Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team captain, Harmony Chidi, has described the prospect of winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup as a moment that would never be forgotten in her life, as the Flamingos prepare to face Japan in Saturday’s final in Morocco.
The remarks were made in an interview with FIFA, published on Friday, November 6, 2026, ahead of the historic title decider, ValidViewNetwork reports.
THE CAPTAIN’S VISION
Chidi was unequivocal about the significance of the occasion.”I think it would be a great thing, a joy, and would never be forgotten in life,” she told FIFA .
She acknowledged that reaching the final was already a monumental achievement but stressed that lifting the trophy would elevate the team’s joy to an entirely different level.
“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,” she said .
THE HISTORIC JOURNEY
The Flamingos have already etched their names into the history books by becoming the first African team to reach the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup .
Their journey to the final has been nothing short of remarkable, especially after a disastrous start. Nigeria lost their opening Group B match 2-1 to Poland, a result that left their campaign on the brink .
Under coach Akeem Busari, the team responded with five consecutive victories. They defeated Puerto Rico, then produced a tournament-shaking 3-1 victory over two-time reigning champions DPR Korea, followed by wins over Mexico, Venezuela, and a dominant 3-1 semi-final triumph over Brazil .
In the semi-final against Brazil, Nigeria dominated from start to finish, recording 35 shots on goal compared to Brazil’s seven.
Queen Joseph opened the scoring in the 56th minute, before Awawu Bashiru, making her first start of the tournament, scored twice in the 71st and 80th minutes to seal the victory .
THE COACH’S PERSPECTIVE
Coach Busari credited the team’s turnaround to psychological guidance and a change in attitude after the opening defeat.
“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” .
He acknowledged the quality of Japan, who defeated defending champions DPR Korea on penalties in their semi-final, but insisted the final would be a different challenge.
“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” .
Busari made it clear that the job was not yet done. “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” .
THE TEAM’S RESOLVE
The players are acutely aware of the significance of the moment. Queen Joseph, who scored the opener against Brazil, said the team drew inspiration from Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph after an opening defeat.
“We took the Argentina spirit from the [2022] World Cup after losing our first game. They came back and won the trophy, so we are hoping to God Almighty that we are going to win the trophy,” she said .
Joseph also emphasized the continental weight of the occasion. “I feel very happy. Playing in the final is a big privilege, representing my country in the final is a big privilege for me. I’m super proud of myself and my team because we made history. We are not here just representing Nigeria; we are here representing Africa as a whole”.
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WHY IT MATTERS
For decades, African women’s football has been underestimated on the global stage. The Flamingos have shattered that ceiling.They lost their opening match. They were written off.
And then they won five consecutive games, defeating the defending champions and dismantling Brazil, to reach a final that no African team had ever reached before.
On Saturday, against Japan, they have the chance to do something even greater: to become the first African nation to lift the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Chidi has spoken of an unforgettable moment. Joseph has spoken of representing the entire continent. Busari has spoken of unfinished business.
The final is at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco . The world will be watching. And the Flamingos are ready. ValidViewNetwork reports.