Onome Ebi Bows Out: Nigerian Football Icon Retires from International Duty After Historic Career

Veteran defender and former captain of Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Onome Ebi, has officially announced her retirement from professional football, bringing an illustrious career spanning over two decades to a close.

Ebi, 42, made the announcement via her official X (formerly Twitter) account, stating:  “Today, I officially retire from professional football. 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.”

Onome Ebi leaves behind a legacy unmatched in African football history. She earned 109 international caps for Nigeria — the most by any Super Falcons player. She made six FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023), becoming the first African footballer, male or female, to achieve this feat. She also won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations four times (2010, 2014, 2016, 2018).

Her club career began with Omidiran Babes in 2001, followed by stints at Bayelsa Queens and several international clubs including Piteå IF in Sweden.