FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Meet Onome Ebi, the oldest player in the tournament

This year’s tournament features Onome Ebi, the seasoned Nigerian captain who, at 40, is proving that years of experience can be key to winning titles, on and off the pitch.

Joel Omotto, bird story agency

Onome Ebi, the captain of Nigeria, seems to be getting better with age. Despite her 40 years, she possesses immense strength and talent and shows no indication of slowing down.

Ebi is a central defender and an essential Super Falcons squad member at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She also holds the remarkable distinction of being the first African player – female or male – to participate in six football World Cups.

She attributes her longevity to a healthy diet, discipline and dedication.

“I’ve got a very special relationship with food. That said, I don’t overdo it because that could be disastrous,” said Ebi, who trains alongside male footballers to be able to handle the challenges thrown her way.

“When you’re a player my age, the real challenge is to keep reinventing yourself. That’s why I like to push and test myself against male players, because it helps me maintain a certain physical tempo and to have more stamina, which is vital when you’re a defender.”

Another participant in the tournament is also 40 years old – Christine Sinclair from Canada. She is younger than Ebi by 35 days.

Ebi was selected for her first World Cup at the 2003 edition in Germany. She debuted as a substitute in the 85th minute of a game that saw Nigeria go down 3-0 to South Korea. At the time, she was 20 years old.

The Lagos native’s first major career move came at 17 when she joined Omidiran Babes, one of Nigeria’s oldest clubs, before making her World Cup debut three years later.

“I would never have imagined that it would be the first World Cup match of so many,” said Ebi.

She has since played at four more World Cup events; 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019, before the this year’s edition and has also played professionally for ten clubs in Africa, Europe and Asia.

The centre-back is currently playing for the Spanish top-tier team Levante Las Planas, which she joined last September. In Nigeria she also played with the Bayelsa Queens before venturing overseas to seek better opportunities.

After leaving Nigeria, she signed with Swedish clubs Pitea and Djurgarden, followed by stints in Turkey with Duvenciler Lisesispor and Atasehir Belediyespor. She then returned to Sweden to play for Sunnana SK before spending three years with the Chinese club Henan Jianye.

She also played for Belarusian club FC Minsk and won four domestic titles during her time there.

Ebi has also been to seven Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, winning four.

In 2022 she was part of the Women’s Cup of Nations when favourites Nigeria crashed out, finishing fourth and failing to defend their title. Her performance was heavily criticised, with some calling for her exclusion from the team while others wanted her to retire altogether. Some of that criticism focused more on her personally than on her football.

“If some people don’t like seeing a 40-year-old woman looking as comfortable in high heels as she does in football boots, then that’s their problem. Their comments don’t grate on me; on the contrary, they drive me to excel,” she said.

“I’m proud of who I am; I’ve got a vast amount of experience and I’m putting it to good use with my team and my country. You know, it’s often said that if you’re not making waves, no-one talks about you, but the moment you get some forward momentum, you’ll attract criticism as well as praise. And so, I chose to move forward.”

With that determined attitude, Ebi has become a vital member of Randy Waldrum’s side in Australia and New Zealand. She provides leadership on and off the pitch, helping the younger players cope with the pressure and demands of playing for the national team.

bird story agency

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