SUPER FALCONS, SUPER CHAMPIONS
The performance of the young ladies in Rabat was remarkable
Nigeria’s senior women’s football team, the Super Falcons, last Saturday won a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title after defeating hosts Morocco 3-2 in an epic final. The manner the Nigerian ladies came back from two goals down in the first 24 minutes to beat the host country right in front of over 21,000 home fans in Rabat, was remarkable. No team has ever done that in the history of the tournament. And the Nigerian ladies rightly walked away with the tournament’s improved star prize of $1 million. The victory also marks Nigeria’s return to the summit of women’s football in the continent for the first time since 2018.
But it has not been a straightforward journey, especially in recent years. From 1991 when the world football governing body, FIFA, introduced the women’s World Cup, hosted by China, the Super Falcons were beating the likes of Morocco and South Africa by wide goal margins. While these countries researched on how to develop the game through massive investments in infrastructure and retraining of coaches and other backroom personnel, Nigeria lived on past glory, thinking that the country would continue to dominate the continent forever. That proved wrong and a decade ago, others caught up with Nigeria. Super Falcons therefore began to struggle against Morocco, South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana and even Zambia.
It was therefore not surprising that after Nigeria struggled to beat hosts Cameroon in the final of the 2018 edition in Yaoundé, Super Falcons finished fourth in the 2022 edition won by South Africa. To rub salt on our injury, South Africa’s Banyana Banyana came to Lagos to beat Super Falcons 4-2 in the final of the Aisha Buhari Tournament. It was the performance of Super Falcons at the 2023 World Cup that rekindled hope that the ladies now have the capability to reclaim the summit of African football. It was on this premise that the NFF launched its WAFCON campaign of ‘MISSION X’, a clarion call for the Nigerian ladies to claim the country’s 10th WAFCON title at the just ended edition in Morocco.
Going all the way from the group stage to the knockout quarter final without defeat or conceding a goal was no mean feat. In the quarterfinal, Super Falcons hammered Zambia’s Copper Queens 5-0 to avenge their 2022 defeat in the third-placed match. Next came South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the semifinal. Michelle Alozie’s last-gasp long range goal handed Nigeria a 2-1 win and the ticket to the final. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade had opened scores from the penalty spot. Coming back from two goals down to win the final was Nigeria’s claim to the top of Africa, once more.
In appreciation of this valour and to encourage others, notably female basketball team, D ‘Tigress seeking fifth Afrobasket 2025 title, President Bola Tinubu hosted the players and the members of the technical crew. Each player was lavished with the Naira equivalent of $100,000, three-bedroom apartment and the national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (O.O.N). The officials were also bestowed with national honours, houses and the monetary gift of $50,000 each. This presidential gesture and largesse are indeed worthy and encouraging.
Never in the history of our country has an entire nation been fascinated by female football in the manner that was witnessed during the recent campaign in Morocco. Nigeria now needs to strategically plan on how to invest massively in the game to attract more of our ladies to the game. The women’s league in the country needs more sponsors while facilities must be improved for the women’s leagues to thrive. Incentives must be given to those who have invested in the women’s game from the grassroots. And above all, serious preparations must begin now for the Super Falcons participation at the next Women’s World Cup in 2026 for Nigeria to surpass the good outing at the 2023 edition.
