By Tom Jenkins

WWE legend Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71 his family have confirmed.

Hogan, was reportedly found dead in his Clearwater, Florida, home on Thursday morning.

According to TMZ, first responders arrived on the scene following a 911 call reporting a cardiac arrest.

Paramedics and police were reportedly parked outside Hogan’s Florida home on Thursday morning.

TMZ reported that the wrestling icon was wheeled out of his home on a stretcher and into an ambulance.

The 71-year-old was reportedly recovering from major operation on his heart just months before his death according to US Weekly.

Hogan was involved in the WWE since 1983, and became the face of the company in the 80s and early 90s before leaving to pursue acting in 1993.

The official cause of death is yet to be officially confirmed.

Hugo Ekitike has joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal which could be rise to £79m.

By Paul Gorst

Liverpool have completed the signing of striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal that could be worth £79m. Ekitike underwent a medical on Tuesday in London before putting the finishing touches on a six-year deal and he will now fly out to join his new team-mates on the Hong Kong leg of their pre-season tour of Asia.

The striker could make his unofficial debut when the Reds meet AC Milan at the Kai Tak Stadium on Saturday, although it is more likely he will be fielded when the Premier League champions are hosted by Yokohama F Marinos in Japan next week.

The France Under-21 international becomes the seventh signing of the summer after deals were completed for Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez in a busy June that also saw goalkeepers Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman arrive alongside Giorgi Mamardashvili, whose £29m agreement with Valencia was struck last year.

Newcastle United failed in a bid worth around £70m last week before Liverpool swooped to bring Ekitike to Anfield in a deal that makes him, inclusive of add-ons, the club’s third most expensive player of all time behind £116m Wirtz and Darwin Nunez,

The broad outline of the terms was agreed on Saturday before a full agreement was finally reached on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s medical and the deal takes Liverpool’s spending this summer close to the £300m mark.

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The Reds will pay Frankfurt an initial £69m with a further £10m in success-based add-ons for a player who scored 22 goals and claimed 12 assists last year.

The terms are being viewed internally as similar to the £16m worth of fees due to Bayer Leverkusen if new club-record signing Wirtz becomes a major hit on Merseyside.

Ekitike, who had also been courted by Chelsea and Manchester United, joined Frankfurt initially on loan from Paris Saint-Germain before completing a permanent deal last summer for around £15m and his performances last time out put a slew of major European clubs on notice.

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Liverpool are believed to have initially sounded out the 23-year-old’s availability in January, before stepping up their interest in May, having wrapped up the Premier League title with a month to spare to allow Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes more time to work on deals for what has since become the most expensive transfer window of all time on Merseyside.

Attention is now expected to turn to outgoings, with Darwin Nunez still the subject of interest from Serie A and the Saudi Pro League, while Bayern Munich are likely to return with an improved offer for Luis Diaz having seen a bid short of £60m rejected last week.

Federico Chiesa, meanwhile, has been left off the club’s tour of Hong Kong and Japan due to a minor fitness concern but the Italy international has been linked with a return to his homeland after barely featuring last season.

By James Aduku Odaudu, PhD

In recent days, the global football community has been united in mourning the tragic passing of Liverpool star Diogo Jota. Tributes have poured in from across the world—teammates laying wreaths, fans holding candlelight vigils, club management releasing elaborate statements celebrating his legacy. Social media platforms are awash with heartfelt messages, video compilations of his goals and assists, and solemn reflections on how his life touched millions.

Yet, on the African continent, particularly in Nigeria, a parallel story unfolds—one that underscores an enduring national malaise: our collective disregard for our own heroes.

Nigeria’s former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, fondly nicknamed Dodo Mayana, also passed away recently. Unlike the global outpouring of grief for Jota, Rufai’s death has hardly made a ripple beyond a few perfunctory headlines. No official national day of mourning, no dedicated memorial games, no unified show of respect. In fact, even before his death, reports revealed that Rufai had been largely abandoned in his prolonged illness, relying on a few benevolent friends and family members rather than the country he once served with distinction.

This contrast is more than a sad coincidence. It is symptomatic of why Nigerian sportsmen and women increasingly question their commitment to national service and representation.

Two Deaths, Two Different Reactions

Diogo Jota: A Death Mourned with Honour –
Jota’s passing triggered a robust institutional response. Liverpool FC, the English Premier League, UEFA, and the Portuguese Football Federation each released statements highlighting not only his professional feats but also his humanity. Fellow players wore black armbands. Stadiums observed a minute’s silence. His family was assured of lifelong support, and conversations began immediately about establishing a foundation in his memory.

This isn’t just about sentimentality; it’s an established culture of respect. In countries like England, Spain, Germany, and Portugal, sport is more than entertainment—it is a pillar of national pride. Therefore, when an icon falls, they are honoured with dignity and gratitude, setting an example for future generations that their sacrifice will never be in vain.

* Peter Rufai: A Death Met with Silence

Contrast that to Rufai’s final days. The man who captained the Super Eagles to glory and inspired countless young Nigerians into football was left in relative obscurity. Apart from some individual tributes from former teammates and a sprinkling of mentions in the local press, official recognition was muted. He died as he lived the latter part of his life: neglected by the institutions he helped elevate.

This is not the first time a Nigerian sports legend has suffered such a fate. Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, Samuel Okwaraji—so many of Nigeria’s greats have died in penury, anonymity, or indignity.

* Why Nigeria’s Sportsmen Struggle to Be Committed

The reasons behind this persistent abandonment are layered:

1. Absence of Structured Welfare – In countries with robust sports governance, athletes enjoy insurance, pension schemes, and post-retirement support. Nigeria lacks a comprehensive welfare mechanism to protect athletes when the glory fades. It is an environment where sports heroes are treated as disposable assets.

2. Short-term National Gratitude –
Nigerian institutions often celebrate sporting success in the heat of the moment—lavish dinners, cash gifts, and front-page newspaper spreads—but quickly forget the athlete once the applause dies. This ephemeral recognition discourages long-term commitment.

3. Poor Sports Administration –
Rampant mismanagement in the sports sector means funds meant for athletes’ welfare and development are frequently misappropriated. The result is a system that neither nurtures nor protects its stars.

4. Weak National Identity – Unlike European nations where sport is a vital expression of national identity, many Nigerians perceive football as just another distraction. This weak sense of collective ownership fuels public apathy when sportsmen fall on hard times.

5. No Institutional Memory – Nigeria lacks an established tradition of memorializing its sporting icons through museums, scholarships, or commemorative matches. When there is no institutional memory, there can be no lasting gratitude.

6. Demoralization of Emerging Athletes – Young players see the fates of their predecessors—abandoned, impoverished, and uncelebrated—and begin to question whether the sacrifices of national duty are worth the risks.

Why This Matters

When a nation fails to honour its heroes, it undermines the very spirit that drives excellence. It tells young talents that their sweat, pain, and triumphs are fleeting curiosities. It breeds cynicism. It destroys morale. And it leaves a gaping hole where patriotism and purpose should thrive.

Diogo Jota will be immortalized not only in Liverpool folklore but in European football’s collective consciousness. His family will be comforted with the assurance that his name will never be forgotten.

Peter Rufai, by contrast, stands as a grim testament to how Nigeria continues to fail those who gave their all.

What Must Change

If Nigeria wants its sportsmen and women to be committed to national duty again, three fundamental shifts must occur:

• Institutionalization of Athletes’ Welfare

The government must create enforceable policies guaranteeing health insurance, pensions, and financial assistance for retired athletes.

• Cultural Reorientation

Sports must be redefined as a shared heritage deserving of collective respect and institutional memory.

• Transparent Sports

Administration
Funding, governance, and athlete development must be professionalized and depoliticized.

Until then, the cycle will repeat: our heroes will rise, give everything, and eventually die uncelebrated—while the rest of the world watches, puzzled by how a nation can so consistently abandon its champions.

Let Peter Rufai’s passing be a turning point. Because no athlete should have to wonder whether serving their country is worth the price.

• Dr James Odaudu can be reached at: jamesaduku@gmail.com