Japan U-17 women’s national team coach Sadayoshi Shirai has explained why his side fell 2-1 to Nigeria’s Flamingos in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Nigeria made history as the first African nation to win the title, with goals from Awawu Bashiru (39’) and Oluebube Umejiaku (47’). Fuki Ito pulled one back late for Japan in the 80th minute, but it was not enough.
Speaking in his post-match interview (as reported by FIFA), Shirai was honest and respectful about the defeat:
“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.”
The Japanese coach pointed to two key factors:
- Nigeria’s pace and physical power, which repeatedly caused problems when the Flamingos broke in behind the defence.
- Japan’s failure to take the lead earlier when they had periods of pressure.
Despite the heartbreak of finishing as runners-up (their first final appearance since 2016), Shirai urged his players to hold their heads high after a strong tournament run that included a dramatic semi-final win over DPR Korea.
A classy response from the Japan coach after a hard-fought final. Congrats once again to the Flamingos on a historic triumph!
