Super Falcons midfielder Ngozi Okobi has been left devastated following her exclusion from Nigeria’s list to next month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup billed for Australia and New Zealand.
PREMIUM TIMES reported on Friday the 23 players selected by coach Randy Waldrum for the biggest Women’s World Cup ever and Okobi was one of the high-profile names missing in the star-studded list.
Always Underrated
Reacting to the development via a post on her Twitter handle on Saturday, Okobi admitted she is helpless as she can virtually do nothing to alter the list already sent to the world football governing body, FIFA.
The 29-year-old said it is unfortunate the people she has had the chance to work with have consistently underrated her.
But while she remains pained by her unfortunate omission, Okobi who now plies her trade in the Spanish Liga F with Levante Las Planas has taken solace in the show of love from her fans and well-wishers who have all continued to question the rationale for her not making the final Super Falcons shortlist.
She wrote: “The more tag notifications I get on my phone the more I keep crying 😭. What a show of love, I know am always underrated by the people I work with, I never knew my fans, family and loved ones still believe in me. Thank you all
It’s broken to be left out but what can I do, NOTHING. ”
The more tag notifications I get on my phone the more I keep crying 😭. What a show of love, I know am always underrated by the people I work with, I never knew my fans, family and love once still believe in me. Thank you all
It’s broken to be left out but what can I do, NOTHING.— ngozi okobi (@NgoziOkobi) June 17, 2023
Seen it all
Over the years, Okobi has grown through the Nigerian women’s teams and she is seen as one of the most experienced at the moment.
She played at the 2008 and 2010 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and later at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with the Falconets.
At the senior level, Okobi has also paid her dues; winning a couple of AWCON titles with the Super Falcons and also playing at the World Cup.
Having played a key role at the last AWCON tournament in Morocco where Nigeria secured qualification for the showpiece in Australia and New Zealand, Okobi understandably will be displeased she has been denied what might probably be her last realistic chance to feature at the Women’s World Cup.
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