Sheu Close Crowned Champions as FirstBank Lagos Street Soccer Stars Ends in Oshodi

By Dorcas Francis Koji

Sheu Close emerged champions of the second edition of the FirstBank Lagos State Street Soccer Stars on Saturday after defeating their opponents in the final on Oloyede Street, Oshodi, to claim the top prize of N1 million.

The three-a-side tournament brought together 64 teams and 640 players, with the competition kicking off on August 2 as part of an initiative designed to promote grassroots football and youth development across Lagos State.

The tournament was powered by the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Grassroots Sport Development, Adebanji Atewogboye, with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu serving as Chief Host.

Sheu Close produced a strong performance in the final, scoring twice in the first half to secure the championship and take the largest share of the tournament’s N3.5 million prize pool.

Oremeji Street secured third place after recording a convincing 6-1 victory over Salawu Street in the third-place match.

The runners-up received N750,000, while Oremeji Street collected N500,000 for finishing third.

The competition was organised in partnership with FirstBank through its First@Sports programme, which supports youth development, community engagement and mass-market initiatives across Lagos State.

The bank’s involvement is also aimed at promoting healthy living, social development and youth empowerment through sporting activities.

Speaking during the event, Atewogboye said the tournament was designed to provide young people with a productive way to spend their long holiday while helping to keep them away from negative influences.

“We want to keep the youths busy during this long holiday. For the next two weeks, we are keeping them together through football,” he said.

FirstBank Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Olayinka Ijabiyi, explained that the bank’s support for grassroots sports reflects its long-standing commitment to developing individuals and communities.

“People often ask why FirstBank throws its weight behind grassroots sports. The reason is simple: for 132 years, we’ve believed in people, in community, and in building the future,” Ijabiyi said.

“Grassroots football is where talent starts. Where discipline is built. Where dreams take shape.”

Ijabiyi added that the FirstBank Lagos Soccer Stars competition was created to provide young footballers with a platform to showcase their abilities and pursue their ambitions.

“With the FirstBank Lagos Soccer Stars competition, we are putting Lagos talent in the spotlight, providing a platform for talents to develop and achieve their dreams,” she said.

The tournament featured a total cash purse of N3.5 million, with Sheu Close taking N1 million, the runners-up receiving N750,000 and the third-placed team earning N500,000.

Several individual and team awards also attracted N100,000 each, including the Golden Boot, Most Valuable Player, Young Player of the Tournament and Goal of the Tournament.

The Best Street Team, Fair Play Team and Community Spirit awards also came with N100,000 prizes.

Meanwhile, the Star Player of every match throughout the tournament received N10,000, providing additional recognition for outstanding individual performances.

The successful conclusion of the competition further underlined the growing importance of grassroots football initiatives in creating opportunities for young talents across Lagos.