As the Super Falcons prepare to advance to the next stage of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Asisat Oshoala, the team's captain, spoke with Premium Times about the team's impression among Nigerians and some difficulties that have arisen.
The four-time African Woman Footballer of the Year also discusses her illustrious career with Barcelona, when she became the first African to score in a Champions League final and then to win the title.
The 27-year-old, who also manages a charity, showcases some of her favorite project's modest accomplishments.
Excerpts:
PT: Barcelona has scored nine goals in eight games this season. What can you make of this incredible achievement?
Oshoala: Personally, I've always aspired to be a better player; I've scored 20 goals in a season since joining the team (Barcelona); the goal is to improve and score more goals each season, as well as ensure the team wins each game, and of course, scoring goals is necessary to win games. I accept responsibility for my chances, which have been favorable thus far.
PT: What are your goals for this season with Barcelona?
Oshoala: There is no pressure right now, but at the end of the day, we won the Champions League, the league, the Cup, and the treble last year, even though we had a chance to win four trophies but missed out on one. We're trying for the quadruple this year, but the least we can hope for is a triple.
PT: Do you think you have a chance to win the Women's Ballon d'Or after winning the CAF Woman Player of the Year four times?
Oshoala: As I previously stated, my goal is to always beat my prior records, thus defeating my previous records will lead to me equaling or even surpassing some European records in terms of goals and other statistics. That will almost certainly increase your visibility.
I am already well-known in Europe, so if I am nominated for the prize, I will consider it well-deserved because I have worked so hard to get that position. If I ever make the list, it will be a dream come true.
PT: You were recently named to the FIFA Advisory Group, which consists of 21 members. What does it mean to you to be the only African player to receive such recognition?
Oshoala: I went through a lot as a young athlete growing up due of my environment in regards to women's football. I've always been someone who enjoys making things right, which is why I set up my foundation behind the scenes.
I'm ecstatic to be a part of this technical committee; I'm ecstatic to be able to give my thoughts and observations about what's going on in Africa in terms of football.
At the end of the day, it's about bringing up the mistakes and what's keeping us from moving forward with the goal of improving things. The purpose is to elevate African football to a higher level.
When you live in some places, you may require a larger stage to voice your concerns and lay out your grievances so that others can come in and assist you.
I have an excellent working connection with CAF committees and such, but I believe this [committee] is larger.
I didn't ask for this, and I didn't apply, so they must have seen something about me and what I've done so far if they contacted me to ask me to be a part of it.
PT: Many people expected you to score in Lagos against Ghana, but you didn't. Can you convince your followers that the dangerous Oshoala they've always known is still alive and well?
Oshoala: I understand the emotions and everything that comes with fans; it is a beautiful thing to see that women's football is gaining a lot of attention to the point where fans are now expecting certain things from certain players; I am very happy about that, but I also want everyone to understand that in football, it is usually about the team first, with individual glory coming later.
I'm overjoyed that we won and took a two-goal lead. We are going to Ghana as a team with a lot of confidence, and who says you can't score in Ghana? I apologize to those who were disappointed that I did not score in Lagos; there are still a lot of games left, and the goals will come.
PT: Do you think the Super Falcons' 2-0 win in Lagos has effectively ended the tie?
Oshoala: If you ask me, a 2-0 lead in football is nothing; it can be wiped out in a couple of minutes, even at the top level of the game. These things have happened to me numerous times. So we're off to Ghana as though the score is still 0-0. We'll put in the effort to at least score an away goal to extend our lead. We shall give it our all to ensure that we make progress. We are like wounded Lions after our loss to South Africa, therefore we are determined to give it our all to ensure that we advance to the qualifications.
PT: In terms of female football in Nigeria and even Africa, you are the most well-known brand. What are you doing to inspire people who are following in your footsteps?
One thing I used to tell every player on this team is that I came up through the youth ranks as well, starting with the U-20s before joining the Falcons. I have no reason to exclude the younger players because I was not excluded when I first joined the team.
As a result, I try to support the young players that are coming up behind me as much as possible. I try to be honest with them; they know that if they need anything from me, such as boots or kits, they can always contact me. If they have a concern, they know they can talk to me about it, and I will always support them and make them feel good about themselves.
PT: Do you agree that Nigeria's dominance is being endangered by the rest of Africa closing the gap on us?
Oshoala: The Nigerian squad (Super Falcons) is Africa's most successful team, having won nine AWCON titles. However, every Nigerian should keep in mind that all of these other countries are vying for the record, and they want to go all out every time they play against Nigeria.
Consider what happened lately between the Super Eagles and the Central African Republic. They were simply playing like wounded Lions, with no technicality or anything, yet they still managed to win the game. When we play other teams, it usually goes like this.
They are, in fact, trying hard to catch up, but we are not giving up.
They are, in fact, trying hard to catch up, but we are not giving up. We, too, have been attempting to improve our game throughout the year. We've been participating in a variety of friendly games and competitions.
The NFF has worked hard to ensure that we take advantage of every FIFA window, which is beneficial to our sport. We've played Ghana for a long time and they're usually tough to beat, but even when we weren't at our best, we still beat them 2-0. As a result, having more camps demonstrates that we will continue to improve. We are not going backwards as a group, and we are not resting on our laurels.
PT: Looking at your Foundation, even as a young player, you're already doing your part to help young females get off the streets and start their own lives. What are your thoughts on the influence you're having?
Oshoala: I'm really satisfied with what we're doing; every year when we have the program, I sit on the side and look at the girls, and I know deep down that I never had the opportunity they have while I was growing up.
We are doing our part to influence parents' attitudes toward their female children who are interested in football. We showed them that their kids could play football and go to school at the same time. This is how it works in Europe, where some of the players we play against are still in school, and we want it here as well.
I'm overjoyed that the Foundation is expanding. We have a couple of players that have even played for the national team, but we don't make a big deal about it because we aren't looking for recognition. Our main goal is to ensure that these young players get more possibilities.
