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10 Inspiring Facts About Asisat Oshoala’s Football Career

Though few people have been able to convince the world that Africans can play football, Africa as a continent may not be known for its football prowess. The most well-known male footballers are those like Drogba or Eto’o. You may not have known, though, that there are female players who are outstanding on the field. One of the remarkable female athletes who stunned the globe with her talent is Asisat Oshoala. She is a professional football player from Nigeria who competes for both the Nigeria women’s national team and the Spanish Liga F club FC Barcelona as a striker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest African female footballers of all time, she has 10 Inspiring Facts About her Football Career that will be discussed in this context. Let’s go through the facts together;

1. She is the first African woman to win the UEFA Champions League

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Asisat has helped Barcelona go to the semifinals three times in a row and to one final. She was the first African (and Nigerian) player to score in a UEFA Women’s Champions League final.

After Barcelona defeated Chelsea 4-0 in the championship match, Asisat became the first African woman to win the UEFA Champions League on May 16, 2021.

She made history by being the first African woman to win the Pichichi Trophy in the following season and to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or for the first time in August 2022.

2. Oshoala has won major awards with numerous Elite clubs

Asisat was one of the players that every team wanted to sign, just like the majority of the best players. She attracted interest from numerous elite clubs thanks to her strong footballing abilities.

She participated in the process by playing for numerous elite clubs, where she was able to add numerous honors and awards to her resume. Asisat has previously played for the Nigerian club’s Rivers Angels and FC Robo, the Chinese club Dailan, and the English clubs Arsenal and Liverpool. S

She won the 2015 FA Women’s Cup with Arsenal, two league titles, a cup, and the 2019–20 Copa de la Reina and 2019–20 Supercopa de Espana Femenina with Barcelona. She also won the 2015 FA Women’s Cup with Dalian. Africa may not have many female players to brag about, but she has given the go-ahead to others.

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3. Oshoala was made a Member of the Order of the Niger by the President 

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Work ethic always pays off and is always rewarded. Great players have been chosen for some of the highest roles, all with the intention of influencing and opening the minds of others, but always for the better.

Oshoala received the Order of the Niger designation in September 2014 from Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. She was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2021. She goes by the nickname “Gba Baller,” which in her native tongue translates to “Legendary Footballer.”

4. Oshoala helped Arsenal win the 2016 FA Women’s Cup Final

Oshoala joined Arsenal in March 2016. Asisat is a terrific talent and will be a great addition to our squad, according to Arsenal manager Pedro Losa, who also welcomed her to the club. She has demonstrated her ability to score goals and is speedy, so it’s great that she’s opted to join us.

On May 14, 2016, Oshoala assisted Arsenal in winning the FA Women’s Cup. The victory was the club’s 14th championship. During the 2016 campaign, Oshoala made 13 appearances for the team and registered two goals. On August 28, she scored the game-winning goal in a 2-0 victory over Notts County.

5. She is the first player from an African nation to compete in the top women’s league in England

We value the opportunity the most developed nations have given Africans to demonstrate their talent. How would we have recognized that Asisat had a wonderful skill if it weren’t for football? How would we have learned that Asisat can perform in football if it weren’t for the major clubs giving Africans chances? She was scouted for all the right reasons and never let anyone down.

Oshoala joined Liverpool on January 23, 2015, in the Women’s Super League of England. She was referred to as “one of the best young players in the world” by the club’s manager, Matt Beard. Although there were rumors that she was interested in other teams, she was thrilled to join Liverpool. She was the first African athlete to compete in the top women’s league in England.

6. She was awarded the league’s Golden Boot award in the Chinese League

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Moving from one league and end to another while outperforming all the other stars who have been sweeping the league is not an easy assignment for a player. To succeed in this, one needs to have a solid understanding of the game, be able to maneuver with the ball on their feet and be in the right place at the right time to catch it.

Asisat, one of our stars, signed for the Chinese side Dalian on February 10, 2017. She scored 12 goals in the 2017 campaign, which helped Dalian Quanjian win the league title.

Asisat received the league’s Golden Boot title for scoring the most goals. She contributed four goals to the club’s 5-3 victory over Shanghai in the 2017 Women’s Super Cup. Asisat contributed to the club’s second consecutive league triumph in October 2018. 

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7. She was the first African (and Nigerian) to score in a Champions League Final

Some football career accomplishments will always be viewed as history. This is the reason why Oshoala is making Champions League history right now. Oshoala was acquired by FC Barcelona Femen in Spain on a season-long loan.

Barcelona announced her official move to the club and extended until 2022 on May 31, 2019. During the 2018–19 season, she made seven appearances for the team and netted seven goals. With a record of 25-2-3, Barcelona placed second throughout the regular season.

In a 4-1 loss to Lyon in the 2019 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final, Oshoala scored Barcelona’s lone goal. She was the first African (and Nigerian) to score in a Champions League Final.

8. Awards and Accolades

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As an icon, it is wise to consider her accomplishments in terms of honors and prizes. To start, she received the Aiteo Award for Best CAF Player in 2017 as well as the BBC Footballer of the Year and Queen of the Pitch Awards in 2015 and 2014.

African female footballer of the year in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019. She also won the 2014 African Women’s Championship Golden Ball, the 2016 African Women’s Championship Golden Boot, the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup Gold Ball, and the 2017 Chinese Women’s League Top Scorer award.

9. She has been named as a nominee for the 2023 Ballon d’Or Award

Asisat Oshoala, a Super Falcons forward from Nigeria, has been selected as a finalist for the coveted Ballon d’Or Award in 2023.
The award’s organizer, France Football, announced the announcement on July 7 via their official Twitter account.

Oshoala has been nominated for a Socrates Award, which honors remarkable acts of solidarity performed by professional football players. She is one of the five people who have made the shortlist for the prize, which was created last year and is named for the illustrious Brazilian footballer Socrates.

10. She also won the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2015

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With seven goals, Oshoala led all goal scorers in the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and was awarded the tournament’s best player. She was also voted the Super Falcons team’s best player and second-leading scorer during the 2014 African Women’s Championship. 2015 BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year was also awarded to her. Oshoala was made a Member of the Order of the Niger by the President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan.