Media Team
Ashleigh Plumptre, the England-raised defender for the Super Falcons, revealed how her new teammates initially doubted her Nigerian heritage.
She explained that this skepticism arose during her first training session with the Nigerian women’s national squad.
Originally from Leicester, Plumptre featured in more than 25 matches for England’s youth teams before securing FIFA approval to switch her international allegiance to Nigeria, thanks to her paternal grandfather’s roots.
Her debut with the Super Falcons came in July 2021 during an eight-day preparation camp in Austria ahead of the Aisha Buhari Cup.
Since she hadn’t played competitive matches for England’s senior team, Plumptre was eligible to represent Nigeria.
“My first camp was in 2021, a training session in Austria…” Plumptre shared during an interview with Lagos Talks 91.3.
“At first, the team wasn’t sure what to make of me. For them, it was unusual. They kept asking, ‘How exactly are you Nigerian?’
“Usually, I just show them a photo of my father, and they immediately understand.”
The Saudi Pro League defender featured in all of Nigeria’s matches at the latest WAFCON in Morocco, missing only the final group-stage draw against Algeria.
