Retaining WAFCON trophy difficult but possible – Nnadozie News

Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie speaks on Nigeria’s WAFCON 2026 challenge, Zambia rematch, title defence pressure and her African best awards, as the defending champions chase qualification globally again in this interview with SUPER FALCONS SHOW

How do you assess Super Falcon’s Group C in the upcoming WAFCON 2026, especially coming up against Zambia again after that big win last edition?

Having Zambia in our group for the 2026 WAFCON is not going to be an easy one. The last time we faced them at the WAFCON, we won, but it was not an easy win. It was not a very difficult one for us either, but at the end of the day we were able to scale through. I am sure they will want to come back and fight. Zambia is indeed a great nation.

They have a very good team with quality players. They have a lot of good strikers and good defenders. Generally, they are a strong team with good players. But we also have good players in our team. We are very young, talented, vibrant, sharp and ready to fight. It is not going to be easy, but we are looking forward to the game.

Of course, we are doing everything we can to make sure we go there with a focused mind and fight as much as we can to come out of the group.

It is not going to be easy to retain the trophy, but there are possibilities. There is a lot of possibility if we go there, stay focused, stick to the plan, listen to the coaches and do what they want us to do on the pitch. It is going to take a whole lot for us to retain the trophy. It is not going to be easy.

No nation would want to sit back and watch us grab the trophy again. It will not be easy, but it is one step at a time and one game at a time. We will go there, stay focused, train hard, work hard, stay disciplined and keep believing in mission ten. Honestly, a shout-out to all the teams, because no team is a push-over.

Every team coming to the world cup is a very good team. They deserve to be there and that is why they are there. We will respect all our opponents, respect every team coming to the world cup, respect the game most especially and do what we can to retain our trophy, because it is ours.

You’ve been named best goalkeeper consecutively in Africa, how does that personal success shape your preparation for this tournament?

Being named the African best goalkeeper for the third time in a row means a lot to me. It means a lot to my family, my fans and to Nigerians. It also means a lot to me personally because without everyone’s support, this would not have been possible. A big shout-out to my teammates, both at the club and international level. Thank you for everything.

I am so blessed to have you as my teammates. You have been amazing, and you have been doing really well. Let us keep working hard. I know it is an individual award, but at the end of the day, it came from a collective effort. I am nothing without my teammates and my coaches. I am nothing without you all.

Winning this award for the third time has sharpened me a lot, and I will keep working hard and doing my best. Not because I want to win the award again, but because I want to become a better person in life and a better goalkeeper in my career. I also want to be a good example to the younger ones growing up and show them that consistency is the key.

Nigeria head to WAFCON as the defending champions, how does that expectation impact your mindset before the group games, knowing that this edition is also World Cup qualifiers?

The 2026 WAFCON is not just a tournament; it is also a World Cup qualifier tournament. What I mean is that from this tournament, teams will qualify for the 2027 World Cup. So, it is not just an ordinary competition.

We have to go there and stay focused. Every team wants to be in the World Cup because it is the biggest tournament in the world. This edition is going to be tougher and harder than the last one. It is going to be huge because everybody wants to be there and every team is coming out to fight.

Just like I said earlier, it is one game at a time and one step at a time. We are not thinking too far ahead. We are thinking about now, about the next match and about tomorrow. I trust my girls.

How do you handle the pressure of being relied upon in crucial moments?

Talking about pressure, it is not easy to be under pressure, but it feels natural to me. I know how to stay calm, talk to myself, think things through and communicate with my teammates. When others are panicking, I stay calm, and the calmer I am, the clearer I see and think, the faster I play, and the better my reflexes are.

Staying calm under pressure is something I have worked on. It is something I have thought about and discussed with my coaches, teammates and friends. It is not easy to be under pressure, but it feels natural for me because I have worked really hard on that aspect to put myself at that level of calmness.