Why Japan Lost U-17 World Cup Final to Nigeria – Coach

Japan’s U-17 women’s team coach, Sadayoshi Shirai, has attributed his side’s 2-1 defeat to Nigeria’s Flamingos in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final to their inability to score early and to their opponents’ strength.

Shirai said Japan might have had a better opportunity to win the match if they had found the net before Nigeria. 

The Flamingos made history by becoming the first African team to win the competition, with goals from Oluebube Umejiaku and Awawu Bashiru securing the title. Fuki Ito scored Japan’s only goal late in the match.

Speaking after the final, Shirai acknowledged Nigeria’s quality and said his players had struggled to contain their opponents’ speed and strength, particularly when they broke through the Japanese defence.

He also praised his team for continuing to fight until the final whistle, urging the players to take pride in their performance and the inspiration they had provided throughout the tournament.

“First of all, I have to say that Nigeria were a very strong team. We understood their strengths, but there were moments when they managed to get in behind our defence. Even so, I think our players fought incredibly hard until the very end, doing everything they could to cope with Nigeria’s speed and physical power.

“I also believe that if we had managed to score earlier, we might have had a better chance of winning the match. I want them [Japan’s players] to be proud of themselves. The way they fought until the very end of this World Cup will have inspired many people, and I hope they can take confidence from that,” Shirai said.

Japan reached the final after defeating North Korea in the semi-finals, while Nigeria secured their place in the title match with a victory over Brazil.

The Flamingos went on to beat Japan 2-1 to claim their first U-17 Women’s World Cup crown.