Nigeria’s triumphant U-17 women’s team captain, Harmony Chidi, has opened up about the family challenges she faced while pursuing her dream of becoming a professional footballer, revealing that her mother initially wanted her to get married rather than play the sport.
The 17-year-old, who led the Flamingos to a historic victory at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, said the death of her father at an early age influenced her mother’s position. However, her grandmother and foster father refused to let her ambition fade.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Pidgin, Chidi recalled that her mother was against her decision to play football when she first started. She said her grandmother became her strongest supporter and encouraged her to keep going despite the family’s initial resistance.
“When I started football, my mother didn’t want me to play. My father died early, so my mother wanted me to get married. It was my grandmother who stood by me and pushed me to play football. Unfortunately, my grandmother is late,” she said.
Chidi also acknowledged the important role played by her foster father, Prince Chidi, who owns her grassroots team, Imo Strikers. According to her, he provided the encouragement and support she needed to remain focused on her ambition.
“It wasn’t easy until I met my foster father, Prince Chidi. He is the owner of my grassroots team, Imo Strikers, and he encourages me, making sure that I achieve my dream,” she added.
The Bayelsa Queens striker also spoke about a serious injury that nearly brought her football journey to an end. The setback prevented her from taking part in the previous edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and became one of the most difficult experiences of her young career.
She described the period as particularly painful, saying some friends who had been close to her withdrew their support while she struggled to recover. At one point, she even considered pursuing a different path.
“There is nothing that has been more difficult than my injury. It is an injury that has killed the dream of many players in Nigeria. All my friends deserted me and it was tough. I even thought of an alternative plan,” she recalled.
Despite the challenges, Chidi recovered, returned to the pitch and went on to lead Nigeria to its historic achievement in Morocco. The Flamingos defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final, becoming the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Having reached such a major milestone at just 17, the young captain says she is not satisfied with what she has achieved so far. She hopes to build an even bigger career and has named several football stars who inspire her.
Among the players she admires are Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Raphinha and Nigerian women’s football star Asisat Oshoala.
“I have like five players that I want to be like: Victor Osimhen, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Raphinha and Asisat Oshoala. I want to be greater than them,” she said.
