The month-long virtual freestyle football championship tagged Freestyle UNLOCKED Africa 2020 came to a power-packed finish on Sunday, August 2, 2020 with the finals of the 3rd African Freestyle Football Championship.
After several dramatic freestyle football battles, Mohannad Hosam Ali from Egypt and Fatima Akif from Morocco emerged as the Men and Women Champions of Africa for 2020.
Feet ‘N’ Tricks International, the largest promoter of freestyle football in Africa, hosted the games, which began on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, and received 152 entries from 21 countries participating in the first-of-its-kind online games.
Valentine Ozigbo, the Chairman of Feet ‘N’ Tricks International, while speaking at the finals of the championship expressed his pride at the rapid growth of freestyle football on the continent since the inception of the tournament in 2017.
“When we started this project a few years ago, it was all about passion for an art-form that deserved to be given a front seat in the world of sports,” the respected business leader said.“
Today, we have just held the third successful continental championships, that is in addition to four Nigerian tournaments.”
This year’s statistics – 152 contestants, 21 countries, and increase in women participation – is a testament to the fact that freestyle football is not just the fastest-growing type of football, but it has taken firm roots in Africa.”
Valentine Ozigbo
Eight professional freestylers from 6 countries – Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Morocco, and Nigeria – competed at the keenly contested men and women’s finals of the virtual games.The African Freestyle Football Champions, Mohannad Hosam Ali (Egypt), and Fatima Akif (Morocco) take home the grand prize of $1,000 each.
Second-placed winners, Yousef Ayman Riesco (Egypt) and Lubna Omar (Sudan) each go home with $750, while Ayoub Haouas (Tunisia) and Evelyn Okafor (Nigeria) who both placed 3rd win $500 each.
The 4th placed winners, Samir Saidi (Algeria) and Yasmine Rais (Morocco), take home $250 each. A panel of international judges – Lukasz Chwieduk from Poland, U.S.A’s Caitlyn Schrepfer, Yo Katsuyama of Japan, and South African duo Kamal ‘Kamilio’ Ranchod and Chris Njokwana – determined the winner through the process of elimination in live battles.
The final was hosted by Nigerian street dance king, Poco Lee. A variety of musical, dance, and entertainers also featured on the show.
