Every match was a final for us – Cameroon coach Valentine Nguele after WAFCON triumph

Cameroon coach Valentine Nguele insists his outfit determination to win every single game was crucial to their 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations success in Morocco.

The Indomitable Lioness cruised to a resounding 3-0 win over Malawi to secure the prestigious title on Sunday.

According to Nguele, the Indomitable Lionesses approached the tournament with a clear mentality, taking each game as it came while remaining focused on their ultimate objective.

“Every match was a final for us. They proved they could go the distance over six matches, six finals,” Nguele said.

The Cameroonian coach believes the team’s success was built on months of hard work, with a youth development programme forming an important part of their preparation.

“We set up a youth programme. We identified the right players and the girls were willing to work hard. We came here to this tournament to show what we could do,” he explained.

Nguele also praised his players for maintaining their humility throughout the competition despite their positive results.

“We had to take the matches one at a time and see how we would progress in this tournament, and above all remain humble, bearing in mind where we’d come from,” he added.

According to the coach, the squad’s togetherness was another major factor behind their campaign, with the players showing a willingness to endure difficult moments together.

“I believe it was all of this combined that created a close-knit group, right from the grassroots level. And the girls were also willing to endure the hardships over those two months, without giving up,” Nguele said.

For Nguele, Cameroon’s campaign was ultimately a product of preparation, discipline and collective sacrifice, with the players embracing the challenge of treating every game as a must-win encounter.