As we spend time throughout Black History Month reflecting on those who have made a difference in the past, it is equally important to shine a light on those who are making history at present. Asisat Oshoala won the golden boot at the U-20 World Cup in 2014, appeared in two Champions League finals, and won three league titles in Nigeria, China and Spain.
A devastatingly quick attacker with a natural aptitude for scoring goals, Oshoala has had to demonstrate notable determination in order to prove those around her wrong and pursue her dream of playing football. Her own path to the top tiers of women’s football have been far from simple. As a young girl she was forced to hide her passion from her parents, something many young girls are forced to do as the pressure to focus on education forces many to abandon sports at a young age.
Such experiences have evidently shaped Oshoala considerably, despite only being 26 and in the peak of her career, she still makes considerable effort off the pitch to give back to Nigeria and improve the accessibility of women’s football to girls across Africa. The current Super Falcon’s captain has established the Asisat Oshoala Foundation in her home country that has helped support over 5000 girls realise their dreams of playing football and continues to grow.
She continually uses her profile to inspire those who follow her. Whilst also being vocal about the issues that matter to her. This has included recent condemnation of the brutal, corrupt regime that is currently oppressing so many Nigerians, and support for the #EndSARS movement on her Instagram account @asisat_oshoala.
Asisat (Liverpool and Arsenal), is one of only three African players to have played in the Women’s Super League. This is in large part a direct consequence of the lack of support for women’s football across the African continent and the lack of infrastructure that allows top-level players to come through the football pyramid. But like the other women in this programme, players such as Asisat are working hard on and off the pitch to change that for future generations. A modern day history-maker, Asisat Oshoala is the sort of figure you may not have heard of before today, but shouldn’t forget about now.