Nigeria U17 Women’s National Team, Flamingos, have returned home after their run in the World Cup ended with a 0-2 quarterfinal defeat to the USA, in Santiago de los Caballeros.
Flamingos topped Group A with a series of outstanding performances, defeating New Zealand 4-1, Ecuador 4-0, and edging out host nation Dominican Republic 1-0 to qualify to the next round and conceding just one goal.
They joined Spain and Korea as the countries that qualified from their group with all 9 points.
Nigerian players celebrate following the team’s victory during the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup match against Dominican Republic at Felix Sanchez Stadium. (Photo by Buda Mendes – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), welcomed the team back, commending their efforts and determination throughout the tournament.
“The Nigeria Football Federation is proud of the Flamingos and the efforts they put into the competition. 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.”
🤩Welcome back to our incredible Flamingos from the U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic! 🇳🇬💚⚽
You’ve made us all proud with your resilience and passion. Here’s to more success ahead! 💥💃👏
#SoarFlamingos #U17WWC pic.twitter.com/fK0j8hWD7U
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) October 29, 2024
“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.”
In a change for future tournaments, the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup will shift from a biennial to an annual schedule, with Morocco set to host the next five editions starting next year.
