Onome Ebi retires after a record-breaking two-decade career with Nigeria’s Super Falcons, ending an era in African football.
The 41-year-old icon vows to mentor young players and keep promoting women’s football.
Former Super Falcons captain Onome Ebi has officially retired from professional football, bringing an end to a career that spanned two decades and rewrote African football history.
Ebi, 41, announced her decision in a heartfelt post on her official X handle on Wednesday.
“Today, I officially retire from professional football,” she wrote. “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.”
Ebi began her career at Bayelsa Queens FC in Nigeria before moving abroad to play for Piteå IF and Djurgårdens IF in Sweden.
She later featured in the Turkish Women’s First League with Düvenciler Lisesispor and Ataşehir Belediyespor, making her UEFA Champions League debut in 2012 with the latter.
Her international career with the Super Falcons started in 2003, and she went on to become Nigeria’s most capped female footballer with 109 appearances.
Ebi made history on 6 July 2019, when she became the first African male or female to feature in five FIFA World Cups. She later extended that record by playing at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
At age 40, she set yet another milestone by appearing as a substitute in Nigeria’s 3–2 win over Australia, becoming the first African player to compete in six FIFA World Cup tournaments.
Ebi was a key figure in Nigeria’s dominance in women’s football across Africa. She represented the country in multiple editions of the African Women’s Championship (now WAFCON), winning the continental title four times in 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018.
Beyond her on-field exploits, Ebi has been celebrated for her leadership, resilience, and advocacy for women’s football in Africa. Her retirement marks the end of an era for the Super Falcons, but she has pledged to remain active in mentoring the next generation of female players.
