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Despite Nigeria’s early exit from the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, head coach Bankole Olowookere says he is proud of creating the most regionally balanced squad in Flamingos history, Footynaija.com reports.
The Flamingos fell to a disappointing 4-0 defeat against Italy to exit the tournament in the first knockout round.
Still, Olowookere is pleased with his choice of players to the global showpiece in Morocco.
“This is the first time ever, to be sincere with myself, that I balanced up all the six geo-political zones in my selection,” Olowookere said via Sports247.
“I’ve always been trying to look for Northerners that play female football, and I am happy that I achieved it in this squad.”
The coach, who has led the team since 2020, included four players from Northern Nigeria, a region where cultural and religious barriers have long limited women’s participation in football.
“From the eastern side, we have the likes of Chisom, Sylvia, Okpara, and maybe six or seven of them in total,” he added.
Olowookere, who guided Nigeria to a historic bronze medal at the 2022 World Cup, endured a difficult campaign this time. The Flamingos lost three of their four games: 4-1 to Canada, 1-0 to France, and 4-0 to Italy and exited in the round of 16.
Still, the coach insists his long-term goal goes beyond results.
“It’s a youth team, and we have to hunt for talents. I thank some people in the media who helped me spot talents,” he said.
Olowookere’s inclusive approach, he believes, will help lay a stronger foundation for the future of Nigerian women’s football.
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