President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau on Monday charged players of Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets, to be focused, attentive to the instructions of their coaches, work hard and embrace discipline to achieve success at this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Two-time runners-up Nigeria have come close but are yet to lift FIFA’s second most important trophy for the women’s game, but Gusau believes hard work, discipline and dedication can see the Falconets mount the winners’ podium this time around.
“I am aware of our country’s pedigree in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. Your predecessors have won the silver medal on two occasions and reached the semi finals once. Now is the time for the ultimate".
“I believe that with discipline, hard work, dedication, focus and prayers for mother luck in your matches, you can emerge triumphant. These are the qualities that are necessary for success. The NFF will continue to provide the support and encouragement that you need to excel,” Gusau said as he spoke to the players after their morning training session at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project on Monday.
The 2024 finals in Colombia will be the first to welcome 24 teams, with Africa supplying four (Nigeria, Morocco, Cameroon and Ghana). Matches will take place in four venues in three different cities (Bogotá, Medellín and Cali). There will be two venues in Bogotá – Estadio El Campín and Estadio El Techo. The Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín and the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali are the other venues.
2022 quarter-finalists Nigeria have been drawn to play three-time winners Germany, Venezuela and Korea Republic in Group D of this year’s tournament.
The final competition, which will welcome 24 teams for the first time, will hold 31st August – 22nd September.
GROUP A: Colombia, Australia, Cameroon, Mexico
GROUP B: France, Canada, Brazil, Fiji
GROUP C: Spain, USA, Paraguay, Morocco
GROUP D: Germany, Venezuela, Nigeria, Korea Republic
GROUP E: Japan, New Zealand, Ghana, Austria
GROUP F: Korea DPR, Argentina, Costa Rica, The Netherlands
Credit: NFF Media