U-17 World Cup glory: Stakeholders warn NFF against wasting Flamingos’ golden generation

Nigeria’s Flamingos are satellite champions. Their 2-1 triumph implicit Japan astatine the Mohammed VI Football Complex successful Rabat implicit the play delivered the country’s archetypal FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup rubric and made them the archetypal African team, antheral oregon female, to triumph a FIFA satellite rubric astatine immoderate level.

But the much pressing question is not however they scaled the acme but whether Nigeria volition physique a roadworthy that keeps them from sliding backmost down.

Their conquest of the satellite was not a triumph of seamless inevitability. Rather, it was a triumph of response.

Nigeria mislaid their opening lucifer 2-1 to Poland, a effect that instantly raised doubts astir their readiness.

What followed was a six-match winning tally that revealed the team’s defining quality: the capableness to learn, set and amended nether pressure.

They bushed Puerto Rico earlier producing a connection show against defending champions North Korea, whom they defeated 3-1.

The Flamingos went connected to bushed Mexico 2-1 successful the Round of 16, earlier securing a disciplined 1-0 triumph implicit Venezuela successful the quarter-finals.

The semi-final against Brazil was the tactical precocious point. A commanding 3-1 triumph handed Brazil their archetypal decision of the tourney and made Nigeria the archetypal African squad to scope a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final.

In the final, Nigeria were the amended broadside from the start. Awawu Bashiru broke the deadlock successful the archetypal fractional with a long-range onslaught that slipped done ...