“What a man can do, a woman can do even better” is the case of today’s Woman Crush Wednesday Asisat Lamina Oshoala. Football is seen as a masculine sport because of the vigor and rigidity required. So, so many women run away from the sport. But that’s not the case for Oshoala who was born on the 9th of October 1994, in Ikorudu, Lagos State Nigeria.
Oshoala Early Football Life
Asisat Lamina Oshoala started her football career after she dropped out of school as opposed to the desires of her Muslim parents. She started playing for the Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL). She started with FC Robo in Mushin Lagos State Nigeria, a popular female football club side in 2009. Oshoala played for the club for five years before moving to another domestic female club side Rivers Angels.
Rivers Angels is also a female club side in Nigeria situated in Port Harcourt Rivers State. Oshoala continued in her hard work and impressive form with her new club side Rivers Angels. She was so impressive in form that her teammates nicknamed her “Seedorf” because of her strength and agility. She was also called “SuperZee” because of her footwork and how good she is with the ball. Her performance with team spoke for as she was invited to the Nigerian Super Falcons to play.
The Announcement
The 2014 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Canada was the tournament that announced Oshoala to the world. The Super Falcons lost to Germany in the final, but football lovers will not forget the highest goal scorer and the best player of the tournament Asisat Oshoala. She won both the golden boot and the golden ball award; she scored seven goals in all her six appearances in the tournament.
Immediately after the tournament she was honored by the then President of Nigeria, Ebele Goodluck Jonathan and made Member of the Order of Niger. In no distant time, clubs in Europe started looking for her; the likes of Liverpool Ladies, Arsenal Ladies, and other top EPL female clubs. On the 23rd of January 2015, Asisat Oshoala joined the English Premier League female side Liverpool Ladies.
Liverpool and Arsenal Ladies F.C Calling…
She was not able to play for the side for two whole months due to a knee injury. Oshoala was only able to play for the side nine times and scored three goals in those nine games she played. After the end of that season with Liverpool Ladies, she moved to Arsenal Ladies in 2016. The Nigerian played eleven times for the Arsenal Ladies and scored twice in those eleven games. Asisat Oshoala only stayed a season with the North London side after which she moved to the Chinese side of Dalian Quanjian F.C.
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Her departure to the Asian side in 2017 was a huge success for her although many thought it would be the end of her career. She was able to score 23 goals in all her stay with Chinese female club side Dalian Quanjian F.C. Oshoala spent a year with the club and was loaned to Barcelona Female team where she scored seven goals in seven appearances. At the end of her loan, the Spanish decided to sign her on a permanent deal. The Nigerian has since been doing exploit with the Barcelona team in both their home league and the female Champions League.
Achievement Thus Far
Asisat Lamine Oshoala has won more football honors than any Nigerian footballer both male and female. She has won African Woman’s Championship three times, (2014, 2016 and 2018) FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Runner-up 2014, Nigerian Women’s Championship 2014. Nigerian Woman’s Cup twice (2013 and 2014), FA Women’s Cup (2015/16) and Chinese Women’s Super League (2017).
Her personal accolade includes a one-time Aiteo CAF Best Player Award 2017 (Female Category), BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year (2015). Queen of the Pitch Award (2014), three times African Women’s Footballer of the Year (2014, 2016 and 2017). African Youth Player of the Year(2014), African Women’s Championship Golden Ball and Boot(2014 and 2016). FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Boot and Ball(2014) and Chinese Women’s Super League Top scorer (2017).
What a man can do, Asisat Lamina Oshoala is doing it better. What do you think?
