Nigeria defender Ashleigh Plumptre has said her desire for adventure beyond football was the reason she decided to move to Saudi Arabia Premier League.
The former Leicester City star who played all four Nigeria matches at the Women’s World Cup, is one of the Saudi Women’s Premier League’s most high-profile signings.
The 25-year-old joins the Saudi Women’s Premier League team following three years with WSL side Leicester City.
Plumptre posted on X (formerly Twitter) that she was “grateful to have signed for Al-Ittihad.” She added: “I am excited to start this journey alongside some incredible human beings. My journey of stepping into more of myself continues … It’s more than football.”
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Plumptre has been recruited by the former technical director of Championship side Lewes, Kelly Lindsey, who is now head manager of the Saudi Arabian side. Lindsey is a former US international who has previously been head coach of the Afghanistan women’s national team and Morocco women’s national team.
Plumptre impressed for Nigeria at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with the African side narrowly missing out on a place in the quarter-finals, losing to England on penalties after the game was goalless after 120 minutes.
The defender represented England at Under-15, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-23 levels but chose to represent Nigeria at senior level, whom she qualifies to play for through her paternal grandfather.
Plumptre followed Venezuela’s Oriana Altuve, fellow Nigerian Rita Chikwelu and Sweden’s Nor Mustafa into the league for its second season.