“There’s a strong bond between Nigeria and Paris” – Rasheedat Ajibade on PSG move

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye

Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade has expressed her admiration for the long-standing connection between Nigeria and Paris Saint-Germain following her move to the French giants, where she will now link up with fellow Nigerian international Jennifer Echegini.

The 24-year-old forward has penned a contract running until 2027, leaving Atlético de Madrid to begin a new chapter with PSG ahead of the coming season.

Ajibade and Echegini were both integral to Nigeria’s recent success at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, where the Super Falcons claimed a record-extending 10th continental crown.

Ajibade’s performances earned her the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 Woman of the Tournament award, underlining her influence.

Reflecting on her transfer, Ajibade stressed PSG’s unique connection to Nigerian football.

“In Nigeria, PSG is one of the most popular clubs. If you look at the success of their men’s team, especially winning the Champions League, that’s a huge factor.

“We also had a player like Jay-Jay Okocha who played for the club. He’s an icon and a legend for us — we don’t take him lightly at all.

“PSG left a big impression on Nigeria because of Okocha, his amazing skills, and everything he represented.”

She added: “There’s a strong connection between Paris and Nigeria, and I think most Nigerian players, both boys and girls, dream of playing for Paris Saint-Germain one day.”

Okocha famously represented PSG between 1998 and 2002, making 84 appearances and scoring 12 goals during his four-year spell.

Ajibade is expected to join her new teammates immediately as PSG prepare for a demanding campaign across domestic and European competitions.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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