U17 WWC: “We had a slogan for every game” – Olowookere after bronze-winning feat

Nigeria’s Flamingos on Tuesday returned from India where the team claimed a bronze medal at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The Nigerian side defeated Germany 3-2 on penalties to claim the elusive medal after a 3-3 draw in regulation time.

The coach of the team, Bankole Olowookere says for every game and stage in the tournament, they entered with a slogan and at the end, Nigeria has come home with a bronze medal.

“I am not a boastful coach but worked out my plans myself. We didn’t get to the final but when it was time to get the bronze, we decided not to go back home empty-handed,” Olowookere told pressmen after the team’s arrival in Abuja on Tuesday.

“There is a slogan for every stage that we played at the World Cup. We planned to win but thank God for what He has given to us. It’s a remarkable achievement.

“We were able to qualify for the quarter-final which I saw as what somebody has done before and I tried to surpass that. That was what we did and we qualified for the semi-final. At the semi-final stage, we planned to get to the final and even win the trophy,” the Naija Ratels FC coach concluded.

A  dummy cheque of the sum of N3million promised to the team by Super Eagles’ captain Ahmed Musa was presented to the players and officials at the airport. Chairman of the NFF Task Force on Youth Competitions, Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi promised the team the sum of $10,000. The Presidency will host the team at a later date.