Super Falcons oldest and experience defender Onome Ebi, 37, has explained why it is difficult for players to make 100 caps for Nigeria.
Only three players in both male and female senior national teams have reached the century mark in their national career. Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama, and former Super Falcons assistant coach Maureen Mmadu are the only players who have played more than 100 games for the country.
Ebi believes lack of proper structure and academy in the country is one of the major challenges.
The Chinese-base defender opined that Nigeria needs to learn from other countries and establish enough academies that will produce young talents for the country.
“I will say in Nigeria we catch talents old, while other countries catch them young, in other countries that I’ve played, there are plenty academy and most players moved to national from 15, 16 years of age.”
“It’s difficult in Nigeria, no academy, you have to start from the amateur league and that will take years before one gets to a top-level,” she said.
The 2018 NFF-Aiteo Player of the Year On 6 July 2019, became the first African Footballer to play in five FIFA World Cup Tournaments, taking part in the 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015, 2019 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Ebi was also a member of the Nigerian squad in 6 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, AWCON in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 editions winning the tournament four times 2010, 2014) 2016 and 2018
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
