Meet Isabela Christina de Matos Uduezue: The Sao Paulo-born central defender eligible for Super Falcons

The name Isa Matos might sound relatively unfamiliar to the average Nigerian football fan without a knack for the women's game in particular. 

Isabela Christiana de Matos Uduezué was born in São Paulo on August 12, 2002 to a Nigerian father and a Brazilian mother.

She is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Atletico Miniero Femenino in the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino Série A1, the top division in Brazil. 

Isa Matos as she's fondly called, began her career as a youth player for Osasco Audax in 2018, Corinthians in 2019, Goiás in 2020, Santos in 2021, and Cortiba in 2022.

In attempts at first team football, She returned to Osasco Audax in 2019 and made two senior appearances after previously playing for their U17 team in 2018, alongside youth spells with Corinthians U17 and U18. 

In 2020 she then transferred to Juventus SP where she made seven appearances for the senior women's team in 2020 and moved to Goiás the following year. 

Although she previously featured for Goiás U18s in 2020 she never made an appearance for their senior women's team.

That same year, she joined Santos, spending two years at the club appearing for their U18s and U20s but was unable to make an appearance for their senior women's team. 

Throughout her time at Santos, she racked up 23 combined appearances between the U18s and U20s scoring three goals before joining Cortiba in 2022, featuring mainly for their U20s but never made an appearance for the senior women's team.

The following year, she transferred to her current club and established herself as a regular starter since the start of 2024.

By virtue of being born to a Nigerian father, she is eligible to represent the Super Falcons and could potentially don the colours of Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games if approached by the Nigeria Football Federation. 

Luckily for Nigeria, she is uncapped by Brazilian national team selections at any level. 

Her potential addition to the Nigeria women's national team would immensely boost the squad depth of the record African champions at the centre-back role with veterans like Osinachi Ohale heading towards their mid thirties and could also provide an invaluable partnership with the young and vibrant Oluwatosin Demehin in the future.

A resolute and astute center-back by trade, the 21-year old is comfortable playing out from the back and a dangerous threat in the box from set-pieces - priceless traits that would undoubtedly be an asset in the present Super Falcons backline.

Ejim Kaycee

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