The 1990s marked a golden era for the Super Falcons, a period defined by the sheer strength of Mercy Akide, and the blistering pace of Patience Avre, Stella Mbachu, and Florence Omagbemi. Yet, among these stars, one shone exceptionally: Perpetua Nkwocha.
Possessing a blend of skill and ball intelligence reminiscent of Nigeria’s great football stars, Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu, Nkwocha redefined the boundaries of women’s football on the continent. Her name is synonymous with the Super Falcons’ dominance, proof of her unparalleled influence on the game. There’s no debate that Perpetua Nkwocha is Africa’s ultimate football queen.
Read More: A history of determination: What the Super Falcons’ Olympics score sheet looks like
Early Life
Perpetua Nkwocha was born on January 3, 1976, in Imo State, Nigeria. As a child, she showed an immense passion for football and played organised games in secondary school. In her words,
“I had always wanted to be a Reverend Sister [nun] or a Lawyer growing up, but my love for football was too much, and I followed my passion.”
The football lover had her first breakthrough in secondary school when her school was selected to represent her local government in a competition in Owerri zone, and she was chosen as one of the players. She joined and was scouted by elite clubs, appearing for Larry Angels (now River Angels) and Pelican Stars in the Nigerian league. Fueled by her passion, Nkwocha rose through the ranks, transforming her love for the game into a successful career.
Career
Nkwocha’s prowess on the field earned her a spot on the Nigerian women’s national team, the Super Falcons. Her strong tackles, midfield prowess, and leadership qualities quickly became crucial to the team’s backbone. She made her international debut in 1999 with the team and made up to 99 appearances for Nigeria, scoring 80 goals. Nkwocha’s performances in international competitions earned her respect and admiration from her teammates, opponents, and fans worldwide.
With the Super Falcons, she won five African Cup of Nations titles (2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, and 2014) and appeared in four FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments between 2003 and 2015. She also played at the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and Beijing 2008 Olympics.
When she became the captain, Nwakocha demonstrated excellence and leadership throughout the 2004 Nations Cup, setting a goal-scoring record of nine in the tournament. She scored four goals in the final against Cameroon to win the African Cup of Nations, where she was named the tournament’s best player.
That same year, she finished as the top goal scorer and Player of the Tournament in South Africa and received the first of four African Women’s Footballer of the Year awards (the others coming in 2005, 2010 and 2011). Her performances in South Africa earned her a place in that year’s Fifa World XI, and she remains the only African player to have been accorded the honour.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recognised her dominance on the pitch four times with the African Women’s Footballer of the Year award.
Nkwocha was also rated among the ten best players at the Athen Olympics. At the quarterfinal stage of the women’s football tournament, the world soccer governing body, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), named her as one of the 10 ladies who distinguished themselves during the group stage matches. The statement read, “Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria) Striker stood out in Nigeria’s 1-0 victory over Japan with an impressive midfield display to go with her sterling efforts up front.”
Coaching Career
Nkwocha played into her late thirties and was named FIFA’s honorary ambassador for African football in 2012. She eventually retired and moved into coaching in 2015 when she joined fourth-tier Swedish club Clemensnäs IF. She spent part of the previous season coaching boys’ football in Nigeria but wanted to settle in Sweden after taking Swedish citizenship. Nkwocha reportedly spent the winter coaching a group of Afghan migrants in her Swedish hometown of Skellefteå in 2016. On the international stage, Nkwocha was assistant coach for the Super Falcons at the 2016 and 2018 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
A New Era: Is Asisat Oshoala the New Queen of African Football?
By the time Nkwocha hung up her boots in 2015, she had solidified her position as the greatest African women’s player ever, seemingly untouchable in her achievements. Eight years post-retirement, the mantle seemingly passed to a new Nigerian talent named Asisat Oshoala, who exhibited the potential to match and potentially surpass Nkwocha’s remarkable feats.
Oshoala’s journey towards outshining her compatriot commenced a year before Nkwocha’s exit. The 27-year-old’s breakthrough occurred at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she claimed the tournament’s top-scorer title with seven goals. Her star continued to ascend that same year, finishing as the Super Falcons’ second top scorer at the 2014 AWCON, in which Nigeria triumphed. Both Oshoala and Nkwocha were part of the victorious squad, symbolising the passing of the torch.
With Nkwocha’s retirement, the spotlight shifted to Oshoala, a challenge she embraced wholeheartedly. She has since added two more continental titles to her 2014 win and participated in another World Cup. Oshoala’s standout individual accomplishment remains winning five CAF Women’s Player of the Year awards, the most by any player, male or female. At just 28, she is poised to clinch a sixth title, solidifying her position ahead of her older counterpart.
Nkwocha will always be known as the player who changed the level of women’s football in Africa, but Oshoala will be remembered as the player who took the game to new heights.
