Football Came to me Naturally - Azizat Lamina Oshola

Super Falcons forward Azizat Lamina Oshoala  who plies her trade with Liverpool’s female football team is the reigning African Women’s Footballer of the Year and dusted off the challenge from other contenders which included Spain’s Veronica Boquete, Germany’s Nadine Kessler and Scotland’s Kim Little and Brazilian forward, Marta, to win the BBC top prize. Born 9 October 1994, Azizat is a Nigerian, from Ikorodu in Lagos state.

According to Azizat, Football came to me naturally. It was like a talent. I started playing on the street of Lagos Island with my friends, it was not as if someone taught me how to play. Someone just saw the talent in me and urged me to join the club side. So I joined FC Robo International of Lagos from there I moved to Rivers Angels FC Port- Harcourt.

The professional footballer who plays for Liverpool Ladies was the best player and highest goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She was also best player and second top goalscorer with the Super Falcons team who won the 2014 African Women's Championship.

Oshoala found success as a forward for Nigeria's youth teams but made most of her early appearances for the senior national team as an attacking midfielder. She was nicknamed "Seedorf" after male footballer Clarence Seedorf. In September 2014 Azizat was made a Member of the Order of the Niger by President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan.

Azizat joined Liverpool ladies on January  23,  2015. She incurred the wrath of her parents when she dropped out of school to pursue a football career. 

According to Azizat, “At the beginning they didn’t really appreciate me going into football. They wanted me to go to school. But I said: ‘It’s what I want. Football is what gives me happiness’. So they had no choice but to support me.”

Rebelling against her parents’ wishes made Azizat focused. “I told myself if I’m leaving school for football then I have to give the best and make sure I get something good out of football. Today I’m not regretting it,” she says, with a grin.

Azizat has been decorated with various honours, both Country and Individual as listed below:

Country Honours

African Women's Championship Winner: 2014

FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Runner-up: 2014

Individual Honours

BBC Women's Footballer of the Year: 2015

African Women's Footballer of the Year: 2014

African Women's Youth Player of the Year: 2014

African Women's Championship Golden Ball: 2014

FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Golden Boot: 2014

FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Golden Ball: 2014

Hard work and determination really pays...Congrats again Super Azizat.