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Japan’s U-17 women’s national team coach, Sadayoshi Shirai, has admitted that Nigeria’s speed and physical strength proved decisive in his side’s 2-1 defeat in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Shirai praised the Flamingos for their performance, acknowledging that his players struggled to contain Nigeria whenever the Nigerian team broke through their defensive lines.
Nigeria secured the historic title through goals from Oluebube Umejiaku and Awawu Bashiru, while Fuki Ito scored Japan’s only goal.
Speaking after the final, Shirai said his team had recognised Nigeria’s strengths before the encounter but struggled to cope with the Flamingos’ pace and physical approach, particularly during attacking transitions.
“First of all, I have to say that Nigeria were a very strong team. We understood their strengths, but there were moments when they managed to get in behind our defence,” he said.
The Japanese coach admitted that an earlier goal could have changed the outcome of the final, giving his side a better opportunity to challenge Nigeria for the trophy.
“Even so, I think our players fought incredibly hard until the very end, doing everything they could to cope with Nigeria’s speed and physical power. I also believe that if we had managed to score earlier, we might have had a better chance of winning the match,” Shirai added.
Despite the defeat, Shirai urged his players to take pride in their performance, particularly their determination throughout the tournament.
He said their efforts in reaching the final and fighting until the closing stages of the competition should give them confidence for future international tournaments.
Japan booked their place in the final after defeating DPR Korea in the semi-finals, while Nigeria secured their spot with a victory over Brazil.
The Flamingos eventually overcame Japan to lift the trophy, securing a historic achievement for Nigerian women’s football and reinforcing the country’s growing reputation in youth women’s football.
