Super Falcons midfielder Toni Payne has said Nigeria are targeting back-to-back Women’s Africa Cup of Nations titles in Morocco, insisting the country’s standing as the “Giants of Africa” comes with an expectation to defend the crown the team won two years ago, Saturday PUNCH reports.
The Inter Milan midfielder, who was part of the Nigeria squad that lifted the 2024 title, discussed the Super Falcons’ title defence, the significance of the tournament for African women’s football, and what winning another trophy would mean for the team, in an exclusive interview with FIFPRO.
She praised the calibre of talent emerging across the continent ahead of the competition.
“We know all of the amazing, talented women that have come out of Africa. It is amazing football to watch. I think in Africa we play such a distinct type of football. It will be an exciting one because it is for qualifying for the World Cup,” Payne said.
Speaking on Nigeria’s reputation in African football, Payne said the Super Falcons carried the weight of expectation into every tournament they entered.
“It is known that Nigeria has this reputation of being the Giants of Africa. Playing for the Super Falcons holds a lot of weight, and there is a bit of pressure that we win the WAFCON,” she added.
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Nigeria will face strong competition for the title in Morocco, with the hosts, South Africa, Ghana, Zambia and other qualified nations all expected to mount serious challenges.
The expanded tournament carries added significance this year, as it will also serve as part of Africa’s qualification process for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, raising the stakes for every team involved, including the defending champions.
The Super Falcons defeated hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2024 WAFCON to claim a record-extending tenth continental title, a triumph Payne described as especially meaningful because several members of the squad were experiencing their first WAFCON and first major trophy with the national team.
“Winning it for that tenth time with that team was such a huge accomplishment for us. A lot of us, that was our first tournament, our first WAFCON, our first trophy. It meant so much to everyone on the team,” she said.
With that history behind them, Payne and her teammates will be looking to go back-to-back and extend Nigeria’s dominance of the tournament when the competition begins in Morocco this weekend.
Nigeria arrive as defending and record ten-time African champions, and have been drawn in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt and Malawi. The Super Falcons open their title defence against Malawi on July 28 in Rabat, before completing their group-stage fixtures against Zambia and Egypt.
Peter, who has been covering sports for PUNCH for close to two years, focuses on combat sports reporting, special features and human angle stories
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Source: The Punch
