Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, have arrived in Abuja following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Advertisement
The young Nigerians made history on Saturday by defeating Japan 2-1 in the final to claim their first-ever title in the competition, becoming the first African country to win the global age-grade tournament.
Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku secured the memorable victory, capping an impressive campaign in which the Flamingos demonstrated resilience, discipline and attacking quality against some of the world’s best youth teams.
Advertisement
Their World Cup success followed an equally impressive performance at the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, where they won all five matches, scored 17 goals and conceded just once.
Advertisement
Head coach Hakeem Busari described the achievement as a product of hard work, character and the growing quality of women’s football in Africa. He said the team’s performance showed that African sides could compete at the highest level when given the right preparation and support.
Busari also explained that tactical discipline and careful planning played important roles in overcoming Japan in the final, particularly in limiting the opponents’ ability to exploit spaces and win second balls.
The triumph has attracted national recognition, with President Bola Tinubu congratulating the players and describing their achievement as a source of pride for Nigeria and a major inspiration for young girls across the country.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the President praised the team’s courage, determination and teamwork, particularly acknowledging Bashiru and Umejiaku for their decisive contributions.
Tinubu also commended the coaching crew, the Nigeria Football Federation and the National Sports Commission, while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to grassroots sports development and creating opportunities for young Nigerians.
The Flamingos’ achievement represents a significant milestone for Nigerian and African women’s football, offering renewed hope for the development of young female talents and demonstrating the country’s potential to compete successfully on the global stage.