AS Roma star heartbroken over World Cup miss, vows Nigeria will bounce back

Nigeria forward Rinsola Babajide has admitted she is “heartbroken” after Nigeria missed out on a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but insists the setback will only strengthen the team’s resolve to bounce back.

Babajide, who featured for Nigeria at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, expressed her disappointment following the Super Falcons’ failure to secure a direct qualification spot for the global showpiece in Brazil.

The forward described missing the World Cup as a particularly painful setback while reflecting with gratitude on the opportunity to represent her country at another continental championship.

“Heartbroken to say the least. It really hurts to miss out on a World Cup spot but grateful for the opportunity to represent my country at yet another WAFCON. Unfortunately, it didn’t go the way we’d have liked it to have gone,” Babajide wrote.

Despite the disappointment, the experienced forward struck a defiant tone, insisting Nigeria’s football culture demands a response whenever the country suffers a setback.

“We might be down right now but we’ll definitely bounce back, the only way we know how to, the Naija way!” she added.

Babajide said the Super Falcons must now put the disappointment into perspective, identify the lessons from their campaign and immediately shift their attention to the next major assignment.

“Time to reset, reflect and work ahead towards the Olympic qualifiers,” she said.

Her comments come as Nigeria confronts a major disappointment in its women’s football history, having failed to secure a place at the next Women’s World Cup despite entering the WAFCON as defending champions.

The AS Roma forward also reserved special appreciation for the supporters who remained behind the team throughout the tournament, acknowledging the backing they received both inside the stadium and from home.

“Thank you to everyone who supported us both in the stands and from home through it all. The journey has been real.”

For Babajide and the Super Falcons, the challenge now is to turn the frustration of Morocco into renewed motivation as Nigeria looks ahead to the Olympic qualifying campaign and the broader rebuilding of a team seeking to reclaim its place among the world’s elite.