Team Interview - Garden City Panthers FC

Team Interview - Garden City Panthers FC - Nigeria

Tell us briefly the name of your club and where you come from, a little background?

We are Garden City Panthers FC, since 2013 our Football Club nicknamed the “Panthers” has been functional in putting the academic and athletic skills of players to practical test. The club is located in the beautiful city of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory and the players train in M.K.O. Abiola National Stadium Abuja where the club works with the players on every aspect of their learning and training to ensure they develop the physical, technical, tactical and mental foundations required for better performance.

Tell us what participating in the Dana Cup means for you and your team/s?

As a football club with young players from Nigeria, participating in Dana Cup means so much to the club and the players and supporters. We want to be part of the rich legacy of Dana Cup which has spanned over 40 years. Participating in the 40th edition will be history in the making for all of us. One of the highlights of an international tournament like Dana Cup is the opportunity to test ourselves against top class international opposition and immersing ourselves in a country with a unique tradition and history and creating friendships and lasting memories.

What are your goals and expectations at the Dana Cup 2023?

Our goal is to win the trophy and give our athletes an opportunity to be scouted by European football clubs. However, the experience is vital for young players to take the opportunity at least once in a youth players career (ages 12-18) of traveling overseas, they expose themselves to the bigger picture, immerse themselves in a foreign footballing (soccer) culture and test their skills against foreign opposition.

Immersing yourselves in a foreign culture can be life changing! Taking time to visit historical sights, cathedrals, castles and monuments that you have previously only read about in a travel magazine can be breathtaking and a wonderful learning opportunity. Combine this with sampling traditional dishes of the locale and interacting with the locals is an experience that should not be missed and is a vital part of the learning and educational process for student athletes of all ages.

Dana Cup has made a pledge to support the Global Goals – which goal will you play for at the Dana Cup 2023?

Global Goal No. 13 - Climate Action - There’s an urgent need to protect our environment from destruction as the world is experiencing unprecedented global warming in recent years and ignoring these threats endanger our planet and our children’s future.