Super Falcons defender Onome Ebi has joined Naija Ratels in the Nigeria Women’s Football League on a one year deal as she draws close to the end of her career.
Onome returns to the Women’s league 15 years after she made her debut for Bayelsa Queens in 2008. Although she had previously played for Omidiran Babes for about seven years.
The former FC Minsk of Belarus defender on joining Naija Ratels said she joined the club not just to play alone but also to inspire young women footballers to aspire for greatness irrespective of the current challenges.
She added that she became a professional footballer in a difficult enviroment where women footbllers have to work twice as hard to become successful.
The veteran Super Falcons defender made this known via two posts she shared on her X page after she was unveiled.
“My joining Naija Ratels is beyond playing football. It’s about inspiring young upcoming female players from the grassroots to thank & believe that if they dare like I did, they can make history like I did in a climate where a woman ve to do twice as much work to achieve success”
“When I was very younger, I never had the opportunity to see or train with great legends like Florence Omagbemi and others who were my idols back then. Today, I’m a legend, making it in life as a Footballer in one of the most difficult climate any girl could possibly hope to play”
“I strongly think my story won’t be complete if I don’t accomplish the goal of giving back to the Nigerian league, which nurtured me to stardom.”
Onome Ebi’s football career spans through over two decades with appearances for different clubs in Europe, 6 Africa Women’s Championships , 6 FIFA World Cups and one Olympics in 2008.
In 2023 Onome Ebi became the first African footballer, male or female, to play in 6 FIFA World Cup Tournaments.
