Etisalat FC Barcelona U-17 Schools’ Cup: Keke High School to Take on Al Yasmina School, UAE

The most innovative and fastest growing telecommunications company in Nigeria, Etisalat has finalized arrangements for the winners of the 2013 Etisalat FC Barcelona U-17 School Cup, Keke High School, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to lock horns with Al Yasmina School, Abu Dhabi. The international school friendly, billed for 13th January, 2014, in Abu Dhabi, is expected to excite lovers of youth football in both countries while also exposing the talents of the young footballers at international stage.

Acting Chief Executive Officer at Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher said the oversea trip is part of the reward for winning the 2013 Etisalat/FC Barcelona U-17 schools’ championship. “The boys are in good spirit and are already looking forward to the trip with excitement and we have high hopes that the team will make Nigeria proud in the UAE,” he said.

The Keke High School team with a full complement of their coaches and parents is billed to depart Lagos on 8 January, 2014 and is expected back in Nigeria 14 January, 2014.

According to Willsher, “since signing a partnership deal with Spanish Football Club, FC Barcelona in 2009, we have continued to provide our subscribers with the best of both worlds – our world class quality of service and the best in football by FC Barcelona.”

The Acting CEO is excited that the game is coming at a time that Nigerian football can be said to be on a high, with the Super Eagles qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the Golden Eaglets winning the FIFA U17 World Cup in the UAE recently. 

It will be recalled that the Etisalat FCB U17 schools championship, a 5-aside tourney involving 16 schools in Lagos kicked off 1st August, 2013 and rounded off with a thrilling final at the Campos Square Mini Stadium, Lagos Island with Keke High School carting home the trophy, winning prize money of N1 million and this trip. The first and second runner-ups smiled home with N750,000 and N500,000 respectively.