Nigeria’s rising football star Harmony Chidi has revealed her ambition to surpass Super Falcons legend Asisat Oshoala, insisting that she wants to achieve even greater things in women’s football after leading the Flamingos to a historic FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup triumph.
The young striker made the declaration while speaking about her football ambitions, identifying Oshoala as one of the players who inspire her as she continues to develop her career.
“My dream is to be greater than Asisat Oshoala,” Chidi declared.
Her ambition comes after Nigeria’s remarkable achievement at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where the Flamingos became the first African nation to win the competition and the first African country to claim a FIFA women’s world title at any level.
The Nigerian youngsters defeated Japan 2-1 in the final at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Rabat, with Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku finding the net to secure the historic victory.
For Chidi, however, the journey to becoming one of Nigeria’s most promising young footballers has not been without personal sacrifices and difficult experiences.
The Flamingos captain disclosed that her decision to pursue football was initially opposed by her mother, who wanted her to get married rather than build a career in the sport.
She explained that her grandmother was the only family member who consistently encouraged her to follow her football ambitions despite the resistance she encountered at home.
“When I started football, my mama didn’t allow me play, she didn’t want me playing football, she wanted me to get married. Only my grandma encouraged me and now my grandma is no more, it’s just me and my mum now,” she revealed.
Chidi’s account highlights some of the challenges young female footballers face while trying to establish themselves in a sport where family support can play an important role in their development.
Sadly, the grandmother who stood behind her ambition is no longer alive, making her early encouragement an important part of the young captain’s story.
The 17-year-old also identified injuries as the most difficult experience she has faced in her football journey, revealing that some of her friends abandoned her during periods when she was struggling with fitness problems.
“Nothing hard me pass injury, all my friends leave me, nobody wan associate with me,” she said.
Despite those setbacks, Chidi has continued to pursue her ambitions and has now emerged as one of the young faces of Nigeria’s historic World Cup-winning generation.
Interestingly, Oshoala is not the only established footballer who has influenced her ambitions. The Flamingos captain also mentioned Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, England captain Harry Kane and Barcelona winger Raphinha among the players she admires.
However, her desire to surpass Oshoala carries particular significance given the Super Falcons forward’s remarkable achievements in Nigerian and international football.
Oshoala has won six African Women’s Player of the Year awards and enjoyed a successful club career, including winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League with Barcelona. She has also represented Nigeria at multiple major international tournaments, establishing herself as one of Africa’s most accomplished female footballers.
For Chidi, matching and eventually exceeding those achievements will require years of consistent performances, development and success at the highest level.
Her World Cup triumph represents an important beginning, but the young captain appears determined not to allow the historic achievement to become the peak of her career.
The Flamingos previously struggled to get past the quarter-final stage of the competition, with their best result before the 2026 edition being a third-place finish in 2022.
Their victory over Japan has now given Nigeria a new place in the history of women’s football, while providing a platform for players such as Chidi to pursue bigger opportunities.
With her ambition firmly established, the Flamingos captain will now be hoping to translate her impressive youth-level performances into a successful senior career and eventually earn opportunities with the Super Falcons.
Surpassing Oshoala remains a demanding target, but Chidi’s determination reflects the growing confidence among Nigeria’s emerging generation of female footballers.
