FIFA has admitted they made a mistake by awarding the 2015 U-17 World Cup Bronze Boot to Kelechi Nwakali, instead of his team-mate Samuel Chukwueze. Chukwueze (535 minutes) and Nwakali (630 minutes) both scored three goals and provided three assists at the end of the competition. However, FIFA named Nwakali as the third highest goal scorer despite playing more.

 “We made a mistake at the closing ceremony of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 with the distribution of the adidas Bronze Boot,” FIFA wrote to the NFF. “Instead of player no. 8 of Nigeria, Samuel Chukwueze, the player Kelechi Nwakali (player no. 10 of Nigeria) received the adidas Bronze Boot. However, if two or more players are still equal (after goals and assists), the player who has played fewer number of minutes will be ranked first. “With this in mind, adidas will send you another Bronze Boot in December 2015, which we would kindly ask you to hand over to Samuel Chukwueze. Please be informed that Kelechi Nwakali may keep his trophy.” 

Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen scored 10 goals to clinch the Golden Boot, while Germany’s Johannes Eggestein took the Silver Boot with four goals.

Football governing body, FIFA, on Thursday morning published its latest ranking of National Teams. Compared to their position the previous month, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have dropped seven places, and now occupy the 59th position, while in the continental ranking, they are in 12th place. Ivory Coast, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde Islands and Senegal are the top five teams in Africa in that order. Our rivals to book a ticket to the next African Nations Cup – Egypt, Tanzania and Chad – are placed 57th, 135th and 136th in the global ranking. There were changes in the top five, with Belgium leading the way followed by Germany, Argentina, Portugal and Chile. The next ranking will be published by the official website of Fifa, fifa.com on December 3, 2015.

Top Ten African Teams
1) Ivory Coast
2) Algeria
3) Ghana
4) Cape Verde Islands
5) Senegal
6) Tunisia
7) Cameroon
8) Congo
9) Guinea
10) DR Congo

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez head the shortlist for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or. Real Madrid forward Ronaldo, who has won the award for the past two years, is joined by teammates Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez. And Barcelona's attacking triumvirate of Messi -- who is a four-time winner -- Neymar and Suarez are listed along with fellow Blaugrana stars Andres Iniesta, Javier Mascherano and Ivan Rakitic. With six, Barca have the most players nominated. It means the two Spanish giants between them provide almost half the 23-man shortlist.

Bayern Munich also have five players -- Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben and Arturo Vidal. Five Premier League stars make the list, headed by Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez after he helped Chile to Copa America glory on home soil in the summer. PFA Players' Player of the Year Eden Hazard is the only representative from Premier League champions Chelsea. Manchester City have three players named: Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Kevin De Bruyne. Juventus' midfielder Paul Pogba is the only player from Serie A -- though Vidal played the first half of the year with Juve, with Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic completing the 23.

Ballon d'Or 2015 shortlist
Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City)
Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/VfL Wolfsburg/Manchester City)
Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain)
Andres Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich)
Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
Thomas Muller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona)
Paul Pogba (France/Juventus)
Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/FC Barcelona)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich)
James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid)
Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal)
Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona)
Yaya Toure (Cote d'Ivoire/Manchester City)
Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich)

African football leader, Issa Hayatou has been named to take charge of FIFA after former president, Blatter was suspended and “stripped of all duties.” African football leader Issa Hayatou on Thursday took temporary charge of FIFA after Sepp Blatter was “relieved of his duties” because of his 90-day suspension, the world body said. Hayatou, 69, is president of the Confederation of African Football, and takes over as senior vice president of FIFA. He has in the past been reprimanded for misconduct by the International Olympic Committee. “Joseph S. Blatter was relieved of all his duties as FIFA president” after the move by the FIFA ethics committee to suspend him for 90 days because he is under criminal investigation by Swiss prosecutors, FIFA said.

It couldn't get worse for the Nigeria Football Federation after sportswear company Adidas refused to renew its contract with the country's football ruling body. Adidas signed a contract with the NFF to kit all of Nigeria's national teams on March 6, 2010, but they have now refused to state their reason for pulling out. However,the refusal of the German company to negotiate a new deal with the NFF cannot be far from the crises that have engulfed the football federation. In a letter addressed to the federation, dated August 12, 2014 and signed by the VP Global Sports Marketing Football, Claus-Peter Mayer and the Marketing Manager Federations and Leagues, Kai-Philipp Stief, the outfit stated that they will continue to fulfill their obligations under the previously communicated agreement.
"Adidas has conducted an analysis of its football partnerships and related businesses. Based on this evaluation and in combination with the recent correspondence between the parties, we regret to inform that adidas has decided not to extend its partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation as per the end of the Agreement (i.e 31 December 2014),” the letter read. "Adidas will continue to fulfil its obligations under the agreement as previously communicated and respectfully requests the Nigeria Football Federation to do the same for the remainder of the contract period (including the obligation to share any third party offer pursuant to Adidas’ right of first refusal).” Other companies are expected to bid for the rights to kit the national team,with Nike(former kit sponsors) and Puma likely to be contenders.

The Golden Boot recipient at Brazil 2014 has picked up another accolade, this time for his sublime effort in his country's last-16 win over the Celeste James Rodriguez's first strike in Colombia's 2-0 World Cup win over Uruguay has been voted goal of the tournament, ahead of Robin van Persie's headed equaliser for Netherlands in their 5-1 win over Spain. The Monaco star who is expected to complete his €88 million move to Real Madrid this week controlled a looped header from Juan Cuadrado with his chest before turning and volleying home via the underside of the crossbar from 20 yards out to give Jose Pekerman's men the lead after 28 minutes of play. James doubled his tally with a tap-in from close range after the break to help Colombia to a quarter-final meeting with Brazil, which they would eventually lose 2-1. The 23-year-old was one of the undisputed stars of the tournament and netted six goals in five games to scoop up the Golden Boot award ahead of Germany forward Thomas Muller. James becomes the third successive South American winner of the goal of the World Cup award, which is organised by Fifa's official website, with Argentina’s Maxi Rodriguez having triumphed in 2006 and Diego Forlan collecting the trophy four years later.

 FIFA has lifted the ban it placed on Nigeria on July 9th after a high court sitting in Jos sacked the President of the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, Aminu Maigari and other board members. FIFA had frowned at the court ruling, stating that the move was a government interference in football activities which is against its policy. FIFA then directed that a new court order reinstating Maigari and other NFF executives be obtained before it can lift the ban. The new court order reinstating the NFF President and other executives was obtained two days ago, Tuesday July 15th, hence the lifting of the ban today. Maigari and his board will resume their duties tomorrow and stay there until next month's elections when they could be sacked through the ballot, in line with FIFA's policies.

The Super Eagles are now ranked 34th in the world, according to the latest FIFA rankings released today. Nigeria were eliminated in the second round of the 2014 World Cup, after a decent showing where they also drew 0-0 with Iran, beat Bosnia 1-0 and lost 3-2 to Argentina in the group stages. This means the African champions are now third in Africa, only behind Algeria and Cote d’Ivoire, who are ranked 24th and 25th respectively.Germany’s charge to claim Sunday’s World Cup title has seen them return to the top of FIFA’s world rankings for the first time in around 20 years. The latest list, published on Thursday, has Germany moving up one place on the strength of their 1-0 defeat of Argentina ar Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana. Lionel Messi’s Argentina are placed second, an improvement of three places, with the Netherlands leaping 12 rungs into third after their impressive World Cup third place finish. The James Rodriguez-inspired Colombia move up to fourth (+4), ahead of Belgium (+6) and Uruguay while disappointing Brazil dropped four spots to seventh. Deposed world champions Spain slumped seven spots to their new modest placing of eighth, with Switzerland and France (+7) completing the top ten. Costa Rica’s remarkable charge to the quarter-finals was rewarded with a jump of 12 places to 16th. England’s woeful first round exit resulted in Roy Hodgson’s side dropping ten places to 20th.
Latest FIFA rankings 
1. Germany (+1)
2. Argentina (+3)
3. Netherlands (+12)
4. Colombia (+4)
5. Belgium (+6)
6. Uruguay (+1)
7. Brazil (-4)
8. Spain (-7)
9. Switzerland (-3)
10. France (+7)

As the World Cup finals come closer, Fifa has also announced the list of the final ten player contending for the Golden Ball award.For this year, Fifa has counted in Lionel Messi and Neymar on a 10-player list of candidates to be named the World Cup's best player. Seven out of the 10 players for the Golden Ball come from this year's finalists, Argentina and Germany. The winner will announced after Sunday's final. Argentina has three of the ten candidates namely: Messi, Angel di Maria, and Javier Mascherano. On the other hand, Germany has four including: Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, and Thomas Muller.
Nevertheless, the hosts provided one candidate in the face of Neymar, though he has been ruled out of the tournament early due to his injury. Another semifinalist who made it into the list is Netherlands' Arjen Robben, although they have been defeated by the Albiceleste in the semifinals. There is no surprise, too that James Rodríguez of Colombia, the tournament's top scorer with six goals, is included in the list, even though their team has been defeated by Brazil just in their quarterfinals.
Golden Ball:
Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, Mats Hummels (all Germany), Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria (all Argentina), Neymar (Brazil), Arjen Robben (Holland), James Rodriguez (Colombia) Best Young Player:
Memphis Depay (Holland), Paul Pogba, Raphael Varane (both France) 
Golden Glove:
Keylor Navas (Costa Rica), Sergio Romero (Argentina), Manuel Neuer (Germany)
The adidas Golden Ball winner is crowned as the best player for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. It will be decided by the Technical Study Group of FIFA.
It started in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Some past winners include: Diego Forlan (2010), Zinedine Zidane (2006), Oliver Kahn (2002), Ronaldo (1998), Romario (1994), Salvatore Schillaci (1990), Diego Maradona (1986), and Paolo Rossi (1982).