25 Golden Eaglets fly out to Brazil

 25 players of the national U-17 team, Golden Eaglets Wednesday fly out to Brazil ahead of the 2019 U-17 World Cup after 33 of them underwent the mandatory MRI age test to determine their eligibility for the tournament.

Coach Manu Garba had wanted to travel with at least 30 players to Sao Paulo for a training camp ahead of the World Cup.

The coaches also proposed that cash-strapped NFF conduct the age test for the 50 players on the provisional squad submitted to FIFA for the World Cup.

However, it was later learnt that the NFF only paid for 30 players’ test, while the teams or agents of three other players footed their own bills.

The 25 players headed for Brazil are made up mainly by the squad who recently featured at the UEFA/CAF invitational tournament in Turkey, where they won two matches and lost to Senegal.

Coach Manu will be expected to submit a final 21-man squad for the World Cup by October 16, which will be 10 days before the big kick-off in Brazil.

The Eaglets open their World Cup campaign against Hungary.

They will also battle Ecuador and Australia in the first round of the championship.