Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Rodiat Yusuf has expressed her excitement after winning the Player of the Match award in the Flamingos’ 3-1 victory over defending champions Korea DPR at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The victory secured Nigeria’s passage to the Round of 16, boosting the team’s confidence as the young players continue their campaign on the global stage.

Yusuf attributed the victory to the team’s determination, hard work in training and ability to maintain concentration throughout the encounter.

“I feel super excited because this is what we want, and we got the result we wanted. We saw it coming because we were very determined in training with zeal,” she said.

“We told each other that we can do this. We kept our heads up on the field and were told not to lose concentration. That made us get the win.

“We keep doing our best. I know other teams will keep coming at us now because we beat the defending champions. Nigerians should keep counting on us. We will definitely do our best to always bring maximum three points.

“It is one step at a time. Our desire is to get to the final. I know, with the way we are trying our best, playing and training, we will surely get there.”

The midfielder’s recognition capped an impressive team performance against Korea DPR, with the Flamingos now looking to maintain their momentum as the knockout stage approaches.

Yusuf also called on Nigerians to continue believing in the team, insisting that the players remain focused on their ultimate ambition of reaching the final.