The holder of the fastest goal in the history of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals, Tunisian star Maryam Houij, is preparing to enter the new edition of the tournament with great passion and both collective and individual ambitions. In her latest interview, Houij confirmed that her historic 2022 goal remains a talking point, especially in Tunisia, and is considered a “historic moment” in her career.
Houij expressed her eternal pride in wearing the Tunisian national team jersey, affirming that this childhood dream is renewed with every gathering, and that participating in continental tournaments and scoring goals represents a great honour that never loses its lustre.
Regarding her preparations, the Tunisian forward dedicated the last two months to ideal physical preparation, stressing that merely hearing the Tunisian national anthem is enough to ignite her eagerness to fight for her country. Despite her ambition to replicate her historic goal and retain the top scorer title – after netting six goals in four qualifying matches – her primary goal is collective: “for the national team to shine.”
Houij draws inspiration from Brazilian legend Marta Vieira da Silva, who embodies “a source of inspiration for everyone with her talent and longevity.” Houij looks forward to leading her national team against strong opponents such as Nigeria, Algeria, and Botswana, to contribute positively to the team’s collective performance and score goals to “highlight Tunisia’s image and promote women’s football.”
Her goal in the 2022 edition remains her fondest memory with the national team, and she hopes to experience a similar moment in this edition. Houij envisions an ideal scenario for the tournament: reaching the final, considering that the team possesses a cohesive group ready for this challenge, and affirming that only hard work and discipline turn dreams into reality, a message from her to “little Maryam Houij.”