2024 U-17 Women’s World Cup: NFF applauds Flamingos despite quarterfinal ouster

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

The General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mohammed Sanusi, expressed pride in the U-17 women’s national team’s performance at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, despite their exit in the quarter-finals after a 2-0 loss to the USA.

Sanusi acknowledged the Flamingos’ commendable effort throughout the tournament, highlighting their successful group stage where they secured maximum points with nine goals scored and only one conceded.

He noted the team’s resilience against the USA, despite the defeat, and encouraged the players to stay motivated for future competitions.

“The Nigeria Football Federation is proud of the Flamingos and the efforts they put into the competition,” Sanusi said.

”Two years ago, they defeated the USA on penalties at the same stage, on their way to collecting the bronze medals. That is football for you.

“If you watched their games, you will agree that the girls put up a great fight in every match. They swept through their group phase, collecting the maximum nine points and scoring nine goals while conceding only one.

“They created several chances against the USA but were quite unlucky. This is a good team and the players must be encouraged going forward. I believe a good number of them have the skill, temperament and discipline to progress to the U20 squad.”

The Flamingos’ journey saw them triumph over New Zealand (4-1), Ecuador (4-0), and the Dominican Republic (1-0) in the group phase.

Looking ahead, Sanusi is optimistic about the potential of many players to progress to the U20 squad as they prepare for the next tournament in Morocco, starting the annual hosting of the competition from 2025.