Nigeria's Dazzle FC shine at 2026 Dana Cup in Denmark. Credit: Dazzle FC
Lagos-based football academy, Dazzle FC, enjoyed a memorable outing at the 2026 Dana Cup in Hjørring, Denmark, with the club’s U-12 team emerging champions on their tournament debut, while the U-14 team finished runners-up after an impressive campaign.
The Dana Cup, one of the world’s largest youth football tournaments, was held from July 20 to 25, attracting 946 teams from 56 countries.
The competition featured about 2,600 matches across 62 pitches and welcomed nearly 30,000 participants from around the world.
Dazzle FC’s U-12 team delivered a flawless performance in the Boys’ 7v7 category, winning all nine matches, scoring an astonishing 56 goals and conceding just six throughout the tournament.
The Lagos-based academy announced its arrival on the international stage with a string of emphatic victories during the group stage, including a 17-0 win over SV Schwansen, among other convincing victories.
The Nigerian youngsters maintained their momentum in the knockout stage, defeating Brazil’s RS Sports 2-1 in the semi-finals to book a place in the final.
They capped a remarkable campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 extra-time victory over Mexican side IFAC in the final, with Akinremi Abdullahi scoring the decisive goal to hand Dazzle FC its first Dana Cup title.
The academy’s U-14 team also impressed, progressing through the group stage before making a strong run to the final of the play-off competition.
In the final, they faced Palestine’s Rawahel in a keenly contested match that ended level in regulation time before the Nigerian side lost 5-3 on penalties.
Despite the defeat, Dazzle FC goalkeeper Ojerinde Toheeb was named the Best Player in the U-14 category.
The shot-stopper kept three clean sheets in five matches, playing a pivotal role in his team’s run to the final.
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