AFCON 2025
Veteran Super Falcons defender Osinachi Ohale has announced her retirement from international football, bringing an end to a 16-year career with the Nigerian national team.
The 34-year-old centre-back announced her decision on Friday in an emotional statement on Instagram, describing it as one of the hardest decisions of her life.
“After 16 years of wearing the Nigerian jersey, representing my country, and giving everything I had to the beautiful game, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from international football.”
Ohale made her Super Falcons debut in 2010 and went on to earn 86 senior international caps, establishing herself as one of the most experienced defenders in the history of the team.
Her international career spanned several generations of Super Falcons players and coaches and included four FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023.
She also featured at seven Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and won five continental titles with Nigeria in 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2024.
Another significant achievement came during Nigeria’s qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, when the Super Falcons returned to the Olympics for the first time in 16 years.
Memorable World Cup moment
One of the defining moments of Ohale’s international career came at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Against co-hosts Australia in Brisbane, the defender scored Nigeria’s second goal in a thrilling 3-2 victory. Her performance earned her the Player of the Match award.
Two years later, Ohale was again on the scoresheet in a major tournament final.
At the 2024 WAFCON, held in Morocco in July 2025, she scored as Nigeria came from two goals down to defeat the hosts 3-2 in the final and reclaim the African title.
Ohale’s final appearance for the Super Falcons came against South Africa in the 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification play-off, with Nigeria ultimately missing out on qualification for the tournament.
Despite ending her international career, Ohale is not retiring from football altogether. She continues to play club football with Mexican Liga MX Femenil side Pachuca, following previous spells with Houston Dash, clubs in Sweden, AS Roma and Alavés.
