'It really hurts to miss out’ - Rinsola Babajide's statement after Super Falcons' World Cup dream ends

Nigeria's hopes were dashed following a 2-1 loss to South Africa's Banyana Banyana on Thursday night at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca. 

This defeat came after the team had already missed a direct qualification route through the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

The loss to South Africa in the inter-confederation play-offs officially ended their campaign to reach the tournament in Brazil.

Despite the setback, the former England youth international, who switched allegiance to Nigeria, remains optimistic about the team's future. 

She urged her teammates to use the experience as motivation. In a statement posted on social media, Babajide shared her feelings about the outcome.

"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 of liked it to have gone," she wrote.

"We might be down right now, but we’ll definitely bounce back, the only way we know how to, the Naija way! Time to reset, reflect & work ahead towards the Olympic qualifiers. 

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