Zambia U17 Women’s National Team utility player Natasha Nkaka has revealed that she wants to play well at the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup especially against Japan in honor of her late father.
The Copper Princesses will face Japan in their second group game at the Football Academy Mohammed VI (Pitch 3) on 25th October the day Nkaka lost her father.
The Green Eagles midfielder cum defender says the team are setting their sights on the trophy itself as they have come very far to qualify for the global showpiece.
“I am very much ready for the games. I want to make my country proud. I want to score against Japan because that day my father died on the 25th of October. I really want to make sure that I play very well and we are going to win as a team. We want to win all the games and go back with the trophy at home,” Nkaka told the ZamFoot Crew.
Meanwhile skipper Mercy Chipasula says the team is very ready for the tournament and prepared to play their games even if they were brought forward to today.
Prior to the World Cup the Copper Princesses will face Cameroon, Canada and Colombia on 09, 12 and 14 October, 2025 in behind closed door international friendly matches.
“The training was okay, we are all pushing. We have been working on our shooting and the mistakes we made at the last World Cup,” she said.
“We are ready to work hard for the country. We are ready to face Paraguay. We just have to work hard and put God first. Me and my teammates are ready even today if you bring a game we can play. We want to win our first game.”
Zambia will play their opening match on 19 October against Paraguay at the Football Academy Mohammed VI (Pitch 3) in Sale before facing Japan three days later at the same venue.
Their final game will be against New Zealand at the Football Academy Mohammed VI (Pitch 2).
The top two teams in each group will qualify to the knockout stages of the tournament.
