Ashleigh Plumptre has expressed her desire to play for Nigeria despite representing England at various youth levels.
The Leicester City defender, who won the Women’s FA Cup this campaign with the Foxes, cited Super Eagles duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi as good role models.
“With Leicester, Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Ihenacho have been good role models for me,” Plumptre told BBC.
“It’s funny we haven’t met but that’s all because of Covid but at some point hopefully we’ll be able to meet each other.”
Her fine performance for City earned her a contract extension; only on her second spell and the 23-year-old, who is still eligible to represent Nigeria through her father said she would play for the Super Falcons if an opportunity present itself in future.
“The idea of me being able to play for Nigeria, with that being an option, I would happily grab that with both hands,” she continued.
“What representing something that really means to somebody is very important. Obviously, there’s a lot of things I can openly say that I don’t know about Nigerian culture but I want to learn because I know that it’s in me, and it’s in my sister and in my dad.
“We can only get it from my granddad, he’s the only thing that we know in terms of Nigeria. I’ve obviously visited Nigerian relatives in America and in England.
“Seeing this little journey my sister and I have been on, and the understanding of our family heritage, not just that but watching Nigerian documentaries and learning about the past is incredible.”
Plumptre also hailed the quality in the Super Falcons squad and praised Asisat Oshoala for her exploits abroad.
“When you look around there are several Nigerian players playing at the top level of the women’s game,” she pointed out.
“With the Super Falcons I have been following them and the continued progress the team is making. But one player that I remember is Asisat Oshoala.
“She was at Liverpool when I played for Notts County, then I was about 16 and the big thing was having Oshoala over at Liverpool.
“That was the big name and then she obviously went to Arsenal. And everybody knew of her and how talented she was. For me as an English person, she was Nigerian football to me.”
