BREAKING: After Onome Ebi, Another Super Falcons Star Announces Retirement
Nigeria’s Super Falcons forward, Ifeoma Onumonu, has announced her retirement from football after more than 20 years of playing at the top level.
The 31-year-old made the announcement on her social media pages early Saturday morning. She thanked her fans, teammates, and coaches for their support and said she was grateful for her journey in football.
“It is with a heart full of gratitude that I bid farewell to my playing career,” she wrote. “Although my time as a player has come to an end, my love and devotion for this game will never waver.”
Onumonu started playing football at the age of eight for a local youth team called The Magic in the United States. She said she began playing simply because she enjoyed it, not because of winning or losing.
During her club career, she played for several teams in the United States, including Portland Thorns, Boston Breakers, Reign FC, and NJ/NY Gotham FC. She won the NWSL Championship title and became one of the most respected Nigerian players in the league.
With the Super Falcons, Onumonu represented Nigeria at the Olympics, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and helped the team win a record 10th Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) trophy.
“I had the pleasure of lifting an NWSL championship trophy, representing Nigeria at the Olympics and World Cup, and helping to win the African Cup of Nations for a 10th time,” she said.
Although she is retiring from playing, Onumonu said she will continue to work around football in new ways.
“This is not goodbye to football but a new beginning,” she said.
