How Nnadozie, Falcons Goalkeeper achieve her breakthrough, paying N10,000 only

The Super Falcons have finally qualified for the Olympics. It’s your first time in the Games, so you should feel excited about the prospect of showcasing your abilities on the world stage once again.

It’s an amazing feeling that we were able to make it. I have always dreamt about playing in the Olympics and finally, we have been able to achieve this. I am really happy that the Games are being held in France. France is like a home away from home for me, and I’m delighted that the tournament is taking place there. I really want to play in it, in my adopted country and city. Paris is an incredible place; it’s so beautiful, and the people are great. I feel so at home there. Sometimes I even feel like I’m back in Nigeria because everything I need is there. You have had an impressive career so far, much like many successful footballers. Can you share some of the challenges you faced before reaching this level? When I was growing up, there were a few things that really disturbed me while playing. One of them was the challenge of providing my own football equipment like shoes, gloves, and jerseys because the club or academy didn’t provide them. I had to buy everything myself, and sometimes I had to play barefoot or with bare hands because it was difficult to get the necessary gear. Secondly, food was also a problem during my academy days. Sponsors didn’t provide food, so we had to walk around begging for food on the streets or ask friends and fans for money to buy food. Sometimes we could only afford cheap meals at local restaurants. These were the most difficult challenges I faced while playing and growing up in Nigeria. I kept on going because of my dad, you know. At one point, he was convinced that I would never succeed in life.

He had already decided that I would amount to nothing. Considering our background, I came from a very poor family. I know it’s tough to admit, but I have to be honest. Seeing my mom’s hardships, our struggles to put food on the table, and many other challenges, I realized that people were making a living from playing football. I’ve witnessed individuals becoming successful because of football, and that became my motivation. Even when my dad kicked me out of the house for not wanting to learn a trade or work, I continued to motivate myself, using him as my inspiration. I gave myself a deadline – I told myself that if nothing came of my football career by the time I turned 20, I go back to my dad, apologize, and ask for his forgiveness. I was ready to start working then because going to university was never an option due to our financial situation, even though I had completed my secondary education. By the grace of God, I received my first call-up to the under-17 team. This was a significant breakthrough for me. When my dad saw me on television, he was overjoyed and called me back home, saying I was his daughter after all. So I think he was really the one that made me push so hard to get to this point because I really want to prove to him that girls do play football and you can become someone in life by playing football.

Impressive! You should feel bad towards your dad for sending you out of the house for choosing football…

To be honest, I understand that my father was trying to help me become a better person through football. He had played himself, but nothing came out of it. My older brother played as well, with no success. Even my cousin’s sister is a footballer, and I played with her, but nothing came of it. My father would often say that football leads to nothing, and although I didn’t initially appreciate his approach, I eventually realized that he was trying to bring out the best in me. I even joked with my mom, asking if he was really my father, but she confirmed it. I just took it as his way of wanting the best for me. I didn’t take it too hard. Yeah, I understand him.

Your journey to greatness began in the Nigerian league with Rivers Angels. How did you make your way to that great club?

I have always dreamt of playing for Rivers Angels; at one point, I was even willing to pay someone to help me achieve this dream. Someone promised to take me to Rivers Angels if I paid her. She asked my family for 10,000 Naira to make it happen. My mom was trying to gather the money to give to her. Fortunately, there was a competition called Airtel Rising Stars hosted in Port Harcourt. My friend invited me to play for her team, and despite my usual reluctance, I went. It was my first time in Port Harcourt, and I didn’t even know that Rivers Angels was based there. I didn’t know much about Rivers Angels, but I admired the success they brought to Nigerian football. After the competition, I was named the best goalkeeper in front of the team manager and the coaches. They invited me to the Rivers Angels camp, and I was surrounded by many talented players. When they offered me my first contract, it felt like a dream come true. I was overjoyed and excited, although also a bit scared, being a young girl. I think I was 15 or 16 when I signed with Rivers Angels. Many people discouraged me, saying I was too young and that Rivers Angels already had many talented goalkeepers. Despite the discouragement, I was thrilled. I called my mom to share the news that I was now a professional footballer in Nigeria and would be getting paid. It was a dream come true, and I couldn’t believe how everything had unfolded.

There was a story that you didn’t even start your career as a goalkeeper, how true is this?

I’ve been a player since childhood. I’ve always been playing. All those stories I told you, happened when I was still playing. It was 2012, and I was a very good player, a top striker. I was fast. Even now, I’m still fast. When I was with River Angels, I was the fastest player in River Saint-Georges. You can ask the coach to confirm this. I have a lot of skills that people don’t know about because I’m always in goal. I’m skilful. I can play like a field player and do anything. In 2012, at my academy in Owerri, we were playing a game against the boys and we were losing 11-2. Our goalkeeper was exhausted and was the only one who came to the game that day. So, I asked the coach if I could help her. He thought I was confused, asking if I was a player or a goalkeeper. I told him that when I played with my big brothers in the village, they always put me in goal because I wasn’t as strong as them, and they didn’t want to injure me. So, I had some experience. The coach agreed to let me try. I went in for the last two minutes and made two good saves. After the match, the coach was impressed. He called me the next day and said he saw something special in me and wanted to convert me into a goalkeeper. At first, I resisted because I was one of the best players on the team. He gave me an ultimatum: if I accepted, I would be on the team for the 2012 festival; if not, he would drop me for senior players. I felt he was being sentimental, but he insisted he wanted to help me. I cried, but my friends advised me to give it a try. So, the next day, I started as a goalkeeper, playing with bare hands and barefoot. That’s how I began my journey as a goalkeeper. Sometimes, I regret not continuing as a field player when I see others scoring. I wonder where I would have been if I had kept playing.

In the 2019 World Cup, you were very young and no one expected you to play, but you ended up breaking a record as the youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in the history of the tournament….

I never believed such moments would happen in my life. You know, in the Super Falcons, we have so many big goalkeepers. I’m just the smallest, but I made the 23-man list for the World Cup and had the opportunity to play, which was great for me. During the game, the coach wanted to sub for me, but something happened. The first back pass they gave me, I dribbled, and the coach was scared. He told me to stop dribbling. When they gave me the second back pass, I did the same thing and almost lost the ball. The coach then decided to make a substitution and told me to warm up. I heard him say that he was changing me right away, but maybe some of the other coaches spoke to him and convinced him to leave me on. I was lucky to keep a clean sheet and break a very big record. It made me feel so great and special. Even today, remembering those records keeps motivating me to believe that I can do more.

You have achieved so much there will still be some grounds you hope to conquer, can you share them with us?

There are so many things I want to achieve in my career, but I have two big dreams. Firstly, I want to win a league title with my club. Secondly, I want to win a world trophy with Nigeria, not just an African trophy. I’ve already won African trophies for Nigeria a few times, so I mean a world trophy, like the Olympics or the World Cup. Achieving these two things would mean a lot to me. Once I’ve accomplished these goals, I think I’ll be satisfied, but these are my main ambitions. Winning a trophy with my team and winning a world trophy with Nigeria are my top priorities. I truly believe we can do it. I have a lot of faith in my team. Do the right thing, even when nobody’s watching you. For example, some footballers, maybe if they’re in personal training, cheat because nobody’s watching them. And they think maybe they are cheating on those who gave them the training programme.