Football: Oshoala leaves Barcelona for Bay FC in the USA

Bay FC, a team in the National Women's Soccer League in the USA, has acquired Nigerian striker Asisat Oshoala from FC Barcelona.

Oshoala is one of the best players in the history of the Nigeria national team. She is the first Nigerian to score in three Women's World Cups.

Known for her bright hair colors, Oshoala joined Barcelona in 2019 and has since scored 107 goals in 149 matches. She has made 14 appearances, including three starts, for Barcelona this season, scoring eight goals.

Oshoala was left out of Barcelona's 6-0 win over Real Betis on Sunday in Spain's top women's league due to personal reasons.

"I want something different. If you follow my career for a long time, you realize that I get bored easily," Oshoala said in an interview with the Associated Press. " I don't stay in one place for long. I stay two or three years and I want to try something else. I have played on several continents and I want to play elsewhere. "

Oshoala caught the eye at last year's World Cup when she scored the decisive goal, as a substitute, in Nigeria's 3-2 victory over hosts Australia in the group stage. In the round of 16, Nigeria were eliminated on penalties after a 0–0 draw against England.

“She is such a physical force,” Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum said of Oshoala at the time. "She can create problems - the third goal was huge. When we talked about her role - she's like every player, she wants to be on the pitch all the time - I said: 'I have a feeling, come in for the last 30 minutes and make the difference'".

Most recently, Oshoala was named in the Nigeria squad that qualified for the 2024 Africa Women's Cup of Nations in Morocco. Oshoala has won the African Women's Player of the Year award six times. In 2022, she became the first African to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or.

Besides FC Barcelona, ​​she played professionally for Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chinese club Dailan. She helped FC Barcelona win two Champions Leagues. With Bay FC, Oshoala said she wanted to win trophies.

“One thing I know is that I'm not going to ask my teammates for what I don't give them,” she said. "When I say I'm not going to ask my teammates for what I'm not giving, I'm not going to ask you to run when I'm not running. So I'm going to work and work for the team. That's what I bring. I bring the necessary energy.

She must obtain her visa and international transfer before she can join Bay FC, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Oshoala signed until 2026, with an option for 2027.

Bay FC is the 14th team in the NWSL. The season begins March 16 with a game against Angel City in Los Angeles.