Asisat Oshoala Grateful to Have Played with Nkwocha, Dede, and Chikwelu, Says They Paved Way For Her

• In an interview with Arise News, the 30-year-old praised the veterans for laying the foundation for today’s generation of female footballers.

Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala has expressed gratitude for the chance to play alongside Nigerian football legends Perpetua Nkwocha, Precious Dede, and Rita Chikwelu before their retirement.

In an interview with Arise News, the 30-year-old praised the veterans for laying the foundation for today’s generation of female footballers.

Oshoala, who rose to fame at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup as the top scorer, has since won five CAF Women’s Player of the Year awards—more than any other African player, male or female.

“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.”