Chiamaka Nnadozie has issued a rallying cry for humility and discipline as the Super Falcons prepare for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), warning that the days of continental dominance can no longer be taken for granted.
Drawn in Group B alongside Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana, Nigeria will be expected by many to cruise through. But the Paris FC goalkeeper is not fooled by surface-level impressions.
“People might think it’s a manageable group, but the reality is very different,” she told CAF Media. “Women’s football has made huge strides in recent years. Every team is improving, working hard, and investing in development.
“We saw it in the last AFCON, where many of the favourites were shaken. No one can be underestimated anymore. This group is tricky, and we have to treat it with the seriousness it deserves.”
Super Falcons still haunted by Morocco AFCON heartbreak
The ghosts of Morocco 2022 still haunt the squad. Nigeria, aiming for a record-extending 10th title, were stunned in the semi-finals by the hosts via penalties, a loss that cost them a chance to defend their crown.
“It was incredibly tough to accept. We really wanted to defend our crown, but football can be like that,” Nnadozie admitted. “That match against Morocco, we lost partly because the opposition had a well-executed strategy.
“It’s not that Nigeria is weaker, it’s that other nations now see us as the team to beat. They prepare accordingly. That forces us to stay humble and to keep raising our level.”
Nigeria’s last competitive fixture was a 2-1 defeat to France in November 2024. The team will regroup for friendlies against Cameroon in Ikenne and Abeokuta on May 30 and June 3, ahead of the tournament which runs from July 5 to 26 in Morocco.
