Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala has expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to play alongside Nigerian women football legends Perpetua Nkwocha, Precious Dede, and Rita Chikwelu before their retirement from international football.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News, Oshoala reflected on how the trio, along with many other Super Falcons veterans, laid the foundation for the current generation of Nigerian female footballers.
“Right now, if you Google the players with the most goals in clubs, you’ll see names like Perpetua Nkwocha,” Oshoala said. “These are the people who paved the way for players like me to join the Super Falcons and enjoy the privileges we have today.”
She continued, “You have goalkeeper Precious Dede, Rita Chikwelu, and so many other Super Falcons greats. I was fortunate to share the pitch with some of them before they retired.”
Oshoala, now 30, rose to prominence at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she finished as the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals. That same year, she became the Super Falcons’ second-highest scorer at the 2014 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON), which Nigeria went on to win.
Her illustrious career includes five CAF Women’s Player of the Year awards—more than any other player, male or female.