Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade says the team is determined to lift the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title when they face hosts Morocco in Saturday’s final at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium, Bold Sports reports.
The former Atletico Madrid star, who has been a standout performer for Nigeria at the tournament — winning three Player of the Match awards — highlighted the strong spirit within the squad to finish the mission and claim the trophy.
“We’re preparing and we’re doing all we can to make use of the time that we have and the team spirit is high,” she said in the pre-match press conference. “We’re focused, we’re determined and we know what’s at stake. So, we’re ready.”
“For me, there’s no pressure at all, to be honest. Even if there is, I always take it positively because it’s okay for you to feel pressured, but how I interpret it is what matters a lot. It’s a positive one and we are prepared mentally for whatever might happen.”
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The Super Falcons lost to Morocco in the semifinals of the 2022 WAFCON on penalties, but Ajibade is hoping for a better outcome and a more balanced contest this time.
“Last tournament might have happened the way it happened, but this time around it’s going to be a different one and it’s going to be a good one,” she said. “We still urge and plead that everything should be done fairly. We want a beautiful football. We don’t want something that will not beautify African football at all. We want a fair game in the officiating and everything.”
The captain emphasised how much the opportunity means to her and her teammates, especially considering the challenges they faced before and after reaching Morocco for the tournament.
“We have worked so hard to get to this point. We have gone through a lot. We have sacrificed so much to get to this point and we know what it means for us as players. We know what it means for us as a team. We know the situation we are in our nation right now.”
“We know what football does for us. This is everything for us and for those young girls who have a dream out there, who want to someday play on this stage. We know this is a huge responsibility that is bigger than us. We are willing to do everything we can to keep up and eventually win the trophy.”
The final against Morocco provides a chance for Ajibade to lift her first trophy as Super Falcons captain, but she also spoke of the wider impact winning WAFCON for a record-extending 10th time could have beyond just the pitch.
“I’ll be very grateful because it’s a dream for me to have an opportunity to lead and also lift the trophy. But beyond the dream, it’s gonna be a tool for change, because we don’t wanna be stuck with the same issues, the situations and the conditions that we had to go through to get to this point.”
“Winning it for the 10th time should be a call to action and a tool for change to keep pushing the women’s football to the next level, and the level that Nigerian women’s national team really deserves.”
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