‘The pride and achievement that I felt’ - PSG star opens up on winning WAFCON with Nigeria

Paris Saint-Germain Féminine star Jennifer Onyinyechi Echegini has reflected on the overwhelming emotions of helping the Nigeria women's national football team clinch a record 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.

Seven months after their dramatic triumph over hosts Morocco women's national football team in Rabat, the 24-year-old midfielder admits the achievement still feels surreal.

Speaking in a recent interview, Echegini said, “Winning the WAFCON is on another level. The pride and the achievement that I felt … when you’re playing with a group of girls that you love and care for, it makes it even more special.”

Nigeria’s path to glory was anything but straightforward. The Super Falcons trailed 2-0 at half-time in the final before staging a remarkable 3-2 comeback to stun the home crowd.

Echegini recalled the mindset shift at the break: “It’s all or nothing … you either give everything and maybe get something out of it, or you don’t fight, and you then look back, wishing you had. We just went out with that mindset and gave everything.”

The resilience and belief shown in Rabat cemented the team’s place in history and underlined Nigeria’s dominance on the continent.

While the victory itself was unforgettable, Echegini revealed the celebrations back home left an even deeper mark.

The squad were hosted at Aso Rock in Abuja and promised financial rewards and houses for their achievement.

“I already knew Nigerians do things big, but when you experience it, it’s on another level,” she said. “It just shows, as a nation, how supportive everybody is.”

Born in Nijmegen and raised in England and the United States, Echegini described each return to Nigeria as a learning experience, one made even sweeter by lifting Africa’s biggest prize.