Falode: Oshoala’s Facebook Account Was Cloned. She Has Not Retired 

A Member of the board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Aisha Falode, has refuted claims in the sporting media, that six-time African Player of the Year, Asisat Oshoala, has retired from international duties for Nigeria.

According to Falode, the Facebook account purported to belong to Oshoala that announced her “retirement” on Monday was a cloned one.

“Asisat (Oshoala) has not spoken with any journalist on any plan to quit the national team. That Facebook account was cloned for whatever purpose. For a player that has given her best time to the senior national team, she does not deserve to be treated this way for whatever reason. 

“Anyone wanting her out of the Super Falcons should not resort to this shameful tactic,” Falode told THISDAY on telephone from Morocco few minutes before Super Falcons defeated South Africa to reach the final of the WAFCON 2024.

The veteran broadcast sports journalist advised sportswriters and bloggers on social media to verify their news before rushing to publish.

Oshoala yesterday evening corroborated Falode’s statement by posting a meme as she’s fond of doing on social media.

That meme had a man trying to subdue a bull, and Oshoala captioned it, “The day I catch that journalist…ogun kill am.”

The Monday phoney Facebook account bearing all similarities with Oshoala’s account, had even gone ahead to quote the former Barcelona Femeni forward as saying she was stepping away for emerging talents to shine on the global stage.

Oshoala’s illustrious career is adorned with a record six CAF Women’s Player of the Year titles (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023), making her the most decorated player in the history of African women’s football. 

Her relentless drive, goal-scoring prowess, and global impact have made her a role model for countless young athletes across the continent.