Flamingos captain, Harmony Chidi, has said that winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup feels like a dream come true. She believes this achievement will be an unforgettable moment for Nigeria and all the players.
In a post from FIFA's website on Friday, Chidi shared her thoughts before the Flamingos face Japan in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Chidi noted that reaching the final is already a big deal. She said that winning the trophy would make the moment even more special for the team, their coaches, and the whole country.
"I think it would be a great thing, a joy, and would never be forgotten in life," Chidi said in an interview with FIFA.
"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 made it to the final after bouncing back from a 2-1 loss to Poland in their opening match. They then won five straight games against Puerto Rico, DPR Korea, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil.
Head coach Akeem Busari stated that the team's turnaround was possible thanks to psychological support, a better mindset, and a strong commitment to their game plan.
He explained that the players needed some encouragement and guidance after their first defeat to get their confidence back for the remaining matches.
"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," Busari 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 recognized Japan's strong performance leading up to the final, mentioning that the Asian side showed great skills in their earlier matches, especially against DPR Korea.
But he emphasized that the final will depend a lot on the mindset, character, and attitude both teams bring to the game.
"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 Nigerian coach also praised his players for their strong performances, calling them the driving force behind the team’s success.
"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.
He added that the team is focused on finishing the job, urging the players to keep their fighting spirit and recognize that reaching the final is not the end of their goal.
"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," Busari said.
The Flamingos are set to face Japan in the final, as Nigeria aims to make history by winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time.
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