Canadian club Ottawa Rapid have signed Super Falcons midfielder Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene. The deal comes just four months after she gave birth to her first child.
The Nigerian joins the side ahead of its inaugural Northern Super League (NSL) season.
Okobi-Okeoghene, who is a four-time African champion with the Super Falcons has 75 caps for Nigeria. Her experience and exposure is seen as huge boost for Ottawa Rapid.
“Ngozi Sonia Okobi-Okeoghene is a dynamic, offensively minded player with a wealth of experience at the highest levels of the game,” said Kristina Kiss, Rapid’s technical director, via Canadian Soccer Daily.
“Her strong 1 vs. 1 attacking abilities make her a constant threat on the ball, and her sharp decision-making ensures she’s always creating dangerous opportunities for her team.”
Okobi-Okeoghene’s career has spanned stints in the NWSL with Washington Spirit, Sweden’s Vittsjö, and Spain’s Levante Las Planas.
On the international stage, she played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations triumphs in 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Her appearances at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cups further cemented her reputation as one of Africa’s finest midfielders, a recognition highlighted by her inclusion in the IFFHS CAF Women’s Team of the Decade for 2011–2020.
The former Delta Queens star announced the arrival of her child in September, sharing a touching post on social media featuring herself cradling her newborn. The photos followed an earlier reveal of her pregnancy, where she joyfully displayed her baby bump.
She has been married to Ahmed Okeoghene since 2017. Weeks after her wedding, she returned to action for Nigeria in the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations. She, however, missed the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the Paris Olympics last year due to her pregnancy.
Okobi-Okeoghene becomes the first African international in the NSL, adding star power to Ottawa Rapid as they prepare for their debut season.
Soccernet.com
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