"I had no option because I knew that as a striker I should always be present in the box if my team mate is ahead of me because I need to create support options for them and be available."

"Football is a team sport, and our results come from hard work and dedication."

"She does not speak English and I don't speak French, but somehow we communicate. We just understand each other. So we just brought that connection from outside the pitch onto the pitch because we are both forwards and we need each other."

"I want to make a career progress by taking my football skills abroad."

"I love my new role because I want my name to be synonymous with goal scoring in the elite women’s league."

"In the quarterfinal, I didn't do my arrow celebration because that day was just for my dad. I just wanted to dedicate that day for him."

"Every day is for him too, but that day was just like, this one is special because I was just coming back from his funeral and I just wanted everything to be about him."

"I always try to mentor young players with the little knowledge I have. I talk to them during training and matches. I think they appreciate it—it’s up to them to use what I tell them."

"Growing up in northern Nigeria is not that easy because they don’t believe that a girl child should play football. From my family, my parents were supportive, but my brothers didn’t want me to play. I was stubborn and didn’t listen."

"I always try to give my best and adapt to whatever pattern the coaches bring. With the experience I have, I try to help the younger players settle and excel."

"Sometimes I would sneak out to play with boys and they would beat me when I returned. Eventually, they gave up and started supporting me."

"I try to promote grassroots football in the North. I’m getting support from the state government, and it’s helping young girls who want to play professionally and pursue their dreams."

"Every coach has their style."

"This is why I say I love challenges, because when I see someone ahead of me, that is what I want, because then I tend to push myself to meet up and to pass."

"I grew up in the midst of men six boys and two girls, and all my play mates were boys, everything about my growing was with boys, always playing street football with them."

"For me it was tears of joy and also it was a feeling of me wanting this platform for so long, wanting this for so long and then the special person I wanted to be there was not there."

"I want to do this by working hard and staying focused. I believe everything happens in its time and season, and I know my time will come."

"I will tell them to never stop believing in their dreams. Keep working hard and keep praying, because you never know when your breakthrough will come."

"Winning the WAFCON is definitely the biggest moment of my career so far. In the final against Morocco, we came from behind to win 3-2. I cried after the match because I never thought I would reach that stage. That was the happiest moment of my career."

"But I kept working hard and praying, and by God’s grace, my dream came true."

"It’s a gradual process, but women’s football in Nigeria is growing very fast. With time, we won’t just dominate Africa but will compete with the best teams in the world. Many players abroad came through the Nigerian league, and that shows how strong our foundation is."

"We are back as the giant of Africa."

"I was very happy. For me, it was progress and a big milestone. Seeing myself in the national team was a dream come true. I think that’s every athlete’s dream — to represent their country. Although I was on the bench, I was very happy to be a part of the squad."

"It takes a lot of determination to be at this level, and it takes a lot of self-belief because I always believe that I am a born champion."

"But when I see that I am the same as others, there is nobody chasing me to go ahead of whatever standard I am. So right now, I am doubling my work because I have teammates that push me."

"Personally, I love competition."

"My mum was against my profession from the early stages, she said I won't give birth when I continue playing."

"Women Football in Ghana don't pay."

"My dad wa in support of what I was doing when I started from my early stages."

"The women's game is changing and football is growing so everyboy is putting in everything to get there."

"My aim is to play for Chelsea Ladies. I want to win the Women's Champions League with Chelsea Ladies."

"Unfortunately, things didn’t go well as we planned in this tournament. We really fought hard to reach the goal but we couldn’t, but it's also part of the game."

"We urge our fans to remain calm and supportive. We know they've been waiting for a win, and we're working hard to make that happen."

"We didn’t start the tournament so well. But we held on and stayed faithful. We achieved what we wanted."

"As a professional, you need to be ready for whatever happens in a game, so I was ready to step up for Ghana."

"We're confident in our abilities and believe we have an advantage over Morocco. They might be relying on outdated information about our playing style, which could work in our favor. We're ready to take them by surprise and make the most of this opportunity."

"The journey was not easy, but God being so good, we achieved our target."

"I love to fight for something great, I love to compete because then when I win, I am so proud of myself."

"Everybody knows my commitment and when you don’t see results, it’s discouraging."

"For women, when we are out of activity for a long time, we start bloating and that is exactly what is happening now."

"In as much as we are crying or asking for gender equality, how you sell yourself is the same amount they are going to buy you. The way we dress, the way we mingle with people how we present ourselves in the midst of people, how we even talk, how we do things. If you package yourself well, your prices will go high."

"I believe that everything starts at training, as coaches we make sure we apply good tactics, so that when we face-off with tough oppositions we can have players follow the game plan."

"At the end of the day, it comes down to the application of one’s self in whatever he or she is doing. Again, I am very thrilled at the prospect of making more history as a woman."

"I am very proud of how far I have come and I am hoping to inspire more women in football and across other disciplines they find themselves in."

"It was a dream come true. In a way, I have been preparing for that moment because I've always wanted to be a coach."

"I am proof that gender cannot prevent one from becoming what they want to be."

"I remember just admiring her from afar but when we started speaking, I knew this is someone I’m going to have in my life for a long time."

"All I can say - is that we have players who are always willing to take instructions - they make our job easy and we are very proud of their achievements this season."