‘It’ll Never Be Forgotten’, Flamingos Captain On Hopes Of Winning U-17 World Cup

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team captain, Harmony Chidi, says winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup would be an unforgettable moment for her, her teammates, the coaching crew and the country.

Speaking to FIFA ahead of the final against Japan in Morocco, Chidi described reaching the last stage of the competition as a significant achievement but said lifting the trophy would make the occasion even more special.

“I think it would be a great thing, a joy, and would never be forgotten in life,” she said.

“Reaching the final is a very big thing, it’s a great thing and it’s something that we have dreamed of. Winning would be something myself, my country, my team-mates, our coaches, and everybody would be proud of.”

The Flamingos have made history by becoming the first African team to reach the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, setting up a title clash with Japan.

Their journey to the final followed a difficult start, having lost 2-1 to Poland in their opening Group B match. They recovered to win five consecutive games against Puerto Rico, two-time reigning champions DPR Korea, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil.

Their 3-1 victory over Brazil in the semi-final secured their place in the final and kept alive Nigeria’s hopes of winning the competition for the first time.

Head coach Akeem Busari said the team’s response to the opening defeat was driven by psychological guidance, renewed confidence and a change in the players’ attitude and approach.

“After the first game, we needed to sit them down, psychologically talk to them, talk about our game plan and all we have been doing in the sessions,” he told FIFA.

“We needed to change our attitude and character, but because of their age, we just needed to talk to them, to counsel them, and those are the points that make the difference.”

Busari acknowledged Japan’s quality, pointing to what he observed in their match against DPR Korea, but said the final would present a different challenge for both teams.

“From what we saw against DPR Korea, I think it’s the core of what we should expect more of from the Japanese,” he said.

“But it’s a different ballgame because, for both us and them, the game will not be the same. The character, mentality and attitude which you approach every game with, and at every other level too, is what really matters.”

The coach, who had declared before the tournament that Nigeria wanted to become champions, credited the players for the team’s progress, describing them as the people who had made the achievement possible.

“It would be a plus for Africa, for Nigeria, for my own career as a person, but also for the players as well – they are the gladiators. Without them, we could not do anything,” he said.

With the final within reach, Busari said the players must remain focused and understand that their work was not over simply because they had reached the championship match.

“We want to make our mentality right, we want to put our attitude down to the players as well so they can see the job is not yet done; we’re still on the track race. We’ll just have to really fight on until we get there,” he said.

Nigeria will face Japan with the chance to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time and secure a landmark title for African women’s football.