Nigeria’s ability to remain composed and encourage one another on the pitch helped the Flamingos overcome Japan in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, according to midfielder Oluebube Umejiaku.
Umejiaku, who won the tournament’s Golden Ball award, said the Nigerian team focused on maintaining their confidence rather than forcing the game as they secured a 2-1 victory in Morocco.
“We didn’t have to push for the goals, just to keep ourselves up, and we needed to encourage ourselves on the field of play,” she said during her post-match interview.
The Flamingos took control of the final through goals from Umejiaku and Awawu Bashiru, putting Nigeria in a strong position to claim the trophy.
Japan’s Fuki Ito scored late in the match, but the goal was not enough to prevent Nigeria from securing the title.
