Super Falcons and FC Barcelona striker Asistat Oshoala has name Mercy Akide-Udoh and Perpetua Nkwocha as her role models, stating that she took inspiration from the two formal stars ever since she was growing up.
Asisat Oshoala. Photo credit: Nairaland
Oshoala won her first-ever league title recently with Spanish giants Barcelona.
The 25-year-old attacker was sensational during the course of the canceled campaign, scoring 26 goals in all competitions, of which 20 were in the Spanish women’s top-flight league, which she admitted left her truly elated, even as she also congratulated her teammates, the technical, their fans and her well-wishers at home in Nigeria.
Oshoala’s testimony comes few hours after confirmation came that she had won her first European league title, sequel to reports that Barca Femeni had been officially declared as winners of the 2019/20 women’s Liga season.
Spain’s football Federation (RFEF) opted to cancel the ongoing campaign, which had been suspended due to influx of coronavirus, and the decision ensured champions’ status for Oshoala’s side, who were leading the Primera División Femenina table with 59 focuses from 21 matches before the season was stopped in March.
At that point, Oshoala had a personal haul of 26 goals, including a two against UD Tacon in January, which put her at par with the scoring form displayed years back by Akide who won the first ever Africa Women Footballer of The Year award in 2001, and Nkwocha, the first player to nick the continental gong four times.
Having equaled Nkwocha’s feat by taking the diadem in 2019, following earlier conquests in 2014, 2016 and 2017, Oshoala has now confessed how much she adored the legendary duo that set the stage for great things in Nigerian football across Africa and the world, even as she hopes to continue achieving greater things than the twosome pulled off during their time.
Oshoala told NFF media: “My favourite players were Mercy Akide and Perpetua Nkwocha. Perpetua was the player that when they come from abroad, I watched her closely when I just joined the Falcons and I admired her a lot.
“She doesn’t know but as a young girl, there are these people you look up to and want to be like. I love Perpetua’s style of play. I followed her closely when I was first called up to the Super Falcons camp and I learned a lot of things from her. For Mercy, I used to watch her games.
“I really modeled my game after them because these are female players that I always watched when I was pretty young. She will be the link between the midfield and attack. She plays more like a No. 10. She likes to get the ball and bring it forward.”
She reeled out her team’s statistics, which she said made them justified champs, despite Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) cutting the season short due to the effects of coronavirus pandemic, and handed her table-topping side the title.
Oshoala posted on social media: “21 games played, 19 won, two draws, 0 defeat, 86 goals for and six against. Top of the league since game day Three. I’m just gonna say we have the best team @ FCBfemeni , congratulations my queens, ever working technical crew, fans all around the world. WE MADE IT! CHAMPIONS 19/20.”
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