- Ifeoma Onumonu announced her retirement from football with gratitude for her long career.
- She represented Nigeria at the Olympics, FIFA Women’s World Cup, and African Cup of Nations.
- Onumonu lifted the NWSL championship and helped the Super Falcons win their 10th continental title.
- The forward reflected on her journey, which began at age eight and lasted 22 years.
Super Falcons forward Ifeoma Onumonu has officially retired from football, concluding a professional career that stretched over a decade across the United States, France, and Nigeria.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram on Saturday, Onumonu described her retirement as a “natural conclusion” to a lifelong passion that started when she was just eight years old.
“It is with a heart full of gratitude that I bid farewell to my playing career on the pitch,” she wrote, recalling her early days with a youth team called Magic in the United States.
“We wore white, black, and green jerseys on the fields near my home. I don’t remember if I played a specific position or even passed the ball correctly. All I cared about was running fast and scoring. Winning or losing didn’t matter; I just loved playing,” she added.
The 31 year old forward highlighted the achievements of her 22 year journey, which included lifting an NWSL championship trophy, representing Nigeria at the Olympics and FIFA Women’s World Cup, and winning the African Cup of Nations with the Super Falcons for a historic 10th time.
Born in the United States, Onumonu made her senior debut for the Super Falcons in 2021. She was part of Nigeria’s squad at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and also played at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
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Onumonu contributed to the team’s African Cup of Nations triumph in Morocco in July 2025, marking Nigeria’s record extending 10th continental title.
Though her appearance in the tournament was limited to 54 minutes in a group stage draw against Algeria, she remained one of the squad’s senior players alongside veterans Tochukwu Oluehi, Osinachi Ohale, and Francisca Ordega.
