In the wake of an extraordinary comeback victory that saw the Super Falcons of Nigeria clinch their record-extending 10th Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title, team captain Rasheedat Ajibade has poured her heart out in gratitude and reflection. Her emotional words — “What God cannot do does not exist. We only told ourselves that there's nothing to lose.

We have to give everything and keep our hopes alive and believe” — have resonated far beyond the pitch, capturing the resilience, faith, and unity that carried the team through a grueling tournament.

Originally slated for 2024, this edition of WAFCON was postponed to 2025 due to the Paris Olympics, adding yet another layer of complexity to the competition.

Hosted across six venues in Morocco, the tournament was intense and unpredictable, but Nigeria, under the indomitable leadership of Ajibade, stood tall.

The final against Morocco was nothing short of cinematic — the Falcons trailed 2-0 at halftime in front of a roaring home crowd in Rabat. But in a display of heart and tactical brilliance, they turned the match around to win 3-2, a feat never before achieved in WAFCON final history.

Ajibade, donning the captain’s armband, was instrumental not just in the match but throughout the tournament. She galvanized a team that many thought had peaked in previous years, navigating through challenges that included a narrow quarter-final escape against South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, a team known for their physical dominance and recent tactical maturity. That match, decided by a last-minute winner, was a turning point, reinforcing Nigeria's never-say-die identity.

This 2025 victory is not just a trophy win — it’s a statement. The Super Falcons, long seen as Africa’s queens of the game, had seen their dominance questioned in recent years, especially with the rise of teams like Morocco and South Africa.

But Ajibade and her squad have reminded the continent that the crown still fits — snugly. Their blend of youthful energy, strategic patience, and spiritual resolve marked a new chapter in Nigeria’s football legacy.

The significance of this achievement is not lost on fans or football analysts. According to CAF data, Nigeria has now made it to the semi-finals in every WAFCON edition since its reformat in 1998, a staggering statistic that underscores their consistency at the top.

But this win, perhaps more than any other, highlighted the importance of mental strength. A 2023 study in the Journal of Sports Sciences noted that teams that demonstrate psychological resilience are 68% more likely to overturn halftime deficits in tournament finals — a truth that played out vividly in Rabat.

Now, as Nigeria basks in the afterglow of victory, all eyes turn to the future of African women’s football. And at the center of that conversation stands Rasheedat Ajibade — captain, playmaker, believer. A woman whose words, “what God cannot do does not exist,” will echo in locker rooms, schoolyards, and prayer grounds across Nigeria for years to come.

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