Nigerian international footballer Francisca Ordega has introduced a grassroots football development clinic aimed at discovering and nurturing emerging young talents in Benue State.
The programme, organised through the Francisca Ordega Foundation, was held at the McCarthy Stadium and featured intensive technical training sessions and structured coaching drills.
Ordega personally supervised the training activities, working alongside a number of her international football colleagues, including Super Falcons defender Ashley Plumptre.
The initiative, organised in partnership with Saudi Arabia-based Al-Ittihad Football Club, focuses on players between the ages of 14 and 18, while also equipping local coaches with updated coaching knowledge and modern football training methods to strengthen grassroots development.
More than 100 young participants attended the clinic, many of whom expressed enthusiasm over the rare opportunity to train under top-level professionals and pledged to make the most of the exposure.
For Ordega, who hails from Benue State, as well as her international associates, the project is part of their effort to give back to society by promoting women’s football and opening doors for young girls — opportunities she explained were largely unavailable to her during the early stages of her football career.
The two-day programme concluded with a competitive charity football match, where Charity Academy Football Club secured a 1–0 victory over Invincible Angels FC to emerge champions.
