Cynthia Ezegwu
Super Falcons striker, Ifeoma Onumonu, has announced her retirement from professional football, bringing an end to a distinguished career that spanned more than two decades.
The 31-year-old Nigerian international, who represented the country at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, disclosed her decision in a statement shared via her Instagram page on Saturday.
“It is with a heart full of gratitude that I bid farewell to my playing career on the pitch,” Onumonu wrote, reflecting on her journey which began at the age of eight.
Onumonu enjoyed a successful club career in the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), where she won the championship title and played for several clubs, including Boston Breakers, Portland Thorns, Reign FC, Utah Royals, and NJ/NY Gotham FC. She later moved to Europe, joining French side Montpellier HSC.
READ ALSO: Super Falcons Skipper Rasheedat Ajibade Signs for PSG Féminine
On the international stage, she featured for Nigeria at the Olympics and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, while also contributing to the Super Falcons’ record 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title.
“Now, 22 years later, I feel I have reached a natural conclusion to that discovery. It has been an incredible journey,” she said. “This is not a goodbye to football, but a new beginning. I am excited to explore opportunities off the pitch, using the skills and lessons learned from my time on it.”
The forward expressed appreciation to coaches, teammates, medical staff, fans, friends, and family who supported her career, adding that her love for the game remains undiminished despite her retirement from active play.