Super Falcons striker and Barcelona talisman Asisat Oshoala is now the first African woman to score a goal in three separate FIFA Women’s World Cups.
The 28-year-old prolific Super Falcons striker who started her national team career in 2014 set this record on Thursday when she scored the third goal in Nigeria’s 3-2 win over Australia, the co-hosts of the ongoing 2023 Women’s World Cup.
The former Liverpool and Arsenal forward, who is currently contracted to FC Barcelona women’s team, scored the record-setting goal in the 77th minute.
Oshoala has played in three Women’s World Cups, 2015, 2019, and 2023, and in each of those editions of the global tournament, she has scored a goal. No other African woman has been so successful in the tournament.
The record five-time African woman player of the year winner scored her first World Cup goal in Nigeria’s 3-3 group stage draw against Sweden in the 2015 Women’s World Cup hosted by Canada.
In the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted in France, Asisat Oshoala scored her second World Cup goal. This time around, the goal came against South Korea.
And then in the 2023 Women’s World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, Oshoala got her third World Cup in a five-goal thriller against Australia even as there strong indications that she might increase her goal tally when Super Falcons take on Republic of Ireland in the last group match on Monday
After her goal against Australia, Oshoala was quoted as saying: “As I have always said, each tournament I go to, I always want to make sure I give everything for my teammates and fight for this badge.
“Nigeria is the best country in the world. Naija for life! Let’s go!”
