Ghana Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren has conceded that Nigeria still stand as the dominant force in African women’s football — but believes Ghana are fast closing the gap.
The Swede’s remarks come on the back of Ghana’s back-to-back qualifications for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and their bronze medal finish at the 2024 edition, which marked a strong resurgence for the Queens.
“I think we are close,” Bjorkegren told Joy Sports. “Maybe today we need to accept that Nigeria is the number one team in Africa in women’s football. They won the previous WAFCON, so until the next one, they remain the champions.”
The Black Queens faced the Super Falcons in a friendly earlier this year, losing 3-1, but Bjorkegren believes the scoreline did not fully reflect the balance of play.
“I actually felt that we were the better team at the start,” he said. “They had the quality to score the goals, and because of that, they always stay in the game. Otherwise, I think we are very close to them. But for now, they are the favorites.”
The Super Falcons remain record WAFCON champions with ten titles, but under Bjorkegren, Ghana’s recent form has reignited hopes of a genuine rivalry for African supremacy.
