Sports Extra reports, Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala is convinced that Nigeria will finish on the podium in the women’s football event at the upcoming 2024 Olympics.
The Falcons last competed at the Olympics in Beijing 16 years ago, and they qualified for this year’s event in Paris with a 1-0 aggregate victory over South Africa in the final round of qualification in April.
All of Nigeria’s opponents are in the top ten of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking, with the African team presently ranked 36th.
In an interview with FIFA, Oshoala expressed confidence that Nigeria would come home with a medal. “People said the same thing during the World Cup last year,” Oshoala told FIFA.com.
“They stated we were in the Group of Death, including Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland, and couldn’t qualify. But we did. I am quite confident in this crew. We have a lot of young guys, and we can make it difficult for our opponents. We’re not only thinking about getting out of the group; I believe we can walk away with a medal.
Oshoala, a modern-day women’s football hero, has played for both club and nation on some of the sport’s biggest stages.
The Nigerian striker has lighted up FIFA Women’s World Cup matches, UEFA Champions League finals, and helped propel her teams to several trophy wins. Despite her countless accomplishments, the record six-time Women’s African Player of the Year has yet to demonstrate her talent at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, but that is poised to change in Paris 2024.
“This will be a special event,” she told FIFA.com. “I’ve never gone to the Olympics, but I’ve heard a lot about them. I’m really looking forward to going if I make the team!”
Oshoala plans to lead from the front during Nigeria’s Olympic campaign, and she believes the team’s unwavering enthusiasm makes them a force to be reckoned with. “I know what I can do,” she explained. “I understand what I have to contribute both on and off the pitch. Even when I was on the world’s top team, I knew what I could offer.
“I always encourage the younger ones and make them see that they can offer much more. I work hard for the team and strive to do my share of the company – so that everyone else does as well.We are a team that will not stop running till the whistle blows. That is difficult for the opposing teams because they cannot break us.”
