and prove doubters wrong. For me, impossible is nothing. I'm open to learning and I love to read, travel and meet new faces.