According to a report by FIFA.com on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Nigeria’s 16-year-old forward, Queen Joseph, has expressed pride in helping the Flamingos reach their first-ever final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, saying the team is representing not only Nigeria but the entire African continent.

Joseph made the remarks after Nigeria defeated Brazil 3-1 in the semi-final to secure a historic place in the final of the competition. The victory marked a major achievement for the Flamingos, who became the first African team to reach the final since the tournament began.

The young forward played an important role in the victory by opening the scoring in the 56th minute. Her goal gave Nigeria the advantage and increased the team’s confidence as they continued to put pressure on their Brazilian opponents.

Awawu Bashiru later extended Nigeria’s lead with two goals in the 71st and 80th minutes, putting the Flamingos in a strong position to secure qualification. Brazil managed to score a consolation goal through Greise Kelly in the 89th minute, but the late effort was not enough to change the outcome of the match.

Speaking to FIFA after the game, Joseph described reaching the final as a special privilege and praised herself and her teammates for achieving something historic for Nigerian football. She also explained that the team’s success carried a bigger meaning beyond the country.

The forward said she was extremely happy with the achievement and proud of the work the players had put in throughout the competition. She added that the Flamingos were playing with the responsibility of representing Africa as a whole, rather than Nigeria alone.

Born on November 24, 2009, Joseph is a product of Fosla Academy in Nigeria. She has continued to establish herself as one of the promising attacking players in the Flamingos squad, and her contribution against Brazil further highlighted her importance to the team.

Following their impressive semi-final performance, Nigeria will now face Japan in the final. The Flamingos will be hoping to maintain their form and become the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The final also presents Nigeria with an opportunity to complete a memorable campaign by securing its first title in the competition and creating another important moment for women’s football in Africa.