Japanese boosts Dream Team ahead Germany clash •Each player to get $30,000 for gold

Celebrated Japanese plastic surgeon, Katsuya Takasu, has promised a bonus of $30,000 to each member of Nigeria’s Dream Team should they win gold at the Rio Olympics.

This came on the heels of Nigeria’s semi-final clash with Germany tomorrow in Sao Paolo.

He also announced his desire to reward the 1996 Olympic football champions, along with $20,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze after hearing about their financial woes.

“I read about the financial problems affecting the team and I felt the need to make a big contribution,” Takasu told BBC Sport.

“I am not doing this for media attention but to motivate a team with an indomitable spirit. I fell in love with the Nigerian team because despite all these problems they are in the quarter-finals of the Olympics.

“Whether they win or not, I will still donate something to help alleviate the challenges in paying their bonuses and allowances.”

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is impressed by this gesture but being careful.

“I have been in direct contact with Mr Takasu and impressed by his gesture,” NFF vice-president, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi told BBC Sport.

“But we need not get carried away because the integrity of the country is at stake.

“First we must check about this. Significantly, the team has an important game and we need to focus on that.”

Before arriving in Rio, the ‘Dream Team VI’ were held up in Atlanta, USA, because of a problem with the payment for their flight.

The Atlanta ‘96 Olympic champions only landed in Brazil just hours before their opening 5-4 win over Japan.