Madugu, Ajibade recount  WAFCON glory, target global challenges

August 1, 2025 by David Bolarinwa

Super Falcons head coach Justine  Madugu has hailed Nigeria’s triumph at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) as a testament to the team’s resilience and mental strength, while emphasizing the need for greater preparation and investment to compete at the global level.

Nigeria secured their 10^th  WAFCON title with a dramatic 3–2 comeback win against host nation Morocco on July 26 in Rabat.

Speaking at a celebratory breakfast hosted yesterday, July 31^st, by MTN Nigeria at the Eko Hotels in Lagos, head coach Justin Madugu shared insights into the tactical adjustments that helped the Super Falcons turn the WAFCON final in their favour.

He said: “At halftime, we told the girls that once we scored a goal, the pressure would shift to Morocco, we worked on their mindset, they began to believe again, and that changed everything, to the glory of God, it worked.”

While proud of the achievement, Madugu urged that the focus must now shift to preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

 “The challenge now is time, these players are professionals with club obligations, and we only get a few days with them before major tournaments, that’s not enough to build a World Cup-winning team, but we won’t give excuses, we’ll do the best we can with what we have.”

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The coach also addressed criticism of his team selections and tactics during the tournament.

He said:  “You can’t lead without being criticized, but I know what these players can do, I stay with them every day. I take decisions not to please everyone, but to get results, and that’s what we’ve done.”

Team captain Rasheedat Ajibade echoed Madugu’s sentiments and challenged the nation to invest in taking the team to the next level.

She said, “We’ve made history with this 10th title, but we’re not satisfied, we want to be global contenders, the mission is bigger now, and we’re ready for it.”

Ajibade also called for deeper collaboration between the government, the football federation, and corporate bodies.

 “We understand the responsibility that comes with this win, now we need everyone, the NFF, the federal government, private sponsors, to keep investing in us so we can compete on the world stage,” she added.