Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade, has described what Nigeria needs accomplish to progress from regional champions to FIFA Women’s World Cup winners.
Ajibade, speaking to NAN after the team’s reception by President Bola Tinubu at the State House on Monday, expressed the need for institutional support for the team.
The 10-time WAFCON champions have long dominated African football but have struggled to replicate that success on the global stage
Their best World Cup result is still a quarter-final finish.
At the Olympics, they have also failed to go beyond the last eight.
Ajibade, a former Atlético Madrid Femenino player, believes the team’s recent WAFCON victory in Morocco demonstrates their potential for further success with proper support.
She advocated for immediate investment in facilities, professional conditions, and tournament preparation to improve the team’s global position.
”We want to be global contenders, not just local champions. We have dominated in Africa, and it is time to take it to the world stage.
So, all we need to do is just support and keep promoting women’s football and set the platform for generations to come.
When we talk of support, I am talking about proper preparations for tournaments and proper professional conditions for players,” she said.
According to Ajibade, Tinubu’s warm reception provided a significant morale boost, potentially leading to more success.
Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world.
We dream of standing at the top of the global stage, not just as competitors, but as champions.”
She stressed the importance of world-class training infrastructure and player welfare to sustain success.
To achieve this, we only seek the continued and enhanced support of the NFF, NSC, and the Federal Government.
With your partnership, we can have world-class training facilities, and we will be able to prepare in the best way possible and create a pathway for the next generation of Super Falcons to score even higher.
Together, we can show the world that Nigeria is not just a participant in global football, but a leader.” Ajibade said.
The Super Falcons have featured in every FIFA Women’s World Cup since 1991, reaching the knockout stage on three occasions—1999 (U.S.), 2019 (France), and 2023 (Australia and New Zealand).
In 2023, they forced two-time European champions England into a penalty shootout in the second round.
