The team arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja in the early hours of Monday, where they were received by officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and supporters.
Afterthe team’s arrival, head coach Akeem Busari said changes to the team’s defensive approach and mentality helped the players progress through the competition.
Busari explained that the Flamingos deliberately avoided relying on penalty shootouts, drawing confidence from their qualifying campaign, during which they won all their matches within regulation time.
“Looking at the history from the World Cup and looking at the team when we were playing in the qualifiers, we won all our games on 90 minutes,” he said.
He added that the technical crew adjusted the team’s defensive approach and worked on the players’ mentality as the tournament progressed.
“We changed the defences. Approach was changed..mentality was changed and that’s what changed the narrative,” Busari said.
In a separate post-match interview after the final against Japan, the coach also explained how his technical crew identified the opponents’ strength in winning second balls and exploiting spaces behind defensive lines.
“So if you allow them to win the second ball, they will play behind your back four,” he said.
Busari said the Flamingos responded by directing the ball into open spaces rather than areas where Japanese players could easily recover possession.
“So really, we noticed that any drop ball from our own half, we don’t drop it in that route, we drop it to space, because one, they are quicker to the ball,” he said.
He also attributed the team’s success to development and character, expressing hope that more African sides would progress beyond the knockout stages in future editions of the competition.
“What we have seen is not a fluke, it’s about development, it’s about character, it’s about fighting off from the beginning to get it right. So we are elated and we are happy,” he said.
Flamingos captain Harmony Chidi thanked her teammates, coaching staff and supporters, describing the team’s return with the trophy as a memorable achievement.
“I thank my teammates, the coaching staff, everybody that was praying for us. We are so, so happy that at least we came back with the trophy for the first time,” she said.
Chidi also recalled how the team’s opening defeat motivated the players to work harder and remain united throughout the competition.
“I think it was the game that gave us the morale that the World Cup that we came is not a child’s play. It’s something that we have to work extra hard,” she said.
She added that the players encouraged one another to work together, a decision she said contributed to their eventual success.
The Flamingos defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final, with Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku scoring the goals that secured Nigeria’s first title in the competition.
The victory also made Nigeria the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Before travelling to Morocco, the team won the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, recording five victories from five matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just once.
Ademide Adebayo
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