One minute and 21 seconds. That is how long it took Shakirat Moshood to get noticed at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic 2024™. The young striker became the tournament’s first goalscorer when Nigeria opened their campaign against New Zealand. The 16-year-old’s finesse and goal-scoring instinct were clear to see from the outset of the competition. The Flamingos would follow up their early goal with a 4-1 victory.
Moshood went from strength to strength in the Caribbean. She bagged a brace in the 4-0 victory against Ecuador and scored the winner in a 1-0 final against the Dominican Republic, putting the icing on the cake of a performance that even a heartbreaking quarter-final 2-0 defeat to the USA could not sour. As the tournament drew to a close, the general buzz around the young girl from Ibadan in Oyo State was overwhelmingly positive. Everyone knew that sooner or later, she would be back in the spotlight.
With the U-17 Women’s World Cup taking place every year, the Nigerian starlet’s return to the international stage is just around the corner. Having turned 17 on 4 January, Moshood is still eligible to compete in the tournament and will be lining up at Morocco 2025 hungry for success. “Playing in this competition again means a lot to me,” the talented youngster told FIFA in an exclusive interview. “Since I played that first World Cup, I’m moving forward and working on myself. At my second World Cup, I know I’ll achieve great things again.”
Just what can we expect from the player who departed the Caribbean with four goals to her name – one short of Spain’s Pau Comendador, who won the adidas Golden Boot? If her current form is anything to go by, she looks set to shine once again. “I’m still playing in the same club as last year, Bayelsa Queens,” said Moshood. “I’ve made progress. We played in WAFU Zone B (CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers), and I was the top goalscorer in the group. I’m working on scoring more goals and on how good my goals are.”
While far from shy last year, as her opener against New Zealand demonstrated, Moshood was not in the limelight as she is today. Coach Bankole Olowookere believes Moshood can lead her team-mates to great heights and was quick to hand her the captain’s armband. “I’m different from last year,” added the striker. “I played at a World Cup last year. Now, I use this experience to try to encourage my fellow players, by saying to them that they should work hard after training. They should do their personal training away from the team so they can keep fit.”
A clear contender for the adidas Golden Boot, “Shaki”, as she is known, does not pull any punches when asked about her personal goals. “I’m going to Morocco and I want to score more than four goals,” she declared. As for Nigeria’s team objectives, the Flamingos captain is once again dreaming big. “I want to lift the trophy. I want to make Nigeria proud. We have enough quality. Our playing style is to use the width of the pitch. We know when to shoot, to pass and to dribble. With all this, and the coach’s advice, I believe we’re going to lift the trophy.
Moshood is determined not only to shine in Morocco, but also to build on an already promising career, and she has a clear vision of what she wants to achieve. Two years from now, Nigeria stand a good chance of qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027™, and the young striker has every reason to believe in her chances of being part of the squad, despite not yet having made her debut at either U-20 or senior level.
“Yes, I think it’s possible [to play in the 2027 Women’s World Cup], but my game will speak for itself,” said Moshood.
A successful showing at a second U-17 Women’s World Cup would certainly give the young Nigerian a real springboard for the great international adventure that lies ahead.
