Desire Ugochi Oparanozie, a forward for the Super Falcons of Nigeria, has declared her retirement from international and club football at the age of 29.
Oparanozie was a member of the Nigerian team that competed in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which took place from July to August.
“To my fans, family, and friends, thank you for the show of love and support over the years,” she wrote in a post on her X account, which was originally her Twitter account, on Wednesday. There is no better time than right now, so it’s time to bow. I hereby formally declare my retirement from international and club professional football.
“To every team and coach I have played for, to every mate I’ve played alongside, and to every opponent I have played against, thank you all for being part of this incredible journey. Thank you football, thank you Nigeria.”
Oparanozie represented Nigeria’s national team on a number of occasions and has a successful career in the Chinese Women’s Super League.
She began playing for Bayelsa Queens before moving on to play for Delta Queens and Düvenciler Lisesispor.
To play for Rossiyanka in the Russian Women’s Football Championship in 2012, Oparanozie changed teams. She played in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and scored a goal during her successful time there. For the 2013–14 season, she then transferred to VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga.
