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By Johnny Edward
Tenerife striker, Rinsola Babajide, is excited after she was handed her first invitation to the Super Falcons squad, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 25-year-old, who was born to Nigerian parents in London, was named in Randy Waldrum’s squad to face Ethiopia in a second-round qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games women’s football event.
Reacting to her invitation, the 2019/20 Liverpool Women’s Player of The Season said she was delighted by the love shown to her by Nigerians following her inclusion in the team.
“The love I’ve been feeling has been very overwhelming, thank you so much. Grateful & blessed for this opportunity, #Honoured,” she wrote on her X.
“My main focus is trying to get into the team and just make sure I’m in the limelight.”
Babajide had represented England at U-19, U-20 and U-21 levels before switching allegiance to Nigeria at senior level.
On August 2018, she was part of the England U20s squad that claimed bronze at the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. In September 2020, she was included in a training camp for the England senior team, but she’ll be looking forward to her first Nigeria cap against the Ethiopians.
The Falcons travel to Addis Abba for the first leg billed for October 25.
Also invited for the clash are goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Halimatu Ayinde and Michelle Alozie.
Sisters Toni and Nicole Payne, Ifeoma Onumonu, Gift Monday, Christy Ucheibe, Tosin Demehin, Osinachi Ohale and Uchenna Kanu also made the squad.
Babajide came into the limelight when she scored 14 goals in one game for the University of East London and was quickly signed up by Crystal Palace.
At 17 she made her professional debut for the Millwall Lionesses, then moved on to Watford where she made an impression becoming the joint top scorer in the 2017 Spring Series.
Before her move to Tenerife this summer, she featured for Liverpool, Watford, Brighton and Hove Albion and Real Betis.
She was Liverpool’s second-highest goal scorer in the 2018/19 WSL season with two campaign goals.
5 things you didn’t know about Babajide
Meet Omorinsola Babajide, the latest star to dump England for Nigeria ahead of the Super Falcons clash against Ethiopia in the Olympic qualifiers
1. Babajide was born in London, England on June 17, 1998
2. She was the 2019/20 Liverpool Women’s Player of The Season
She represented England at U-19, U-20 and U-21 levels
4. On October 30, 2016 she scored 14 goals for University of East London team in a friendly against University College London that ended 40-0
5. At the U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2018, Babajide was a crucial part of the English team that won the bronze medal