‘An outstanding football career’ – CAF celebrates Oparanozie on retirement

Following her retirement from professional football, Desire Oparanozie has been honored by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Oparanozie declared her retirement from football on her X account on Wednesday, and her statement has attracted responses from former and current football players.

In response to the news, the continental football governing body CAF praised Oparanozie’s football career as being exceptional.

“It’s been an honour,” the CAF Women’s handle wrote on X.

Read Also: Oparanozie wins Chinese title with Wuhan Jianghan

𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐑 🇳🇬

An outstanding professional football career path has come to an end for the amazing Desire Oparanozie. 🏆

What a journey! 👏@oparanozie9 | @NGSuper_Falcons | #EmpoweringOurGame pic.twitter.com/opkIdE05Lb

— CAF Women’s Football (@CAFwomen) September 14, 2023

During the recently-concluded FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023, Oparanozie played for the Super Falcons.

The tournament would be her last for her country. Her previous appearances in the World Cup were in 2011, 2015, and 2019.

In the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018, Oparanozie was a member of the Super Falcons team, and she helped the team secure victories.

In the 2016 AWCON final, she scored the goal that gave the Falcons a 1-0 victory over the host country Cameroon.

The 29-year-old had announced her retirement on X, thanking her fans, family and friends.

…To every team and coach I have played for, to every mate I’ve played alongside, and to every opponent I have played against, thank you all for being part of this incredible journey. Thank you football, thank you Nigeria.
Desire Ugochi Oparanozie ✍🏾.

— oparanozie desire (@oparanozie9) September 13, 2023

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now