Golden Ball winner at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Oluebube Umejiaku, has opened up about the challenges she faced growing up, revealing that her determination to succeed in football is driven largely by her desire to change her mother’s circumstances.
In an exclusive interview with BBC News Pidgin, the young Nigerian forward spoke emotionally about the difficulties of coming from a family with little financial means, describing her journey to success as a major challenge while insisting that she would never give up on her football career.
“It’s not easy coming out from a family that has nothing. It was a very big challenge for me to make it in life. No matter how, in this football career, I won’t give up. I cannot give up,” Umejiaku said.
The 2026 U-17 Women’s World Cup Golden Ball winner explained that her mother’s struggles have remained her biggest motivation, revealing that she wants to give her a better life after years of hardship and humiliation.
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“I can’t give up because of my mother, she has suffered a lot. I need to take her out of where she is. People insult her, talk to her anyhow. Even when I’m there, they talk to her anyhow,” she added.
Umejiaku further disclosed that she often prays for recognition and success in football, not just for personal fulfilment but to earn the respect that would prevent people from looking down on her mother.
“I always talk to God to make people know my name, so they won’t insult my mother anyhow. She tells me not to reply them, to allow them insult her, so they won’t put me in any problem,” she said.
Despite the difficulties, the Nigerian youngster expressed gratitude to God for keeping her alive and giving her the opportunity to pursue her dreams, while praying for the strength and ability to continue making progress.
“I give God all the glory, and I thank God for life. I pray God gives me the strength, the mind, the ability to go forward in life,” she stated.
Beyond her personal struggles, Umejiaku also reflected on her remarkable achievement at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, admitting that she never imagined winning the tournament’s Golden Ball award when she first started playing football at the age of seven.
The forward enjoyed an outstanding campaign in Morocco, contributing a goal or an assist in every match she featured in as the Flamingos made history by becoming the first African nation to win the U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Although she did not start Nigeria’s opening fixture against Poland, which ended in a 2-1 defeat, Umejiaku came off the bench to score the team’s first goal of the tournament.
She subsequently provided an assist in the 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico before scoring against defending champions North Korea in the Flamingos’ 3-1 group-stage win.
Her influence continued in the knockout stages, with a goal against Mexico and a decisive contribution in the quarterfinal victory over Venezuela, where she won the late penalty converted by Azeezat Oduntan to secure a 1-0 win.
She assisted Nigeria’s third goal in their 3-1 semifinal triumph over Brazil before scoring the second goal in the final against Japan, helping the Flamingos secure a historic 2-1 victory and their maiden world title.
Reflecting on the achievement, Umejiaku credited her mother for constantly encouraging her throughout the competition, revealing how her words of motivation often gave her the confidence to deliver on the pitch.
“When I started playing football at seven years, I didn’t see myself winning the World Cup Golden Ball. When we won the tournament, my mother didn’t let me rest. Even during the tournament, she always calls me to motivate me to score. Whenever she says that I’ll score, I’ll score. So I’m very happy,” she said.
Umejiaku’s Golden Ball triumph capped an extraordinary tournament for the Nigerian teenager, whose performances helped deliver one of the biggest achievements in the history of African women’s football.
For the young forward, however, the achievement represents more than individual recognition. It is another step towards fulfilling a promise to herself and giving her mother the better life she has always dreamed of.
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