The Flamingos forward scored the decisive goal as Nigeria secured a historic 2-1 victory over Japan at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, to lift their first-ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy.
Umejiaku struck two minutes into the second half, finishing a move initiated by Esther Stephen to give Nigeria a 2-0 advantage after Awawu Bashiru had opened the scoring in the 39th minute.
Japan reduced the deficit through Fuki Ito in the 80th minute, but Nigeria held on to claim the title.
Her winning goal was her fourth of the tournament and proved crucial in delivering Nigeria’s historic triumph. FIFA subsequently confirmed her as the official Player of the Match for the final.
Umejiaku also wins Golden Ball
The individual recognition in the final was part of an outstanding tournament for the Nigerian forward, who also received the adidas Golden Ball as the competition’s best player.
Umejiaku’s performances helped Nigeria recover from their opening 2-1 defeat to Poland and embark on a remarkable winning run that culminated in the world title.
Speaking to FIFA after the final, she expressed her happiness at becoming a world champion and reflected on her determination to make an impact after initially starting the tournament on the bench.
Her rise to prominence became one of the major stories of Nigeria’s campaign, as she delivered important goals at crucial stages of the competition.
Nigeria make history in Morocco
The victory over Japan made Nigeria the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and the first African women's national team to claim a FIFA world title at any level.
It was also a landmark achievement for Nigerian football, with the country becoming the first African nation to win both the men's and women's editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Umejiaku’s Player of the Match award and Golden Ball recognition further underlined her importance to the Flamingos’ historic success.
Nigeria will return home as world champions, with Umejiaku emerging as one of the standout young players of the tournament.