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| Harmony Chidi |
Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s team captain, Harmony Chidi, has revealed that her mother initially opposed her football career and wanted her to get married instead, following the early death of her father.
The 17-year-old led the Flamingos to a historic 2-1 victory over Japan in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, helping Nigeria become the first African nation to win the tournament.
Chidi said her path to success was shaped by loss, family opposition and a serious injury that nearly ended 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,” she told BBC Pidgin. “It was my grandmother who stood by me and pushed me to play football. Unfortunately, my grandmother is late now.”
The Bayelsa Queens striker credited her foster father, Prince Chidi, owner of grassroots side Imo Strikers, with helping her stay focused on her dream.
“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,” she said.
Her journey was also interrupted by a career-threatening injury that ruled her out of the previous U-17 Women’s World Cup. Chidi described the period as the toughest of her career, saying friends abandoned her and she once considered an alternative path.
“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 recounted.
But she refused to quit, recovered, and eventually captained Nigeria to a landmark world title in Morocco.
Despite the achievement, Chidi remains ambitious. She has named several established stars she hopes to emulate - and eventually surpass - as she aims to build on her historic success.
“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 contribution to the Flamingos’ historic triumph has also earned her a share of the presidential reward announced by President Bola Tinubu.
At a reception for the team at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, the President, through First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, awarded each player a ₦100m Federal Government savings bond, with the funds to be preserved for their future.
Head coach Akeem Busari was awarded ₦100m in cash, while members of the technical crew were allocated ₦50m each.
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