Madugu: Age No Bar as Super Falcons Eye WAFCON Defence

Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has addressed the growing debate around veteran players in the national squad, insisting that age is not the disqualifying factor that some critics have made it out to be. Speaking after the team’s preparations against Senegal this month, Madugu argued that women’s football has its own logic when it comes to experience and performance longevity.

“These players still have a lot to offer the younger ones,” Madugu said, pointing to the leadership and mentorship role that senior figures play within the squad environment. He also stressed that the transmission of knowledge from older players to emerging talents goes well beyond what happens on the pitch. “They teach them things that go beyond football,” he added, as reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng.

The comments came in the context of a broader public conversation about whether Nigeria’s reliance on established names leaves younger talents without enough opportunity. Madugu has pushed back on that framing, arguing that a well-managed squad thrives precisely when both generations are present together.

Women’s Football Is Different And Madugu Has A Point

The coach has made this argument before, and he has the results to back it up. Nigeria swept Senegal in a home double header in June, winning the first match 2-1 before putting on a dominant 3-0 performance in the second game. In that second win, emerging forward Joy Omewa scored twice on her way to her first international goals, while veteran striker Asisat Oshoala added a third late on. It was precisely the kind of blend Madugu has been defending a young player delivering, with an experienced one sealing the deal. Super Falcons supporters keen on backing the team at WAFCON can check the Bet9ja’s YOHAIG welcome bonus ahead of the tournament.

Madugu has pointed to global practice as further evidence. “When you look at the top countries in women’s football, you will find players above 30 and even close to 40 who are still important members of their national teams,” he noted after the Senegal series. The coach drew a deliberate contrast with the men’s game, where physical decline tends to come earlier, arguing that this comparison creates misconceptions about what age means for women players at the top level.

“In women’s football, players often improve with age and experience,” Madugu said. “Check most of the developed countries the more mature they are, the better for the country.” It is a position that resonates with what is seen in European women’s football, where players well into their thirties regularly play pivotal roles for club and country at the highest level.

The Squad Madugu Is Building Towards Morocco

For the Senegal friendlies, Madugu called up a 23 player squad that reflected exactly the blend he has been advocating. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade led the group, with Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal and Oshoala leading the attack. More experienced names including Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene and Francisca Ordega also earned recalls, while players such as Joy Omewa, Blessing Nkor and Kafayat Shittu were given chances to push for WAFCON places.

The 2026 WAFCON runs from July 25 to August 16 in Morocco, and Nigeria have been drawn in Group C alongside Egypt, Zambia and debutants Malawi. The stakes could hardly be higher the four semi finalists at the tournament qualify automatically for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, meaning a group stage exit would cost Nigeria their World Cup spot. Fans planning to follow the Falcons throughout the tournament can take advantage of how to claim your Bet9ja bonus before the group stages begin.

Madugu was candid about the scale of what lies ahead. “We have achieved what we have achieved. It has brought so much attention on the team, which has also made our job even more difficult,” he said. The Super Falcons arrive in Morocco as defending champions, having won WAFCON 2024, and Madugu acknowledged that opponents will study them far more closely this time around. His answer to that pressure is a squad with the depth, experience, and tactical flexibility to handle whatever comes.

Tactical Experiments and What Comes Next

The Senegal matches were not just about results. Madugu confirmed that his technical crew deliberately used the games to test different formations and systems, preparing the squad to be versatile in Morocco. “We are trying to add some strategies. You can see that the formation we used in the last game was different, while today’s formation was totally different,” he said. “We are trying many things to see how the girls respond to these changes.”

The coach also acknowledged that the team would have benefited from more preparatory matches before WAFCON, but said he and his staff would make the most of the time available. Nigeria’s preparations will continue with camp sessions before the squad travels to Morocco. For Madugu, the combination of experienced heads and hungry young players is not a compromise it is the plan. New Bet9ja users eager to follow every Super Falcons match in Morocco can sign up now to access competitive odds across all WAFCON group stage fixtures.