“I Was Thinking About My Mother” — Flamingos Star Umejiaku Reflects On World Cup Triumph, Presidential Reward

Nigeria U-17 star Oluebube Umejiaku has disclosed that her mother was the very first person on her mind following the Flamingos’ historic 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup triumph and President Bola Tinubu’s financial reward to the victorious team.

Umejiaku made this known during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, where she also revealed that the adidas Golden Ball she claimed in Morocco is the first individual trophy of her life.

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“I feel very excited, and I give God all the glory because every day, I pray for it. That was my first award in life,” she said.

Reflecting on the squad’s reception at the State House, where First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu hosted the players on behalf of the President, Umejiaku described the occasion as a proud moment for the team.

“It was a great honour because everybody wanted to meet the President. We were very happy; we wanted to meet the President,” she noted. “When we got there, the President was not around; we were happy to meet the First Lady.”

Asked what immediately crossed her mind when the President announced the cash reward for the champions, the forward offered a candid response: “I was thinking about my mother; normally, I know that I don’t have access to the money.”

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Looking ahead to the next phase of her career, Umejiaku stated her ambition to invest in her future, graduate to the senior national team, and secure a move abroad.

“By the special grace of God, I will like to see myself play for the Super Falcons and play for international clubs,” the striker said. “I will like to go far in life.”

Austin Akhilomen is a passionate sports content writer with a strong interest in football. He is a fan of the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chelsea, and he enjoys following the teams, players, and competitions that make the sport exciting. Austin writes sports news, match reports, and football content to keep readers informed about the latest developments in the sporting world. His passion for sports also drives his aim to promote the game and connect football fans across the globe. Through his work with Complete Sports, Austin shares engaging sports content with readers and brings his love for football into every story he writes.