By Safiu Kehinde
Four-time African Woman Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala has expressed her desire to be shortlisted for the Women’s Ballon D’Or.
The Barcelona and Super Falcons forward, in an interview with Premium Times, revealed her preparedness to be crowned the biggest individual award in the football world.
She considered the award as deserving based on her hard work and contribution to both club and country.
Oshoala said, “As I said earlier, my goal is always to beat my previous records, so beating my previous records will see me at some point equaling or even beating some records in Europe in terms of goals and all that. That is bound to give you some more recognition.I am already being recognised in Europe, so if I get nominated for the award, I will see it as deserving because I have really worked hard to be at that level. It will be a dream come true if I make the list someday.”
The 27-year old footballer is described as one of the biggest female football brand that Nigeria and Africa as a whole have ever produced. She was instrumental in Barcelona Femeni treble campaign last season.
She became the first African woman to win the UEFA Women Champions League after her side defeated Chelsea women 4-nil last season. She scored a total of 22 goals at the 2020/2021 season with an average goal ratio of 1.01 goals/ 90 mins.
As Barcelona picked up from where they stopped last season, Oshoala has also continued her stellar performance, bagging nine goals in eight matches she had played this season. Her average goal per 90 minutes currently stand at 1.72 goals.
Speaking on her inclusion into a 21-member FIFA Advisory Group, Oshoala feel elated to be part of the committee — especially with her being the only African player to be invited, noting that the football governing body must have seen something in her before offered such role.
“I am really happy to be a part of this technical group; I am really happy to share my ideas and what I feel is happening in Africa as it concerns football. At the end of the day, it is to bring forward the errors and what is making us stay back with the ambition of making things better. The goal is to make African football get to the next level.
“I didn’t ask for this, neither did I apply, so for them to contact me to ask me to be a part of this, they would have seen a thing or two about me and what I have been doing so far,” she said.
