2026 U-17 WWC: Japan coach Shirai proud of players despite defeat to Flamingos
The Little Nadeshiko of Japan lost to Nigeria’s Flamingos at the Mohammed VI Football Complex Pitch 3 in Rabat on Saturday night, marking Nigeria’s first title in the tournament’s history.
Japan began the match with a strong performance but struggled to match the pace, physicality, and offensive threats posed by their Nigerian counterparts, who gradually asserted control over the game.
Despite the challenges, Nigeria’s team held firm to secure a historic victory and lift the trophy for the first time.
Following the match, Japan’s coach, Shirai, praised Nigeria’s strengths while expressing pride in his players’ efforts.
“First of all, I have to say that Nigeria was a very strong team,” Shirai said. “We understood their strengths, but there were moments when they managed to get in behind our defense. 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,” he added in comments to FIFA.
