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Nigeria’s U-17 Women’s World Cup-winning captain, Harmony Chidi, has revealed that her mother initially opposed her ambition to become a footballer and wanted her to get married following the early death of her father.
The 17-year-old, who led the Flamingos to their historic 2-1 victory over Japan in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final in Morocco, said her grandmother played a crucial role in keeping her football dream alive despite her mother’s opposition.
Speaking to BBC Pidgin, Chidi said her grandmother encouraged her to pursue the sport until her death, while her foster father, Prince Chidi, later provided the support she needed to continue her career.
“When I started football, my mother didn’t want me to play. My father died early, so my mother wanted me to get married. It was my grandmother who stood by me and pushed me to play football. Unfortunately, my grandmother is late,” she said.
“It wasn’t easy until I met my foster father, Prince Chidi. He is the owner of my grassroots team, Imo Strikers, and he encourages me, making sure that I achieve my dream.”
The Bayelsa Queens striker also recounted how a serious injury nearly ended her football career and ruled her out of the previous edition of the U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Chidi described the setback as the most difficult period of her career, revealing that some of her friends abandoned her while she struggled to recover.
“There is nothing that has been more difficult than my injury. It is an injury that has killed the dream of many players in Nigeria. All my friends deserted me and it was tough. I even thought of an alternative plan,” she said.
However, she recovered from the injury and returned to lead Nigeria to its first-ever title at the competition, with the Flamingos defeating Japan 2-1 in the final on Saturday.
Despite achieving a major milestone at just 17, Chidi says she wants to reach a level beyond some of football’s biggest names, including Nigerian and foreign stars.
“I have like five players that I want to be like: Victor Osimhen, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Raphinha and Asisat Oshoala. I want to be greater than them,” she said.
Her role in Nigeria’s historic triumph has also earned her a ₦100m Federal Government savings bond as part of the rewards announced by President Bola Tinubu.
At a reception for the team at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu presented the players with ₦100m savings bonds each, with the funds to be preserved for their future.
Head coach Akeem Busari received ₦100m in cash, while members of the technical crew were awarded ₦50m each.
