On Wednesday, 13th September 2023, Desire Oparanozie announced her retirement from football. This announcement came as a shock to many. We take a look at some of Desire Oparanozie’s best moments. She scored 22 goals in 35 games for the Super Falcons.
In 2010, Oparanozie was the lead striker of the Falconets, and they got to the final of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, making them the first African Women’s team to play in the final of any FIFA organized tournament.
Oparanozie scored a goal in the final of the 2010 WAFCON, helping Nigeria to wrestle the title from Equatorial Guinea.
In 2011, she made her senior World Cup debut.
At the U20 Women’s World Cup in 2012, she scored a brilliant header in extra time against Mexico, to send the Falconets to their second consecutive semifinal at the World Cup.
In 2014, she scored a brilliant free kick in the final of the WAFCON against Cameroon, Nigeria won the tournament.
In 2016, she scored a brilliant free kick against South Africa, to send the Falcons to the final of the WAFCON.
In the 2016 WAFCON final, Desire Oparanozie scored what would probably be her most memorable for Nigeria. She scored a late winner in Cameroon as Nigeria beat Cameroon 1-0 to win the WAFCON.
She scored goals at the 2018 WAFCON which was also won by Nigeria.
Nigeria has NEVER failed to win a WAFCON tournament which she played in.
She scored in the final of three WAFCON tournaments and Nigeria won all of them. She has the second most Semifinal and Final WAFCON goals, second only to the legendary Perpetua Nkwocha.
She was captain of the Super Falcons to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France and led the team to their first round of 16 game in 20 years.
She is indeed a Super Falcons and Nigerian legend.