EXCLUSIVE: Spanish Embassy Speaks To Osun Defender, Says NFF Lied On Visa Denial For Future Eagles

The Nigeria Football Federation withdrew the visa application for members of Nigeria’s U-15 team, the Future Eagles, the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria has exclusively told Osun Defender.

The NFF disclosed on Monday, in a tweet on its X handle, @thenff, that the Future Eagles were withdrawing from the forthcoming UEFA U-16 development tournament because the Spanish embassy denied them visas to travel for the competition.

Osun Defender learnt that the UEFA U-16 development tournament is an annual competition featuring four national teams. The tournament is focused on the development of young talents.

The tweet read, “Players and officials of the Nigeria U15 team, Future Eagles, have been denied visas by the Spanish Embassy and will therefore not be travelling to participate in the UEFA U-16 Development Tournament starting on Friday.”

However, in a response to an inquiry by Osun Defender on Tuesday, the Spanish Embassy described the information posted on social media as false.

It said that the Spanish Consulate in Lagos has it on record that the applications for the players to travel were withdrawn on Monday, April 8, stressing that no one was denied visas.

The embassy, in an email sent to the medium, said, “Regarding your enquiries, the information posted on social media is not correct.

“Our Consulate General in Lagos has gone through the case and wishes to inform that the applicants withdrew their applications at the Consulate on Monday, 8th of April.

“No one has denied those visas.”

As of the time of filing this report, the NFF had yet to respond to inquiries by Osun Defender.

The NFF, in an earlier statement, said the Future Eagles were given a “special invitation” to the tournament “as a result of Nigeria’s pedigree in youth football.”

The 2024 edition of the UEFA U-16 Development Tournament is billed to start at the Pinatar Arena Football Centre in San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain, on April 12.