"I am very happy because we practiced enough and the coach emphasized the benefits of winning this game and this tournament as it will expose our talent, so what I can say is that I promise our fans we will continue to practice towards fulfilling our dreams of becoming good football players"

"We wish each other good luck, we discuss the preparation with our respective teams. It's nice to know that we will be several representatives of the same club in such an important competition. It strengthens the bonds, and we motivate each other to represent our countries and our colours well."

"I would tell her to believe in herself. The path is not easy, it is true, but it is worth it."

"Today, football can be a career, a real opportunity for emancipation."

"You shouldn't be afraid to show your talent, to fight for your dreams."

"There is a lot of potential among young girls in Tanzania. They need to know that if they work hard, they can succeed, help their families and make their country proud. Women's football is a way forward."

"I had a very good time in Spain but when I got a chance to go play in the Saudi league, I thought it was better to look at other challenges based on my goals."

"It was difficult initially to get used to the environment in Saudi Arabia, including the language, food and many things, but now I’m used to it and everything is going well, and I’m happy."

"Cristiano Ronaldo is my hero in the men’s game."

"Personally, I want to continue to play at a good level at all times and, ultimately, I want to become the best player in Africa and the world."

"I feel pressure but also happiness every time I play for my nation."

"We are very motivated. It has been a long time since Tanzania has participated in a women's AFCON finals, so the whole team – players and staff – is happy to be back. There is a real excitement at the idea of representing our country at this level."

"We are preparing seriously, with a lot of desire, and we are aware of the importance of this tournament for us, for our country, and for the development of women's football in Tanzania."

"I rely a lot on the advice of my coaches, whether at club or national level. They help me to progress, to stay focused on my goals. I'm also very attentive to my teammates, I learn from them. I think the main thing is to stay humble, to work hard every day, and to always keep in mind the collective goals."

"My personal success only counts if it helps the team move forward."

"It's little moments like that that that remain engraved. He's a world star, and to be able to cross paths in the same club is something inspiring."

"We respect our opponents, but we're not going to be satisfied with being there. We will fight, proudly represent our country and try to get results. We are ready to take up the challenge."

"It's a very special moment for me. It's the first time I'm going to participate in a senior AFCON, so I'm both excited and focused. I'm preparing seriously, physically and mentally. It's a big step in my career."

"I want to fight for my country, give the best of myself on the pitch and make the Tanzanian team proud. I'm really looking forward to this experience."

"First of all because it's an opportunity to play against the best players on the continent. But also because it is a showcase to show the development of women's football in Tanzania. Through this competition, we have the opportunity to make our country, our level, our ambitions known. It is also a way to prove that Tanzania has its place on the African stage, that our efforts to advance women's football are starting to bear fruit."

"That match was necessary for us. It gave us a chance to identify areas where we can improve and strengthen our game. We learned a lot — both from our successes and our mistakes — and we’ve been working day and night to address those things"

"We know it won’t be easy, but we are determined. This team is ready. We have faced adversity before, and we know how to rise above it.” She also extended a heartfelt plea to Tanzanians back home"

"Even though we’re far away, we need your support more than ever. We ask for your prayers, your encouragement and your belief in us. We are representing Tanzania on this stage and we promise to give everything we have"

"We leave here with the understanding of tournament football. How you start sets the pace for the rest of the tournament. Against Mali, we felt that we did everything that was possible to win but conceded a late goal"

"Against South Africa, we scored first and against Ghana, we came from behind to equalise but then conceded three more goals. We shall take the lessons. We are going back home to assess our performance and to plan for the future"

"For all of us that played at this WAFCON, this was our first time to feature at the tournament. We came here with the sole goal of going to the final, but we fell short. We did not fail because we leave here with so many lessons learnt"

"We feel that we represented our nation with honour. We gave everything that we could and at least out of the three games, we scored two goals and gained a point against the defending champions South Africa. That is something. Our plan is to come back to the WAFCON"

"We have worked incredibly hard and we know what’s at stake. Every player, coach and member of the technical bench is fully committed to ensuring we perform at our best"

"I was the first female swimmer in the country’s history."