Nigeria Squad for FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 - Team Formation and What to Expect?

 

The Nigeria Women’s World Cup 2023 squad has the hopes of a continent on their shoulders, the nation by far Africa's most successful team in its history.

Having qualified for every edition of the Women's World Cup, Nigeria's best performance in the tournament came in 1999 where they reached the quarter-finals. Four years ago, they crashed out in the last 16 in a 3-0 defeat to Germany, but approaching the tournament in Australia and New Zealand with confidence. 

 With hosts Australia, plus Republic of Ireland and Canada in their group, Nigeria will fancy their chances of causing a few upsets and progressing to the knockout stages. While it's not expected, Nigeria are serial winners, as evidenced by their 11 wins in 14 Women's Africa Cup of Nations since the tournament's inception in 1991.

Make up of the Current Squad

Super Falcons where dethroned as African champions, beaten by Morocco in the Semi final in a game that showed the great quality and character of the Nigerian team. Played with eight players after their two key players were sent out through red card, yet they dragged the game from 68 minutes through extra time and only lost by penalty shoot out.

Some say the Nigerian team is aging out with old war horse like Onome Ebi still trudging at age 40. Other star players like Francisca Ordega (29) and striker Desire Oparanozie (also 29) are no longer in their prime.

Key players: Asisat Oshoala, Rasheed at Ajibade and Onome Ebi (Captain of the team)

The Nigeria squad is experienced too, with Barcelona's Asisat Oshoala scoring 21 goals in Spain's Primera Division this season, while Atletico Madrid's Rasheedat Ajibade is a promising player expected to make her name in the summer. 

Recent friendly victories against Haiti and New Zealand provide encouraging signs as well - don't write Nigeria off too early.

Nigeria's manager: Randy Waldrum - Who is he?

Randy Waldrum is the current manager of Nigeria Women's football team, the 66-year-old having managed since 1978, when he took over the Pittsburg State University Women's team.

He spent time in charge of a range of different American universities, in both men's and women's side of the sport, before being appointed the head coach of Trinidad and Tobago Women's side in 2014. He simultaneously filled that role alongside his position as manager of Houston Dash, though Trinidad and Tobago fired him after two years. 

In October 2020, Waldrum was appointed the head coach of Nigeria women's national football team, barely three years after turning down the job. 

He has been saddled with rebuilding the team and bringing some fresh legs, mostly ladies of Nigerian decent playing abroad in USA and England: Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City),  Toni Payne (Sevilla), Ifeoma Onumonu (NJ/NY Gotham)...

Team Formation and Style of Play

Apart from introducing some new players into the team, nothing has really changed in the style of play or team philosophy. Waldrum still plays a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2. With hope he can explore into the hidden strength of the team  as displayed during their defeat to Morocco during AWCON 2022.

Super Falcons fortune may have dwindled with Waldrum in charge, in his course of building a more competitive team, with South Africa's banyana banyana making sure they out played the team to win Aisha Buhari cup in Lagos and to dethrone them as African champions in Morocco.

Now Nigeria are in World Cup Group B with Australia, Ireland and Canada, their first World Cup fixture is against Canada on July 21 and below is the squad released by Randy Waldrum. Well, nothing much is expected:

1. GK: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC)

2. GK: Yewande Balogun (Saint-Étienne) 

3. GK: Tochukwu Oluehi (Hakkarigücü Spor)

4. DF: Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alavés)

5. DF: Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City)

6. DF: Oluwatosin Demehin (Reims)

7. DF: Rofiat Imuran (Reims)

8. DF: Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash)

9. DF: Onome Ebi (Levante Las Planas)

10. DF: Glory Ogbonna (ALG Spor)

11. MF: Halimatu Ayinde (Rosengård)

12. MF: Christy Ucheibe (Benfica)

13. MF: Toni Payne (Sevilla)

14. MF: Jennifer Echegin (Florida Seminoles)

15. MF: Deborah Abiodun (Bittsburgh)

16. FW: Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)

17. FW: Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow)

18. FW: Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville FC)

19. FW: Ifeoma Onumonu (NJ/NY Gotham)

20. FW: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atlético Madrid)

21. FW: Desire Oparanozie (Wuhan Chegu Jianghan)

22. FW: Ijeoma Okoronkwo (Saint-Étienne)

23. FW: Gift Monday (UD Granadilla Tenerife)

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