26-year-old Nigerian and FC Barcelona player, Asisat Oshoala has emerged the first African woman to win the UEFA Champions League.
Asisat Oshoala was substituted in the 71st minute of the finals with Barcelona defeating Chelsea 4–0 on the 16th of May, 2021.
Before the game in Gothenburg, the four-time African Women’s Player of the Year claimed that Barca had learned from their final defeat to Lyon in 2019.
In her words:
“Now, we have the experience of how European football is and also how a top game like this is played. I think we’re going to be better with our tactics this year, how we go out and play and everything.”
In 2019, Oshoala scored Barcelona’s only goal in a 4–1 defeat to Lyon in the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final, becoming the first African and Nigerian to score in a Champions League Final.
Oshoala was the highest goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and was named best player at the tournament. She was also named best player and second top goalscorer with the Super Falcons team that won the 2014 African Women’s Championship.
In September 2014, Oshoala became a member of the Order of the Niger by President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan. In March, she was named among Forbes 30 Under 30 inspirational women.