President of Magic Stars FC, Kayode Akanji Agboola (popularly known as Alpha Kay), has attributed the club’s stellar performance in the 2025 Nigeria Nationwide League One (NLO) season to the exposure and confidence gained during their participation in the Viareggio Cup in Italy earlier this year.
The Lagos-based club travelled to Italy in March to compete in the prestigious Viareggio Cup — a historic youth tournament that attracts top academy sides from across the globe — as part of their preparations for the new NLO campaign.
Magic Stars impressed on the international stage, reaching the quarterfinals where they narrowly lost 1–0 to eventual champions Genoa. Their run included a 2–1 win over Casarano, a 4–0 rout of Apia Leichhardt U19, and a 3–0 victory against Sassuolo U18 in the group stage. They went on to defeat Pesaro 3–0 in the Round of 16 before bowing out in the last eight.
Upon returning to Nigeria, the club carried their European momentum into the domestic league, going unbeaten in the NLO’s Legacy A Centre in Lagos. They finished the regular season with seven wins and two draws from nine matches, scoring 24 goals and conceding just three.
Speaking to The Guardian, Agboola credited the team’s maturity and composure to their experience in Italy.
“It was a wonderful season for my boys,” he said. “Coming from the Viareggio Cup in Italy, it was an incredible journey. The experience definitely helped the team. They played more relaxed and appeared more experienced. The results speak for themselves.”
Agboola noted that the tournament served as a turning point for the players, helping them adapt quickly to the pressures of competitive football and raising their confidence ahead of the league campaign.
With the regular season concluded, Magic Stars FC now shift their focus to the promotion playoffs, where they will be bidding for a place in the Nigeria National League (NNL) — the second tier of Nigerian football.
“This is just the first phase,” Agboola said. “We have another phase coming up — the playoffs. We’re looking forward to it. As I always say, we pick up where we left off and see how it goes.”
The club’s rise has been swift. Formed only a few years ago, Magic Stars FC are now within touching distance of a place in the NNL, buoyed by a blend of youthful talent and rare international experience.
