Nigeria U17 head coach Akeem Busari says the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup trophy is the major thing the country wants after guiding the Flamingos to their first-ever final, www.aclsports.com reports.
“We know we are on the medal table, but the trophy is the major thing our country wants. We want it as well. We just need to fight. We are playing Japan now. It’s another different ball game, another different character. It’s just for us to concentrate, put icing on the cake and finish up the job because the job is not yet done,” Busari said.
He described reaching the final as a turning point in his coaching career and reflected on the challenges the team overcame.
“At this level, I’m so excited, I’m happy. For my career, I knew it is a turning point for another bigger thing to come. It has not been too easy, from the qualifiers to WAFU-B and now to the World Cup. Against a lot of odds, we try to pick one or two things that will be of advantage, work on the details and play,” he said.
Busari also explained his concerns during the first half, when the Flamingos created several chances but failed to find the back of the net.
“What you normally look at as a coach is for them to compose themselves to really bury one of the chances. It’s a game of knockout. If you did not score, they did not score, we go to penalties. If you have missed five, six, seven or eight chances against a team and then lose to that team in a penalty shootout, it’s a painful task.
“So those are the things in front of my mind: let’s just bury one. If we do, they will be able to come out, and we can have more opportunities,” he said.
The final between Nigeria and Japan is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 7 November, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat.
Image: FIFA
