We struggled with Falconets’ physicality, says England coach

England U-20 women's coach Lydia Bedford conceded her team's 3-0 loss to Nigeria at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland to the Falconets' aggressive and physical style of play. Nigeria's performance maintained their impressive progress in the tournament, securing a spot in the next round. Tosin Rafiu opened the scoring with a goal that could be considered for the Tournament's Best Goal, threading her way around the England defense before scoring past goalkeeper Katie Cox.

Nigeria's goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma then kept her team ahead with an impressive save from England forward Princess Ademiluyi, followed by another stop from Nigeria's Rachel Maltby, who pushed the ball onto the bar. Falconets defeated England 3-0 and advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals. Bedard acknowledged her side's difficulty in matching Nigeria's physicality and directness, stating that it was something they struggled to compete with at times.

Despite the disappointment of exiting at this stage, Bedford emphasized that the experience will be crucial for her team as they progress in their senior careers. They may aim for Brazil’s squad in 2026 or collaborate with her in the U-23s.