Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu led the football-mad nation in celebrating the women's squad after a stunning comeback to win a record-extending Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The 3-2 victory against hosts Morocco in Rabat confirmed the west Africans as the queens of women's football in Africa as they pulled off a 10th title in 13 editions.
Tinubu said the team's 鈥榮pectacular performance... exemplifies the determination that defines the Nigerian spirit鈥�.
The Super Falcons staged a remarkable comeback from being two goals down to beat Morocco on Saturday night.
鈥榊ou have lifted our spirits. You are a pride to your generation,鈥� Tinubu told the team in a post-match video call.
鈥榊ou have achieved the mission the nation dreamed of and prayed for. Nigeria celebrates you.鈥�
Dubbed Mission X, the WAFCON title was a tonic for many Nigerians enduring the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation as the government carries out reforms.
Muhammad Awwal, a taxi driver who relocated to the northern city of Kano to escape the violence of Borno state, the epicentre of the jihadist insurgency, hailed the Falcons for helping Nigerians to 鈥榤omentarily forget our common problems鈥�.
鈥楨verywhere people erupted in celebration after the final whistle. All our problems were drowned in the frenzy of celebration of the spectacular win,鈥� Awwal told AFP.
鈥楲ast night all the problems tormenting us - the high cost of living, banditry and Boko Haram violence - disappeared.
鈥業t was a great relief, thanks to the Falcons,鈥� he said.
Abuja housewife Comfort Zamani, agreed: 鈥楲ife has not been easy, but at least the girls helped us to forget the hardships even if for only a few hours,鈥� she told AFP.
鈥楾hey have given us some hope that we should keep fighting and not give up even when things are rough.鈥�
In the densely-populated neigbourhoods of Dako, Kabusa and Galadimawa of the Nigerian capital Abuja, loud cheers tore through the late night to celebrate Nigeria's two comeback goals.
But the loudest cheers were heard when substitute Jennifer Echegini swept home a free kick with only two minutes left on the clock for the championship-winning goal, and then at full time.
Sunday newspaper carried front page headlines such as 鈥楿nstoppable Falcons win 10th WAFCON from two goals down鈥� and 鈥楽uper Falcons rule Africa again鈥�.
Chairman of the country's supporters club Vincent Okumagba further congratulated the players 鈥榝or accomplishing 'Mission X'鈥� and for for 鈥榥ot giving up when they were down鈥�.
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