Super Falcons veteran defender Onome Ebi has announced her retirement from professional football at the age of 42.
Ebi made the announcement on Tuesday via her official X (formerly Twitter) page, where she expressed gratitude for her journey and reaffirmed her commitment to continue contributing to the game off the pitch.
“Today, I officially retire from professional football. The journey has been filled with challenges, victories, and lessons that shaped me into who I am today. Though I hang up my boots, my purpose in the game continues — to give back, to guide, and to be a voice for players,” she wrote.
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Ebi retires as the first African footballer, male or female, to play in six FIFA World Cups, having represented Nigeria in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023. She earned 109 caps and scored four goals for the Super Falcons in a career that spanned over two decades.
Her international honours include four Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) titles, won in 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018. She was also part of the Falcons squad that reached the Round of 16 at the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.
At the club level, Ebi enjoyed a successful career across Europe and Asia. She won the Turkish Women’s Football League twice, the Belarusian Women’s Super-Cup twice, the Belarusian Premier League once, and the Belarusian Women’s Cup in 2014.
In recognition of her impact and consistency, she was named to the IFFHS CAF Women’s Team of the Decade (2011–2020) and the IFFHS All-Time Africa Women’s Dream Team in 2021.
Ebi’s retirement marks the end of an era for Nigerian women’s football, but she has made it clear that her influence will continue through mentorship and advocacy for players’ welfare.