Nigeria Players Abroad
Ibrahim Gusau: NFF President upbeat about Super Falcons performance at Paris 2024
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
After their return to the women’s football event of the Olympics for the first time in 16 years, the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau is confident that Nigeria’s senior women’s national team will perform well at Paris 2024.
The nine-time African champions, edged Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) holders, South Africa 1-0 on aggregate to pick one of two tickets from Africa with Zambia picking the second ticket.
Having failed to make it to three straight Olympics in 2012, 2016, and 2020, Gusau hopes the Super Falcons can surpass their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup performance.
Randy Waldrum’s side reached the Round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without losing any match in regulation time after defeat on penalties to European champions, England.
“We shall try to better our World Cup performance where we crashed out without losing a single game during regulation time. The girls have shown resilience and determination to qualify for the Olympics against all odds and I trust them to carry that same spirit to the Games in Paris,” Gusau told Completesports.com.
Nigeria will face World Champions Spain, former World Cup winners Japan, and South America powerhouse Brazil in Group C.
“The teams in our group are among the best in women’s football in the world but I can tell you that we can only respect them but will not be afraid to play any of them.” He added. “After a performance at the World Cup in Australia/New Zealand, I know none of the teams in our group will take us for granted.”
Gusau continued: “We want to qualify from the group stage and target the semi-finals which puts us in the medal range. I just believe that the team will do well in Paris and return to the country with medals on their neck. Missing three previous Olympic qualifications will motivate the girls to make their mark in Paris.”
The top two teams group Group A, B, and C will automatically qualify for the quarter-final of the women’s event of the Olympics.
They will be joined by two best third-placed teams from the groups.
Nigerian best finish at the Olympics was a quarter-final finish at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
