2026 U-17 WWC final: Why Nigeria beat Japan to win trophy – Flamingos’ Oluebube Umejiaku

According to a report by Daily Post on Sunday November 8, 2026, Flamingos forward Oluebube Umejiaku has explained the key factors behind Nigeria’s 2-1 victory over Japan in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Umejiaku revealed that composure, self-belief and encouragement among the players played an important role in helping Nigeria overcome Japan and secure their first-ever title in the competition.

The Nigerian youngster, who was named the Golden Ball winner as the best player of the tournament, said the Flamingos did not allow themselves to become desperate in their search for goals during the final.

According to her, the players focused on maintaining their confidence, encouraging one another and remaining composed on the pitch rather than putting unnecessary pressure on themselves.

Speaking after Nigeria clinched the trophy in Morocco, Umejiaku said: “We didn’t have to push for the goals, just to keep ourselves up, and we needed to encourage ourselves on the field of play.”

Her comments highlighted the importance of the team’s mentality in a difficult encounter against Japan, who put up a strong challenge in their attempt to win the championship.

Umejiaku also played a decisive role in the final, scoring one of Nigeria’s goals, while Awawu Bashiru got the other to give the Flamingos a 2-1 victory.

Japan’s Fuki Ito managed to score a late goal, but it was not enough to inspire a comeback as Nigeria held on to secure the historic victory.

The triumph marked a major milestone for Nigerian women’s football, with the Flamingos becoming champions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time.

Nigeria’s journey to the title was also remarkable because the team began the tournament with a 2-1 defeat to Poland. However, they recovered from that setback and won their remaining six matches to finish the competition as champions.

Umejiaku’s Golden Ball award further underlined her importance to the team’s successful campaign, as she emerged as the tournament’s outstanding individual player.

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