Asisat Oshoala: The Inspirational African Queen of Football

Asisat Oshoala is a prodigious talent who plays as a striker for NWSL club Bay FC and the Nigeria women’s national team. She is fondly called “Agba Baller” by her fans, who regard her as one of the greatest African female footballers of all time and one of the best in the world.

she is one of the most celebrated African female footballers of all time, having won African Women’s Footballer of the Year a record six times. Oshoala is also the first African woman to win the Pichichi Trophy and also the first to receive a Ballon D’Or nomination.

Her title as the Queen of African Football is undisputed. Join us as we explore the rise of one of the best footballing exports from Africa.

Player Profile – Asisat Lamina Oshoala

Agba Baller, which means in her local dialect, “Legendary Footballer” was born in Ikorodu, Lagos into a Muslim family. She started her career with FC Robo Queens before going on to start for teams such as Liverpool, Arsenal and FC Barcelona.

Oshoala is a prolific goalscorer, entertainer and talismanic player in every team she has played for. Asisat has broken several records both on the club level and also international level.

Player Profile Overview – Asisat Oshoala

Early Life

Asisat Oshoala found it tough growing up in Nigeria. Her parents were against her playing football. In an interview, she confirmed that her mother would punish her if she had been playing football on the streets with the guys.

However, she has unique and wonderful football skills that provided her with a high opportunity to become a professional football player, despite the obstacles she had to overcome as a female player.

Female football in Nigeria was at its infancy compared to bigger footballing countries. With the exception of legendary top scorer Perpetua Nkwocha for the Nigerian women’s national team, Oshoala had no clear role model or native hero in the women’s game.

Because of all the obstacles and challenges, Oshoala abandoned her family to pursue her dream of playing professional football at a young age.

Asisat’s Playing Style

Oshoala’s playing style has impressed fans and opponents alike, she is technically gifted and powerful. She is one of the most deadly players in the box. Asisat’s continuously roaming around the box, trying to blindside defenders waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Asisat Oshoala is also adept at running at defenders, closing them down or chasing long passes or through balls. Opposition players are wary of Oshoala’s finishing ability and off-the-ball movement. Additionally, Agba Baller has an excellent first touch, close control and good dribbling.

Aside from closing down and closing down, she is capable of creating opportunities and laying off assists for her teammates such as Alexia Putellas and Jenni Hermosa with her passing and vision. Furthermore, Oshoala often plays as a TargetWoman due to her physical presence, aerial ability and hold-up play.

Youth Career

Her youth career was very short, as her prodigious talents saw her graduate quickly to the senior sides. Furthermore, there is little known about her time with FC Robo Queens where she spent 4 years. She then move to Rivers Angels playing the the senior team.

Senior Career

She started her football career in Nigeria with FC Robo Queens before joining Rivers Angels. It was from Rivers Angels that she was called up to the U20 squad to play in the U20 Women’s World Cup held in Canada. Her excellent performance at the tournament saw her sign for Liverpool in 2015.

Playing In The English Women’s Super League

Asisat Oshoala became the first African woman to compete in the highest level of women’s football in England when she joined Liverpool on 23 January 2015.

Matt Beard the manager of Liverpool called her one of the best young players in the world. However, her first season with Liverpool was disrupted by injury and she managed only 9 appearances scoring 3 goals. Among the goals, was the third goal in the 3-1 win against future employers Arsenal on 12 July 2016.

At the end of her first season in England, Arsenal triggered her release clause and in March 2016 she signed for the London-based club. The Super Falcons Striker won the 2016 FA Women’s Cup Final with Arsenal on 14 May 2017.

Agba Baller made 13 appearances for the club during the 2016 season and scored two goals. She scored the game-winner against against Notts County on 28 August helping Arsenal finish in third place losing only two of their league games that season.

Moving To Dalian Quanjian

Oshoala took her skills to the Orient, signing for Chinese top-flight side Oshoala signed with club Dalian. In her first season at the club, Asisat Oshoala scored 12 goals helping Dalian Quanjian win the league championship. Her twelve goals were enough for her to win the league’s Golden Boot award.

She stole the show in the 2017 Chinese Women’s Sup Cup scoring four goals as she helped Dalian Quanjian defeat Shanghai 5–3 to win the trophy. In a repeat of her debut season, she helped the club finish on top of the league winning the league title two years in a row.

Playing For FC Barcelona Femenina

Asisat Oshoala signed for Spanish club FC Barcelona Femenína signed Oshoala on a loan deal until the end of the season On 31 January 2019. At the end of the season, on May 31, 2019, she made her full transfer to the club and extension until 2022.

Oshoala scored seven goals in her seven appearances for the club during the 2018-19 season as Barcelona finished in second place. Furthermore, She became the first African and Nigerian to score in a Champions League Final in a 4–1 defeat to Lyon in the 2019 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final.

Oshoala scored 20 goals in her 19 appearances for Barcelona during the 2019-2020 season helping FC Barca with the league undefeated. She came second in the Pichichi race behind teammate Jenni Hermoso who had 23 goals.

Oshoala became the first African woman to win the UEFA Champions League, after coming on in the 71st minute of the finals with Barcelona defeating Chelsea 4–0 in the 2020-2021 final. Although she was sidelined for the final showpiece, Asisat won the title for the second time when Barca defeated Wolfsburg in the 2022-2023 Final.

Asisat Oshoala’s Best Season

Her most productive spell was with FC Barcelona. During her time there, Oshoala made 162 appearances scoring 117 goals in the process. Asisat Oshoala’s goal returns meant she became the fourth-highest goalscorer in the club’s history, winning an astonishing 14 trophies which included two trebles.

After 6 seasons of playing with the Spanish side, On 1 February 2024, Oshoala left Spain to join Bay FC of the NWSL in the United States. Oshoala arrived to great fanfare in America scoring the only goal in her debut match against Angel City.

International Career

Oshoala made her senior international debut in a defeat to then-world champions Japan in September 2013. Although Asisat was capped by the senior team, she was part of the squad that took part in the U20 Women’s World Cup in 2014 hosted by Canada.

Asisat Oshoala won the Golden Ball at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and won the Golden Boot at the tournament with seven goals. That same year She was the best player at the 2014 Women’s African Cup of Nations. She was also the second top goalscorer in the competition.

Her exploits with the national team won her the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2015. Oshoala scored her first 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup goal On 8 June 2015. The goal was the Super Falcon’s second goal in a 3–3 draw with Sweden in Winnipeg.

Oshoala was also a member of the Super Falcons team who won two consecutive African Women’s Cup of Nations in 2016 and 2018. Heading to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, Agba Baller was named the vice-captain of the Super Falcons.

She had a good tournament scoring in the 2-0 win against South Korea in the second group stage match. Her goal in that match in which she won the Player of the Match award was also nominated for the FIFA Goal of the Tournament award.

Goalscorer And Serial Winner – Asisat Oshoala

Asisat Oshoala has scored for every team she has played for. She is the first Super Falcons player to score at three consecutive FIFA World Cups. Oshoala is also the first African to score at three consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cups.

Her goal-scoring exploits saw her become the first African to score in the Women’s Champions League final. She also won titles in England, China and Spain. Winning the Champions twice with Barcelona and became the first African woman to win the Pichichi Award. On the international scene, she won multiple titles with Nigeria.

The Personal Life Of Asisat Oshoala

Asisat Oshoala is a hero to a lot of female footballers in Nigeria. In 2019, She started the Asisat Oshoala Foundation with a focus on empowering female footballers in Africa. Furthermore, the foundation hosts an annual Asisat Oshoala Foundation Football4girls tournament in Lagos.

Oshoala is a NIKE Ambassador as a result of her accomplishments and in 2021, she was named to Forbes 30 Under 30. She was appointed to FIFA’s technical advisory group on the growth and advancement of women’s football headed by Jill Ellis.

In September 2014, at just the age of 19, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan made Oshoala a Member of the Order of the Niger.

Milestones and Personal Achievements

IFFHS CAF Best Woman Player of the Decade (2011–2020)
International Debut – vs Japan, 26 September 2013
First Senior International Goal
WSL Debut – vs Aston Villa
WSL First League Goal – vs Aston Villa
6x African Women’s Footballer of the Year (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023)
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)
Primera Division Femenina Debut – vs  Rayo Vallecano, 10 February 2019
Primera Division Femenina First Goal – vs Rayo Vallecano, 10 February 2019
Primera Division Femenina Top scorer (2021–22)
Chinese Women’s Super League Top Scorer (2017)
IFFHS All-time Africa Women’s Dream Team (2021)
IFFHS CAF Women’s Team of the Decade {2011–2020)
2x IFFHS Women’s CAF Best Player of the Year (2020, 2021)
3x IFFHS Women’s CAF Team of the Year (2020, 2021, 2023)
Queen of The Pitch Award (2014)

Conclusion

Asisat Oshoala’s story captures the journey of a determined and talented individual who surmounted barriers to become one of the most formidable names in women’s football.

From her humble beginnings in Nigeria to her meteoric rise on the global stage, Oshoala’s story is a testament to resilience, passion, and relentless pursuit of excellence.

Furthermore, through her remarkable achievements and groundbreaking contributions to the sport. Additionally, she has not only inspired countless aspiring athletes but also shattered stereotypes and paved the way for future generations of female footballers.

Asisat Oshoala’s journey serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment, showcasing the power of dreams and determination in the face of adversity. Her legacy will continue to inspire and uplift, leaving an indelible mark on the world of football and beyond.