Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has revealed that Nigeria’s victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations began long before the referee blew the opening whistle.
Speaking in an interview with CAF, Madugu explained that the decisive battle was psychological rather than tactical, with belief and trust inside the squad laying the foundation for Nigeria’s triumph.
According to Madugu, the players never doubted their ability to overcome one of the tournament’s biggest challenges despite facing a packed stadium, intense home support and enormous pressure.
“From the beginning of the tournament we believed in ourselves, we believed in what we were doing and we trusted the players we took to the Nations Cup,” Madugu said.
The experienced tactician admitted the final was anything but straightforward.
Playing Morocco in front of thousands of passionate home supporters created an intimidating atmosphere, but he insisted the Super Falcons’ mental strength prevented the occasion from overwhelming the team.
“We kept faith, the players believed in us, they believed in what the team could do, and that trust was one of the reasons we succeeded,” he explained.
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Madugu noted that while football often focuses on tactics and technical quality, confidence and emotional control become even more important in championship matches where the margins between victory and defeat are extremely small.
The Nigerian coach said maintaining belief throughout difficult moments ensured the Super Falcons never abandoned their game plan, even when the pressure intensified.
That collective confidence had already been built before the team arrived in Morocco through careful preparation, trust between the coaching staff and players, and a dressing room culture where everyone shared responsibility for the team’s success.
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The final simply became the moment where those values were tested on the biggest stage in African women’s football.
Nigeria eventually reclaimed the continental title, extending the Super Falcons’ status as Africa’s most successful women’s national team and giving Madugu his first WAFCON trophy as head coach after previously winning the competition twice as an assistant coach.
