Falconets head coach Moses Aduku has declared that Nigeria have arrived in Poland with one clear objective — to compete for and ultimately win the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Aduku said his players understand the magnitude of the challenge ahead but are confident in their ability to compete with the best young teams in the world.
“We have come here to compete and to win the trophy,” Aduku said.
The Nigerian coach, however, insisted that his team would not get carried away by their ambition, stressing that the Falconets must remain focused on the immediate task and approach the tournament one match at a time.
“We will take it one game at a time,” he said.
“But our mentality is to fight for victory in every match.”
The Falconets arrived in Poland with considerable expectations, having established themselves as one of the most consistent teams in the history of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria have reached the final of the competition three times but have yet to lift the trophy, finishing runners-up in 2010, 2014 and 2022.
That history has made the Falconets one of the tournament’s most respected teams, but Aduku believes past performances will count for little once the competition begins.
The coach wants his players to concentrate on the present and approach every opponent with the same level of determination.
“We respect every team, but we are not afraid of anybody,” Aduku said.
The Nigerian squad has been working extensively on its tactical organisation, fitness and mental preparation ahead of the tournament, with Aduku repeatedly emphasising the importance of unity within the group.
He believes the players have responded positively to the demands of the preparation and are ready to represent Nigeria with determination.
The Falconets’ preparations have also been affected by changes to the squad, with several players unavailable because of injuries before the team travelled to Poland. Those players were replaced as the coaching staff finalised the squad for the tournament.
Aduku, however, insists that the players who made the final squad are ready to shoulder the responsibility.
“We have prepared well and the girls know what is expected of them,” he said.
“They are ready to fight for Nigeria.”
The coach also called on Nigerian supporters to continue believing in the team, stressing that the players need the backing of the country as they attempt to go one step further than previous Falconets generations.
Nigeria’s pedigree at the U-20 Women’s World Cup means expectations will naturally be high, but Aduku believes that pressure can be transformed into motivation.
The objective is not simply to participate.
It is to compete.
And ultimately, to win.
For a team that has come agonisingly close to lifting the trophy on several occasions, Aduku believes this generation has the mentality and determination to finally finish the job.
The Falconets now have the opportunity to write their own chapter in Nigerian football history.
And Aduku has made the mission unmistakably clear: one game at a time, one opponent at a time — but with the World Cup trophy firmly in their sights
