Nigeria, Aug. 31 -- When Kun Khalifat FC walked out at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium last Sunday to face Rangers International, it wasn't just another fixture on the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) calendar; it was history. For the first time, Kun Khalifat FC, a club that began its journey in the Nationwide League One Division Two (NLO 2), was playing at the pinnacle of Nigerian football.

At the centre of this remarkable rise is Coach Obinna Uzoho Elvis, a man whose tactical philosophy and unshakable belief powered Kun Khalifat's climb. Known to friends and fans as the "Black Guardiola," he has crafted a brand of football built on ball retention and resilience, an identity that already turned heads in their opening-day 1-1 draw with ...