Asisat Lamina Oshoala is a talented Nigerian professional international footballer. She is a striker who plays in the center of the field. She has played for many of the world’s top football clubs, including Arsenal, Liverpool, and the Chinese club Dailan. She also played for Rivers Angels and FC Robo in Nigeria’s local league. She currently plays for a Spanish league team, FC Barcelona Femeni, as well as the Nigerian women’s national team. Asisat Oshoala is widely regarded as the greatest African female footballer of all time, as well as one of the world’s best. She is also the most decorated African female footballer of all time, having won the African Women’s Footballer of the Year award a record five times.
Early Life & Education
Asisat Oshoala was born on January 21, 1994, in Lagos State, Nigeria, in the South Western region. She was raised in Lagos State. She attended Air Force Primary School in Victoria Island and Aunty Ayo International School in Lagos for primary and secondary school, respectively. In 2009, Asisat Oshoala completed secondary school. She began playing football in her early years, while in secondary school in Lagos. Her parents were not initially supportive of her football passion. Her grandmother was the only one who believed in her.
Career
Club Career
Asisat Oshoala began her career shortly after graduating from secondary school. She began by playing for local teams before being noticed by a scout, who convinced her to join the FC Robo team in Lagos. She was a member of FC Robo from 2009 to 2013. She signed a contract with the Rivers Angels in 2013, and she played for them from 2013 to 2015.
Oshoala joined Liverpool in the Women’s Super League of England on January 23, 2015. Matt Beard, the club’s manager, described her as “one of the best young players in the world.” Despite rumors that she was interested in other teams, she was overjoyed to join Liverpool. She was the first African player to play in England’s Women’s Super League.
According to a January 2016 Liverpool report, Oshoala’s contract’s release clause was triggered by an offer from Arsenal, and she was negotiating personal terms with the London club. Oshoala arrived at Arsenal in March of 2016. Oshoala helped Arsenal win the FA Women’s Cup on May 14, 2016. This was the club’s 14th championship win. During the 2016 season, Oshoala appeared in 13 games and scored two goals. She scored the game-winning goal in a 2-0 win over Notts County on August 28. Arsenal finished third that season.
On February 10, Oshoala signed a contract with Chinese club Dalian. In 2017, she scored 12 goals to help Dalian Quanjian win the league title. She was awarded the league’s Golden Boot for scoring the most goals. Asisat Oshoala scored four goals in the club’s 2017 Women’s Super Cup victory over Shanghai, helping them win the title. In October 2018, she helped the club win its second consecutive league title.
FC Barcelona Femeni, a Spanish club, signed Oshoala on loan until the end of January 31. On May 31, 2019, Barcelona announced her official move to the club and extended her contract until 2022. During the 2018-19 season, she appeared in seven games and scored seven goals. Barcelona finished the season in second place. Oshoala scored Barcelona’s lone goal in a 4-1 loss to Lyon in the 2019 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final. She was the first African woman to score the opening goal in a Champions League final.
Oshoala appeared in 19 games for Barcelona this season, scoring 20 goals. She surpassed Atlético Madrid with a brace of goals on September 19, 2019, kicking off her 2019-20 campaign. With a second brace in October, she helped Barcelona to a 4-0 victory over Real Madrid. On January 11, 2020, Oshoala scored four goals in a 6-0 win over CD Tacon. Barcelona finished the season unbeaten and in first place. Oshoala finished second in the league with 20 goals, trailing only teammate Jenni Hermoso’s 23.
Oshoala extended her contract with Barcelona for an additional two years on March 10, 2022, keeping her there till June 30, 2024.
International Career
When Oshoala earned her first senior cap against Japan in a friendly match in September 2013, her club coach, Edwin Okon, was acting as the national team’s interim manager. Oshoala led all goal scorers in the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with seven goals and was named the tournament’s best player. During the 2014 African Women’s Championship, she was named the Super Falcons’ best player and second-leading scorer. She was also named BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2015. Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan bestowed the Order of Nigeria on Oshoala in September 2014.
Oshoala scored her first goal at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup on June 8 in Winnipeg, Canada, as part of the team’s second goal in a 3-3 tie with Sweden. After losses to Australia (2-0) and the United States, the team did not advance to the knockout rounds. Oshoala was a member of the Super Falcons teams that won the African Women’s Championship in 2016 and 2018. She scored three goals in Ghana for the 2018 edition.
Oshoala was the Super Falcons’ vice-captain at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. In Nigeria’s second group stage game, she scored in the 75th minute to help the team defeat South Korea 2-0. Oshoala was named MVP of the game. FIFA nominated her goal for Tournament Goal of the Year. Nigeria advanced to the knockout stages after finishing third in Group A. They faced the two-time defending champions, Germany, and were defeated 3-0.
Personal Life
Asisat was said to be dating Abu Azeez of the Shooting Stars Football Club. The football player, however, did not confirm or deny the rumors.
Awards & Honors
Rivers Angels
- Nigerian Women’s Championship: 2014
- Nigerian Women’s Cup: 2013, 2014
Arsenal
- FA Women’s Cup: 2015–16
Dalian Quanjian F.C.
- Chinese Women’s Super League: 2017, 2018
FC Barcelona
- Copa de la Reina: 2019–20, 2020–21
- Primera División: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
- Supercopa de España Femenina: 2019–20, 2021–22
- UEFA Women’s Champions League: 2020–21
Nigeria
- African Women’s Championship: 2014, 2016, 2018
- FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup runner-up: 2014
Individual
- African Women’s Championship Golden Ball: 2014
- African Women’s Championship Golden Boot: 2016
- African Women’s Footballer of the Year: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022
- African Women’s Youth Player of the Year: 2014
- BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year: 2015
- Chinese Women’s Super League Top scorer: 2017
- EaglesTracker Nigeria Women’s Most Valuable Player of the Season: 2020–21
- FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Ball: 2014
- FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Boot: 2014
- IFFHS CAF Best Woman Player of the Decade 2011–2020
- IFFHS CAF Woman Team of the Decade 2011–2020
- Primera División Top scorer: 2021–22
- Queen of The Pitch Award: 2014
Endorsement & Ambassadorial Deals
- She is an ambassador for NIKE.
- She was selected for Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2021.
- She was named to FIFA’s technical advisory panel on the development and progress of women’s football in October 2021. Jill Ellis is the group’s leader, and Doreen Nabwire, an African, is also a member.
Influence & Impact
In 2019, Oshoala established the Asisat Oshoala Foundation, which aims to empower female football players in Africa. The organization organizes the Asisat Oshoala Foundation Football4girls competition every year in Lagos.
Net Worth
Asisat announced on social media in April 2020 that she had been named to the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list. This information demonstrates her current level of success. According to different online sources, Asisat Oshoala’s net worth is estimated at around $5 million.
