SportsNigeria Stands To Gain As Super Falcons Striker Rasheedat Ajibade Joins Atletico...

Nigeria Stands To Gain As Super Falcons Striker Rasheedat Ajibade Joins Atletico Madrid Feminino

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SAN FRANCISCO, January 01, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Super Falcons talented forward, Rasheedat Ajibade, who announced her departure from Norwegian Topserisien side, Avaldsnes IL, just two weeks ago, has expressed her delight at joining the Spanish top flight after agreeing to a deal with Atletico Madrid Feminino.

The skilful attacker had waved Avaldsnes farewell via her social media handle two years after the Norwegian giants secured her services from Nigeria Women Premier League side, FC Robo Queens on a two-year deal.

Making her exit public, she had shared the news with her followers on Twitter, saying: ”2 years filled with amazing teammates & wonderful experiences coming to an end.

Glo

“Thank you for believing in me and helping me to become a better football player. Thank you Avaldsnes.”

As at the time of joining Avaldsnes, she was the reigning Nigerian Young Player of the Year and had linked up with another African star, Cameroon’s Gaelle Enganamouit in the club’s squad.

Ajibade was a member of the Nigerian side that won the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Ghana, having helped the team to a third-place finish at the 2018 WAFU Cup in Cote d’Ivoire.

Having finished ninth in the Toposerien log in the preceding season, Avaldsnes’ Norwegian coach Lena Tyriberget bolstered her squad with the highly-rated 19-year-old versatile forward ahead of the 2018-19 season.

Ajibade was only ten years old when she took off her skates and decided to focus on her ball skills. Joining FC Robo helped her hone her abilities on the ball, which saw her breaking into Nigeria’s U-17 team before stepping up to the U-20s and contesting three FIFA Women’s World Cup finals across those age categories.

She finished top scorer in the African qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea in 2016, and, to prove it was no fluke, promptly repeated the feat on the road to France 2018 by scoring in all six games.

These accomplishments were always going to attract the attention of the best clubs in the world and her contract with Madrid is testament to that fact. Just as she did when she left Avaldsnes, she shared the good news over social media via her Twitter handle (@Rasheedat08):

“It is a great privilege & joy for me to be joining Atletico Madrid Feminino.

“It is an opportunity I will never take for granted, and I am ready to give my all to push this great club to even greater heights.

“Thank you to God, my family, friends and supporters for the unending love shown towards me so far,” she said with heartfelt gratitude.

Then, she added: “It is a huge step in my career and I am looking forward to this great challenge with @atletifemenino

“Great way to start the new year.
#RASH #TheGirlWithTheBlueHair 💙”

The official Twitter account of here new club (@AthletiFeminino) also welcomed here in a set of three tweets and images that captured Ajibade in her characteristic beaming smile, delightfully showing off the colours of the side in the array of their resplendent stadium.

One of the tweets said in Spanish, “Rasheedat, poderío físico para el ataque rojiblanco” which translates to, “Rasheedat, physical power for the rojiblanco attack,” an ode to her prowess in front of goal.

In the colours of Atletico Madrid Feminino, Ajibade will contend with the headliner Super Falcon showstopper in the Primera Iberdrola, Asisat Oshoala of Barcelona. Two forwards of the Nigerian senior female national team will lock horns at the highest levels of female football in Europe, in the colours of two footballing giants in the Spanish game.

There is no end to the benefits this elevation of the women of the Super Falcons to the best divisions in the world will do for the general benefit of the squad and the good of the game in the country.

This is especially influential because it will encourage the younger generation of girls to aim for excellence like their forebears, evoking in them a desire to match and even potentially exceed the heights previously conquered in female football, in particular, and life, in general.

About the Author

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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.

Jude Obafemi, THEWILLhttps://thewillnews.com
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.

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