By Asaye Bankole
Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, arrived in Abuja on Monday morning following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The team made history on Saturday after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final to win Nigeria’s first-ever title in the competition and become the first African nation to lift the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy.
Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku scored the decisive goals that secured the historic victory for Nigeria.
The triumph followed an impressive campaign by the Flamingos, who demonstrated consistency and determination throughout the tournament.
Before the World Cup, the team had also won the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, recording five victories from five matches.
They scored 17 goals and conceded just once during the competition.
Head coach Hakeem Busari praised his players for their commitment, tactical discipline and fighting spirit, describing their achievement as evidence of the growing strength of women’s youth football in Africa.
Speaking after the final, Busari said the performances of African teams at the tournament demonstrated significant improvements in quality, character and competitiveness.
He noted that the Flamingos had successfully negotiated a difficult group that included the defending champions, adding that their achievement was the result of deliberate development, determination and collective effort.
The coach expressed optimism that more African countries would reach the latter stages of future editions of the competition and eventually challenge for the title.
Reflecting on the final against Japan, Busari explained that his technical team had identified their opponents’ ability to win second balls and exploit spaces behind defensive lines as major threats.
He said the Nigerian team adjusted its tactics to limit Japan’s attacking opportunities by directing long passes into open spaces where their opponents would struggle to recover possession.
According to him, the Flamingos initially planned to score early but became more cautious after taking the lead.
Japan subsequently equalised through a set-piece situation before Nigeria secured the decisive goal.
Busari described the encounter as a tactical contest that required collective defending, discipline and effective game management.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Flamingos on their historic achievement, describing the victory as a source of national pride and a major milestone for African women’s football.
In a statement released on Sunday by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said he received the news of the team’s triumph after returning from campaign engagements in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.
The President commended the players for their courage, discipline, determination and commitment, noting that they had fulfilled their promise to bring the trophy home after defeating their opponents in the semi-final.
He said the victory would inspire millions of young Nigerian girls by demonstrating what they could accomplish through hard work, determination and access to opportunities.
Tinubu also singled out goal scorers Bashiru and Umejiaku for their contributions while praising the entire squad for its teamwork and outstanding performances throughout the competition.
He extended his congratulations to the coaching crew, the Nigeria Football Federation and the National Sports Commission for their contributions to the team’s success.
The President further reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to grassroots sports development and creating opportunities for young Nigerians, particularly girls, to discover and develop their sporting talents.
The Flamingos’ historic victory has placed Nigeria and Africa in the spotlight, marking a significant breakthrough for women’s football on the continent.
COMMENTS