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Onome Ebi has retired from football after an illustrious 24-year career.
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She made history with six World Cup appearances and four WAFCON titles for Nigeria.
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Ebi now turns to mentoring and guiding the next generation.
Nigeria defender Onome Ebi has announced her retirement from professional football, ending a remarkable 24-year career she began with Omidiran Babes in 2001 and which took her across Europe, Asia and Africa.
Also Read: Onome Ebi: FIFA Honours First African Woman in 6 World Cups
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She confirmed the decision on her social media platforms on Tuesday.
“Today, I officially retire from professional football,” – Ebi wrote.
The short statement signalled the close of a long and influential run; over two decades she earned a reputation for leadership, resilience and dependability on the biggest stages.
Since 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023, Ebi has participated in six FIFA World Cup competitions, making him the first African football player, male or female.
She won more than 100 caps for the Super Falcons, scored four international goals and helped Nigeria lift four Women’s Africa Cup of Nations titles (2010, 2014, 2016 and 2018).
At club level, she played in Sweden (Piteå, Djurgården), Turkey (Ataşehir Belediyespor), Belarus (FC Minsk), China (Henan Jianye) and finished at Naija Ratels.
Her club honours include two Turkish league titles, a Belarusian league crown and three domestic cups; she was also named in the IFFHS CAF Women’s Team of the Decade and the organisation’s Africa Women’s Dream Team.
https://punchng.com/ebi-announces-retirement-from-football/
Her final season, with Naija Ratels in 2023–24, was a deliberate return home to a club noted for its youth focus and organisation.
“The journey has been filled with challenges, victories, and lessons that shaped me into who I am today. Though I hang up my boots, my purpose in the game continues, to give back, to guide, and to be a voice for players,” – she added.
As Onome Ebi moves into mentoring and advocacy, her leadership will influence the next generation of African and Nigerian talent.
