AS Roma Feminino of Italy winger Rinsola Babajide has admitted that she and her colleagues in Nigeria’s female national team, Super Falcons, are currently down, but declared emphatically that they will bounce back better with the true Nigerian never-say-die spirit.
Sports247 reports that the dark-skinned forward, whose full name is Omorinsola Omowunmi Ajike Babajide, projected that ‘the Naija way’ will spur the Falcons back to prominence, especially as they have to enter the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers in October,
She took to social media to reflect on her personal performance and that of the entire team at this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and admitted that the squad was not good enough, especially as they missed the global ticket for the first time since in began in 1991.
The 28-year-old former Liverpool of England forward got a personal mark with124 minutes of action during the championship, where she emerged Player of the Match during Nigeria’s 6-2 victory against Egypt in their last group match, after providing two assists.
Although she got only two total starts, which came against Egypt and in the Falcons’ quarter-final 1-0 loss to Cameroon, Rinsola felt satisfied with her efforts during the ill-fated outing, but conceded that the whole team must take the blame for their failed targets.
While thanking Nigerian football fans for their unflinching support of the Falcons, Babajide, who has also previously played for Crystal Palace, Millwall Lionesses, Watford, Brighton & Hove Albion of England, as well as Real Betis and UDG Tenerife of Spain, admitted the need for a revival.
Babajide, who was born on June 17th, 1998 in London, England, admitted: “It really hurts to miss out on a World Cup spot, but grateful for the opportunity to represent my country at yet another WAFCON. Unfortunately, it didn’t go the way we’d have liked it to have gone.
“We might be down right now, but we’ll definitely bounce back, the only way we know how to, the Naija way! Time to reset, reflect and work ahead towards the Olympic qualifiers. Thank you to everyone who supported us both in the stands and from home through it all.”
Sports247 gathered that the African qualifying tournament for Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games women’s football event will pass through five rounds, which began in June and are expected to conclude in December 2027.
The first round took place from June 4 to 9, while the second round will be from October 5 to 13, the third is from February 23rd to March 6th, 2027, as the fourth stage is October 4 – 12, 2027, and the final phase is November 23 – December 4, 2027.
