Nigeria’s captain says lifting the trophy would be an unforgettable achievement, while coach Akeem Busari urges players to remain focused ahead of the final.
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team captain, Harmony Chidi, has said winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup would be an unforgettable achievement for the players, coaching crew and the country.
Chidi spoke to FIFA ahead of the final against Japan in Morocco, describing the team’s qualification for the championship match as a major accomplishment but expressing her desire to complete the campaign with the trophy.
“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 as the first African team to reach the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, setting up a title contest against Japan.
Nigeria’s journey to the final began with a 2-1 defeat to Poland in their opening Group B match. However, the team recovered to record five consecutive victories over Puerto Rico, two-time reigning champions DPR Korea, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil.
Their 3-1 semi-final victory over Brazil secured Nigeria’s place in the final and kept alive the country’s ambition of winning the competition for the first time.
Head coach Akeem Busari attributed the team’s turnaround after the opening defeat to 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, referring to what he observed during their match against DPR Korea, but maintained that the final would present a different challenge for both sides.
“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 were targeting the title, credited the players for the team’s historic run, describing them as the driving force behind the achievement.
“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 approaching, Busari urged his players to remain focused, stressing that reaching the championship match did not mean their work was finished.
“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 opportunity to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time and secure a historic title for African women’s football.