Liverpool alum reacts to making her debut for Nigeria, three years after first senior England call-up

Liverpool alum Rinsola Babajide has taken to social media to react to making her senior debut for the Nigeria national team in a 2024 Olympic Games qualifier against Ethiopia staged in Addis Ababa on Wednesday, October 25.

The Nigeria Football Federation had been monitoring the progress of Babajide for several years but she initially fancied her chances of representing her country of birth, England at senior level, having played for the Young Lionesses. 

Three years ago, in September 2020, former coach of England's senor national team Phil Neville named her on a 30-player Lionesses roster for a training camp at St. George’s Park. 

Few years later and with an invitation to the England squad not forthcoming,  Babajide, who is now on the books of Spanish Liga F club UDG Tenerife, made an important irreversible decision to commit her international future to Nigeria. 

The 25-year-old received her first call-up to the Super Falcons for their Olympic Games qualifiers against Ethiopia after Fifa approved a request to change her association from England to Nigeria. 

Wearing the number 9 at the back of the jersey, Babajide came off the bench to replace Uchenna Kanu in the second half of the tie against Ethiopia and showed flashes of her flair in twenty minutes of action. 

Babajide posted on X: "Proud moment for me & my family making my debut! 25.10.23 A date to cherish forever".

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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