Asisat Oshoala is a Nigerian-born professional footballer that plays for the national team, the Super Falcons, and for FC Barcelona Femeni. Asisat Oshoala plays as a striker or in the forward position for both her country and club. As part of her biography, we will be revealing details about her life. Thus, if there are questions you have about Asisat Oshoala, they will be answered in the preceding parts of this article.
The widely awarded footballer has so many major highlights and achievements throughout her career so far. While we will provide the details in the article, you can see a quick summary of some of the most significant facts about her below.
10 facts about Asisat Oshoala
- Asisat Oshoala was born on 9th October 1994 in Ikorodu, Lagos State. She attended both primary and secondary school in the state.
- Asisat Oshoala initially planned to have a music career but abandoned the effort early preferring to focus her attention on football.
- Oshoala first played for FC Robo Queens and Rivers Angels FC before moving to Europe.
- She also played for both Liverpool and Arsenal Ladies before going to China to join Dalian Quanjian FC.
- At Dalian Quanjian FC, she won two consecutive titles in the two years she stayed with the club.
- FC Barcelona Femeni first signed her on loan before giving her a permanent contract that will end in 2022.
- Asisat Oshoala has won the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s Player of the Year award four times.
- She has two FIFA Women’s World Cup goals for Nigeria. Her goal at the 2019 Women’s World Cup was voted the goal of the tournament.
- She won the 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2019 editions of the Africa Women’s Championship.
- Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan named her a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) in 2014.
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Asisat Oshoala Biography: Early life and education
Asisat Oshoala was born Asisat Lamina Oshoala on 9th October 1994 in Ikorodu, a city located in the north-east region of Lagos State, Nigeria. She was born into a Yoruba Muslim family. According to reports, her parents were deeply religious. Connect Nigeria claims that Asisat Oshoala’s parents were successful Lagos business people who were into gold and fashion accessories.
Oshoala started her early education at the Air Force Primary School in Victoria Island, Lagos.
After she completed her primary school education, she went on to Aunty Ayo International School in Ikoyi, Lagos where she completed her secondary school education in 2009 at the age of 15. It was after the completion of her basic education that she decided to pursue a passion that had nothing to do with university education.
Young Oshoala first chose to go into the music industry. However, it did not take long for her to realise that she would be a better footballer than a musician. So, she decided to face playing football full time.
Her parents are said to have kicked against this decision at the time. They had wanted their daughter to complete her university education and likely pursue a professional career like banking, medicine or even law. In the end, they had to succumb and let her pursue what she wanted.
Asisat Oshoala Biography: Early career
FC Robo Queens
Oshoala started training as a professional footballer with a popular football training academy, FC Robo Queens, in Mushin, another part of Lagos State. It was at this academy that she perfected her skills as a striking force. The club also opened doors of opportunity for her.
FC Robo Queens was Asisat Oshoala’s first introduction to the world of professional footballing. She was with FC Robo Queens from 2009 to 2013. After proving her worth with the club in the Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL), scouts for Rivers Angels FC poached her from FC Robo Queens.
Rivers Angels FC
In 2013, Asisat Oshoala joined Rivers Angels FC (which is formerly called Larry Angels FC), a club based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. With Rivers Angels FC, Asisat Oshoala took part in the Nigeria Women Premier League. During the period she was with the club (from 2013 to 2015), Rivers Angels FC won the League title once and came second once.
It had become obvious that she was a star and needed a more competitive atmosphere beyond the shores of the country. Asisat Oshoala Biography: Later club career
Liverpool Ladies
In January 2015, Asisat Oshoala signed a contract with the English women football club Liverpool Ladies. She was already famous at the time after her exploits at the 2014 African Women’s Championship. We will provide more details about this under the national career section below.
On joining Liverpool Ladies, the club’s manager, Matt Beard, praised Oshoala as one of the best young players in the world. The praise was not even generous enough as other clubs had been vying with Liverpool for her signature.
A knee injury prevented her from shining at Liverpool and she was sidelined for two months. The club finished seventh that season, just one place above the bottom-placed club. She, however, won the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award in 2015.
Arsenal Ladies
Asisat Oshoala joined Arsenal Ladies in January 2016 after the club triggered a release clause in her contract with rivals, Liverpool Ladies. She was given the jersey number 24 and played some matches for the North London club.
She won the FA Women’s Super League title with Arsenal Ladies. Again, within a year, it was time for her to move on again.
Dalian Quanjian FC
Chinese club Dalian Quanjian FC signed Asisat Oshoala in February 2017. On landing at the club, Oshoala immediately became an integral part of the team. As their striking force, she and Dalian Quanjian FC won the Chinese Women’s Super League title in 2017.
In her first season, she finished the competition as the highest goal scorer with 12 goals. She was so impressive that Spanish footballing giants Barcelona became interested in her. It did not take much persuasion for her to part with her Chinese employers in 2019.
FC Barcelona Femeni
Asisat Oshoala first joined FC Barcelona Femeni (women) on a four-month loan spell in January 2019. The loan was to last until the end of the season.
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She was instrumental in the club’s 2019 UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign. While the club eventually missed out on the cup thanks to a defeat to Lyon at the final, Asisat Oshoala had been impressive, notching eight goals in 11 matches.
Read also: Asisat Oshoala helps Barcelona win their first female Super Copa
FC Barcelona Femeni decided to make the deal permanent by triggering her release clause with Dalian Quanjian FC in May 2019. Oshoala signed a contract that will keep her at FC Barcelona Femeni until 2022.
She has already become one of the most valuable players at the club and undoubtedly the most lethal in front of a goal post. In January 2020, Asisat Oshoala grabbed four goals in FC Barcelona Femeni’s 6-0 win over CD Tacon.
Asisat Oshoala Biography: National team career
When she first started representing Nigeria, Asisat Oshoala played in her central forward position. She took the country to the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada. While Nigeria failed to win the title after losing to Germany in the extra-time of the final, it was clear that Asisat Oshoala was worlds apart. She finished the competition as the highest goal scorer and as the best player of the tournament.
You may also like: Asisat Oshoala is the 2020 African Women’s player of the year!
In the same year, she was called to represent the national women’s team, the Super Falcons, at the 2014 African Women’s Championship. This time, she played from a midfield role. Nigeria won the title and while Oshoala’s teammate, Oparanozie, was crowned the highest goal scorer. Asisat Oshoala finished second in the scorers’ chart. Asisat Oshoala was named the best player of the competition as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph8BHt_lnGc
After the tournament, Nigeria’s president at the time, Goodluck Jonathan, named her Member of the Order of the Niger (MON). This is the meaning of the ‘MON’ title that comes after her name.
Asisat Oshoala was part of the Super Falcons team that participated at the 2015 and 2019 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. She grabbed one goal each for the country at the two editions of the competition. Her goal at the 2019 Women’s World Cup was voted the goal of the tournament. Watch it in the short clip below.
Also, she was part of the team that participated at the 2016, 2018, and 2019 editions of the Africa Women’s Championship. She won the title on all three occasions as well.
Asisat Oshoala Biography: Net worth
Many people want to know what the net worth of Asisat Oshoala is. Well, according to a BBC report, professional female footballers in Spain earn at least EUR16,000 (about NGN6.984 million) salary. Asisat probably earns much more than that given that she plays for a top club like Barcelona. She is also a valuable team member of the club.
Asisat Oshoala also earns money sponsorship and endorsements. For example, she has a deal with sportswear mega-company, Nike. Likely, this will come with some sort of pay as well.
We could not find any verifiable source of information on what her net worth is, however. Some blogs claim that she is worth about $1.5 million. We do not encourage readers to take this figure seriously as they are mostly speculations and guesses.
Asisat Oshoala Biography: Personal life and relationship
The fantastic female footballer is a practising Muslim. When it comes to relationships, it seems like Asisat Oshoala is not currently romantically attached to anyone. At least, that is what the side of her we see in public tells us.
But she is very active on social media. You can follow her on Twitter to stay up-to-date with her. Here is her Twitter handle: ASISAT M.O.N @AsisatOshoala
Awards and recognitions
Asisat Oshoala is widely recognised as one of the best female footballers from Africa at the moment. Many pundits and experts have especially praised her shooting ability and agility.
She is currently one of the most decorated African female footballers when it comes to individual titles. As of the 2019 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s Player of the Year awards, Asisat Oshoala had won the award four times. She is currently tied with Nigeria’s legend, Perpetua Nkwocha.
Speaking with BBC Sport Africa on winning the award for the fourth, Asisat Oshoala says:
“It keeps me going but of course there is still more work to do, I want to create my own history and not just equal someone else’s record – I’m going to give my best to create mine.”
Final thoughts…
Asisat Oshoala has come a long way from the indecisive young girl who had gone against her parents’ wishes and tried making music. She is now one of the most recognisable female talents in the world. Having plied her trade in three different continents (Africa, Europe and Asia), Asisat Oshoala has shown that she can make an impact anywhere she finds herself.
There is still lots to achieve. Asisat Oshoala clearly has the potential to go down in history as one of the best players to ever come out of Africa.
Bonus information
Asisat Oshoala Statistics
- Nigeria GP(17) G(11)
- Liverpool Ladies GP(9) G(3)
- Arsenal Ladies GP(11) G(2)
- Dalian Quanjian FC GP(20) G(23)
- FC Barcelona Femeni GP(26) G(27)
Titles
International
- Nigeria
- African Women’s Championship (4): 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019,
- FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Runner-up: 2014
Club
- Rivers Angels
- Nigerian Women’s Championship: Winner, 2014
- Nigerian Women’s Cup: Winner, 2013, 2014
- Arsenal
- FA Women’s Cup: Winner, 2015–16
- Dalian Quanjian FC
- Chinese Women’s Super League (1): 2017
- FC Barcelona
- Primera División: Winner, 2019-20
- UEFA Women’s Champions League: Runner-up, 2018-19
- Supercopa Femenina: Winner, 2020
Individual
- Queen of The Pitch Award: 2014
- African Women’s Footballer of the Year: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019
- African Women’s Youth Player of the Year: 2014
- African Women’s Championship Golden Ball: 2014
- FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Boot: 2014
- FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Ball: 2014
- BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year: 2015
- African Women’s Championship Golden Boot: 2016
- Chinese Women’s Super League Top scorer: 2017
- Aiteo CAF Best Player Award 2017 (Female Category)
A well-decorated player. I bet she would get a lot more praise than she gets now if she was a guy.