ABUJA, Nigeria – Ashleigh Plumptre, a gifted soccer star of Nigerian and English heritage, will be taking to the field at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Her journey is one of heritage exploration and fulfilling a great ambition.
Raised in England, Plumptre has a storied history of representing the country in various youth categories, including the under-15, under-17, under-19, and under-23 teams.
Her 2014 and 2015 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship performances marked her as a promising forward and attacking midfielder.
But in 2021, Plumptre made a pivotal decision.
She chose to play for the national team of Nigeria, the birthplace of her paternal grandfather.
This decision was born of her desire to connect with her Nigerian roots, a lineage she had largely left unexplored.
“With Nigeria, I wanted to uncover more of my heritage that I hadn’t delved into before because my dad is half-Nigerian and half-English,” Plumptre said. “My grandad was born in Lagos. But I’ve been brought up very British, so I want to join the Nigerian team where I got to experience food like this, experience more of the culture, I guess.”
Her decision bore fruit quickly.
In July 2021, Plumptre made an unofficial debut for Nigeria, starting in a 1-0 friendly victory over Slovenian 1 SŽNL club Olimpija Ljubljana.
Later that year, FIFA officially cleared her to represent Nigeria, and she made her official debut on February 18, 2022.
At the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualification, she played in various positions and endeared herself to the fans. She embraced Nigerian culture and cuisine off the field, notably developing a fondness for ‘moi-moi’, a popular steamed bean dish.
Now, the 25-year-old looks ahead to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where she will represent Nigeria.
Her journey, from Leicester to Lagos, stands as a testament to the power of sport to unite cultures and people, highlighting football’s transcendence beyond the boundaries of the pitch.
