CAF Celebrates Oparanozie following her Retirement
Confederation of African Football (CAF) has celebrated former Super Falcons Captain Desire Oparanozie following her retirement from professional football on Wednesday barely a month after featuring at the last world cup in Australia and New Zealand.
On Wednesday, Oparanozie announced on her X handle that she will be retiring from footbal
Her announcement has been generating reactions from footballers past and present.
Reacting to the announcement, CAF described Oparanozie’s football career as outstanding.
PariPesa
“’ ,” the continent’s football body wrote on X.
“An outstanding professional football career path has come to an end for the amazing Desire Oparanozie .
“What a journey! .”
Oparanozie’s last outing for the Super Falcons was at the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
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It was her fourth appearance at the World Cup after featuring at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 editions.
She was part of the Super Falcons squad that won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
She scored the goal that saw the Falcons beat hosts Cameroon 1-0 in the final of the 2016 WAFCON.
Oparanozie made her highest appearance for french club Guingamp between 2014 and 2020 with a record 106 appearances with 45 goals to her credit.
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Oparanozie who played for Bayelsa Queens and Delta Queens respectively before venturing abroad, showcased her soccer skills for nine different clubs including Wolfsburg of Germany in the course of her career 13 years career.
Although Oparanozie stopped short of giving reasons for her retirement some fans who have taken in the retirement in good fate opine that two things may have triggered it , the penalty miss in the last match against England and the need to settle down and perhaps raise a family. Some of her fans who spoke to sportinglife.ng however said the second reason is more reasonable insisting that she has paid her dues.
“At every point in life there is time for everything. Oparanozie has paid her dues and as a lady it is time to settle down and raise her own family thats what I believe” says a fan who just wants to be identified as Patience. She added as for the penalty thats nothing as far as I am concerned. “Players score goals every day, miss penalties every day its part of the game” she submitted