What a spectacle! Nigeria secured the title at the Under-17 World Cup on Friday in the United Arab Emirates, further proving their dominance in the tournament. Building on their previous 6-1 victory against the same team in the group stage, the Golden Eagles showcased their prowess from the outset, with Aguirre opening the scoring in the 10th minute through an own goal following a threat from Yahaya.
Despite a 1-0 halftime score, Nigeria could have further widened the gap if Yahaya hadn’t hit the crossbar, and Ihéanacho had been more clinical. Towards the end of the first half, the Mexicans showed promise, but goalkeeper Dele Alampasu maintained composure and reassured his coach Manu Garba and the entire team.
In the second half, Nigeria continued to exert pressure. They extended their lead to 2-0 in the 60th minute, courtesy of Kelechi Iheanacho, one of the standout players of the tournament, scoring his sixth goal and setting a new record for goals in a U17 World Cup for a team. This landmark goal surpassed Germany’s record in the 2011 U17 World Cup, bringing Nigeria’s total goals scored to 25.
The icing on the cake came from the brave captain, Musa Muhammed, who sealed Nigeria’s victory with a magnificent free-kick. The final score was 3-0, securing a fourth world title for the West Africans and establishing them as the sole record-holders, surpassing Brazil’s three titles.
In an earlier match, Sweden clinched the bronze medal by defeating Argentina 4-1.
