STORE 
MY BEACH SOCCER 
Both the club and country competitions get underway in Nigeria on Friday afternoon.
The Copa Lagos kicks off in Nigeria on Friday, bringing with it three days of top-class beach soccer at both club and country level.
Nigeria’s former capital has played host to the annual competition regularly over recent years and its unique mix of elite-class beach soccer, coupled with off-field entertainment and party atmosphere, makes it one of the premier competitions in the sport’s calendar.
This year, Nigeria will go up against sides from across the globe in the form of African rivals Morocco, European giants Spain and Lebanon.
The Super Sand Eagles are in competitive action for the first time since the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in The Bahamas earlier this year, where they bowed out of the group stage having finished second in the CAF qualifier this time 12 months ago.
Nigeria knocked out Morocco en route to that runners-up finish and the two will lock horns once more this weekend, while Lebanon will hope to continue the form that saw them pick up a surprise fourth-place finish in Asian qualifying.
Alex Domingos Braga’s men came within a whisker of reaching the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup for the first time but lost out to Japan, although those displays will no doubt foster confidence.
Europe’s representatives are Spain, with Joaquin Alonso’s side always a threat – especially coming off the back of a solid fourth-place finish in the Euro Beach Soccer League. The former world champions will hope to end the year in style and have a brought a team packed with talent to do so during their Copa Lagos debut.
In the club competition, there is also a first for Arsenal BSC – the English champions playing for the first time in a Beach Soccer Worldwide event and for the first time outside the UK.
Captained by England skipper Aaron Clarke and filled with an array of his international team-mates, Arsenal will go up against homegrown teams Gidi Sharks, Kebbi BSC and Pepsi Football Academy.
With Sharks coached by legendary Swiss boss Angelo Schirizini and the latter two boasting a wealth of raw talent, the Copa Lagos 2017 looks set to offer a fascinating few days of beach soccer.
