Harmony Chidi, 17, captain of the Flamingos who were crowned U17 world champions in Morocco, has spoken about her mother’s refusal, the loss of her father and grandmother, a serious injury and being abandoned by her friends.
Nigeria has its first women’s U17 world title. In Morocco, the Flamingos beat Japan 2-1 in the final, led by their captain Harmony Chidi, 17, a forward for Bayelsa Queens. A triumph that crowns a personal journey strewn with obstacles for the young player, as she told BBC Pidgin, Naija News and the Tribune.
Behind the trophy lies the story of a teenager who faced her mother’s refusal, the death of her father and then of her grandmother, and a serious injury that almost ended her career.
A mother’s refusal, a grandmother’s support
Football was not always Harmony Chidi’s ally. “When I started playing football, my mother didn’t want me to play. My father died early, so my mother wanted me to get married. It was my grandmother who supported me and pushed me to play football. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away,” she told BBC Pidgin, translated from English.
On top of that family opposition came the loss of her father, and then of her grandmother, who had supported her. She could also count on her adoptive father Prince Chidi, owner of her formative club Imo Strikers. According to Naija News, she credits him with keeping her on the professional path. Harmony Chidi now plays for Bayelsa Queens, on loan from Imo Strikers Queens.
An injury that almost ended everything
Before lifting the trophy in Morocco, Harmony Chidi went through an even more painful ordeal. A serious injury had almost ended her career and had kept her out of the previous U17 World Cup. “Nothing has been harder than my injury. It’s an injury that has killed the dream of many players in Nigeria. All my friends abandoned me and it was hard,” she told Naija News, translated from English.
But the young forward returned to the pitch and to the Flamingos captain’s armband. Nigeria then beat Japan 2-1 in the final to claim the first women’s U17 world title in their history.
A triumph and ambition for what comes next
The title in Morocco puts Harmony Chidi in the spotlight. At 17, the Flamingos captain already has big ambitions. “My dream is to be bigger than Asisat Oshoala,” she told the Tribune, translated from English. A reference to the former African Ballon d’Or winner of the Super Falcons.