Kanu, Adebayor, Okocha Join Forces to Challenge Ronaldinho, Other Barça Legends in Abuja

Kanu, Adebayor, Okocha Join Forces to Challenge Ronaldinho, Other Barça Legends in Abuja

By Admin 

Football fans in Nigeria are set for a rare spectacle as FC Barcelona Legends take on a team of African football greats at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Saturday, October 25, 2025, BSNSports.com.ng reports. 

According to Soccernet.ng the high-profile exhibition match is expected to draw a crowd of over 60,000, promising a celebration of skill, nostalgia, and international camaraderie.

The Barcelona Legends side, managed by former Spanish international Albert Ferrer, will be led by Brazilian maestro Ronaldinho. The former Ballon d’Or winner headlines a glittering Blaugrana squad that includes Ludovic Giuly, Javier Saviola, Fernando Navarro, Jesús Angoy, Roberto Trashorras, Marc Valiente, and Nigeria’s own Gbenga Okunowo.

Facing them will be the Africa Legends—a team packed with continental icons. Nigeria’s Austin Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu will bring creativity and experience, while Emmanuel Adebayor and Alex Song add firepower and midfield stability. All three—Kanu, Adebayor, and Song—formerly played for Arsenal, with Adebayor also enjoying a stint at Real Madrid. Song, notably, spent two seasons at FC Barcelona.

This fixture marks the fifth time the Barça Legends will play in Africa, following previous appearances in Mozambique (2017), Morocco (2019), Zambia (2023), and DR Congo (2023). Their most recent outing was in Monterrey, Mexico, where a David Villa hat-trick sealed a 3-2 victory.

The match, scheduled for 3:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. CET), will celebrate the enduring legacy of both FC Barcelona and African football. For the Spanish giants, it’s another opportunity to showcase the club’s iconic footballing philosophy. For the African side, it’s a tribute to the continent’s rich heritage of individual brilliance and collective achievement.

Nigeria, as the host, is a fitting backdrop for this celebration of football excellence. The Super Eagles remain one of Africa’s most decorated national teams, with three Africa Cup of Nations titles (1980, 1994, 2013), six runners-up finishes, and Olympic medals in 1996 (gold), 2008 (silver), and 2016 (bronze).

Barcelona also shares a special bond with Nigerian football. Four Nigerians have donned the Blaugrana shirt over the years: Emmanuel Amunike, who won multiple titles with the club; Haruna Babangida, a youth prodigy; Elohor Godswill; and Gbenga Okunowo, who will represent the club again in this symbolic fixture.

Launched in 2016, the Barça Legends project has brought together over 80 former players, offering fans around the world a chance to relive the club’s golden eras while strengthening global ties through the sport.

With Ronaldinho and Okocha both taking the field, fans can expect a masterclass in flair, creativity, and football artistry—a tribute to an era when joy and expression were at the heart of the beautiful game.