Following a 16 year absence from the tournament, Nigeria are set for a return to Olympic women’s football. The most decorated side in the history of African women’s football sealed their spot at the games by knocking out reigning AFCON champions South Africa over two legs, with Rasheedat Ajibade’s penalty enough to see the Super Falcons prevail. 12 months on from the World Cup- where they progressed from their group at the expense of Olympic gold medal holders Canada before taking England all the way to a penalty shootout in the round of 16- they are looking to upset the apple cart again. 

As the only African nation to have progressed beyond the group stage at this competition before (having reached the last-eight back in 2004) Randy Waldrum’s side will be aiming to lean into their own footballing heritage as the tournament approaches. They face a formidable task if they are to repeat the trick of ’04 – having been placed in a group with World champions Spain, South American champions Brazil, and a Japan side who themselves gained plenty admirers last summer.  

2004 was not only a notable year for the Super Falcons on the pitch however, as this year marked the first of many disputes with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). This has become a familiar story over the years, and it reared its head again in the months surrounding the last summer’s World Cup. 

The Key Inclusions

The headline talents in this Nigeria team come at opposite ends of the pitch. Asistat Oshoala is the most decorated player in the side. Her club career has seen her win silverware in four different nations, most notably in Spain, where she became the first African women to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League, before going on to repeat the trick in 2023. In February, she ended a five year association with the club, joining new NWSL outfit Bay FC.  

Another player familiar to European audiences will be goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The 23 year-old stopper produced a string of outstanding performances in Australia, keeping three clean sheets in four games. Now her nation’s permanent captain, she will need to be on her toes once again considering the strength of Nigeria’s group. Nigeria fans will take heart from the fact that she is no stranger to causing an upset. Hot off the back of the World Cup, she made headlines at club level as her shootout heroics for Paris FC helped the Première Ligue (formerly known as the D1 Féminine) outfit stun Arsenal in Champions League qualifying. 

Ones to Watch 

Rasheedat Ajibade secured the Super Falcon’s spot at the games after her penalty proved the difference over the 180 minutes against South Africa in qualifying. She has established herself as a key offensive threat for the national team and can play on either wing. At club level, she enjoyed a productive campaign for an Atletico Madrid side that finished third in Liga F; scoring ten goals and recording six assists. Expect her to pose a direct threat to opposition defences – no player attempted more dribbles in Liga F last season than Ajibade.  

Michelle Alozie was caught in the centre of one of the most infamous moments of the last World Cup, in which Lauren James saw red for a stamp on the Houston Dash player. In the days that followed, Alozie’s nonchalant reaction to James’ moment of petulance became one of the images of the tournament. Alozie operates as a winger by trade, but has also played as a wingback for her club side, Houston Dash, when their system allows it. For her national team, she has made the right-back position her own, earning twenty-three caps since her debut in 2021. Her attacking instincts are shown in her willingness to overlap. Last year, her performances were recognised by CAF as she was named in their best women’s XI. 

Notable Exclusions 

The most noteworthy absence from Nigeria’s squad is that of Ashleigh Plumptre. The fullback was arguably the Super Falcons’ standout outfielder at the last World Cup. With no shortage of suitors off the back of her performances at the tournament, she controversially moved to Saudi Arabia, joining Al Ittihad amid reported interest from the likes of Manchester United and PSG, following the expiry of her contract at Leicester City in the Barclays WSL.

Another player to suffer an injury-enforced absence is Halitmatu Ayinde, who made three starts at the last World Cup but was forced to pull out of Waldrum’s Olympic squad due to a knock picked up in training for her club side, FC Rosengård. Long serving defender Onome Ebi, who made the squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup at the age of 40, also misses out. 

See the full 18-player squad below.

Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi and Chiamaka Nnadozie

Defenders: Michelle Alozie, Osinachi Ohale, Nicole Payne, Chidinma Okeke, Oluwatosin Demehin

Midfielders: Toni Payne, Christy Ucheibe, Jennifer Echegini,Deborah Abiodun, Rasheedat Ajibade

Forwards: Esther Okoronkwo, Asistat Oshoala, Chinonyerem Macleans, Uchenna Kanu, Chinwendu Ihezuo, Ifeoma Onumonu