The second edition of the FirstBank Lagos State Street Soccer Stars wrapped up on Saturday in Oshodi. Sheu Close took home the championship title in the three-a-side tournament and won N1 million as the top prize.
The competition featured 64 teams and 640 players. It started on August 2 and was led by the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Grassroots Sport Development, Adebanji Atewogboye. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was the Chief Host.
The final match was thrilling on Oloyede Street. Sheu Close secured the win with two goals in the first half, claiming most of the N3.5 million prize pool.
Earlier, Oremeji Street finished third. They defeated Salawu Street 6-1 in the third-place match. The runners-up got N750,000, while the third-placed team received N500,000.
The competition was organized with FirstBank, which sponsored the event under its First@Sports programme. This initiative aims to support youth, community, and mass-market growth across Lagos State.
The bank's sponsorship also aims to promote social development, healthy living, and youth empowerment through sports.
During the event, Atewogboye said the tournament helps keep youths engaged during the long holiday. He described it as a way to keep them away from trouble and drug abuse.
“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.
Olayinka Ijabiyi, the Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at FirstBank, explained that the bank supports grassroots sports because it believes in developing people and communities.
“People often ask why FirstBank supports grassroots sports. The reason is simple: for 132 years, we’ve believed in people, in community, and in building the future. Grassroots football is where talent starts. Where discipline is built. Where dreams take shape.
“With the FirstBank Lagos Soccer Stars competition, we are putting Lagos talent in the spotlight. We provide a platform for talents to develop and achieve their dreams. Our sponsorship of the competition is based on First@Sports, which supports the entire sports ecosystem.”
The tournament had a total cash prize of N3.5 million. The winners got N1 million, runners-up received N750,000, and the third-placed team took home N500,000.
Other awards included the Golden Boot, Most Valuable Player, Young Player of the Tournament, and Goal of the Tournament, each worth N100,000. The Best Street Team, Fair Play Team, and Community Spirit awards also came with N100,000 each.
The Star Player of each game received N10,000 throughout the tournament.
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