The Interview Editors
Nigeria will be up against Cote d’Ivoire in the second leg of the Tokyo 2020 African qualifiers, what should be the expectations from Nigerians?
For me we have no option than to win the game, I am very confident about the fact that the girls will win the game today.
We had a good game against them in Abidjan, we were just unlucky not to score and sometimes it happens like that.
This is football and now we have the opportunity to correct the mistakes and go for the win in front of our fans, by God grace we are going to win.
How has it been as the captain of the team?
I won’t say it is easy because it is always quite stressful; you just have to learn how to carry the team along as the voice and just have to try and keep everything calm around the team as the intermediary.
I think everything has been going on well.
I want the girls not to just focus on one thing which is football but also on other things like going to school, learning a trade and other skills because as a woman, you cannot play football forever
our birthday is on Tuesday, what do you want from your teammates as gift?
I want total victory and qualification to the next round.
How has it been with your foundation, Asisat Oshoala Foundations?
For me it has been an interesting journey so far. It started with hope for me and that’s what I am looking forward to.
The foundation keeps growing. When you put your heart in everything you are doing, it is always improving. I think it has been a good journey so far.
You decided to add other things to football for the girl child, why?
For me it was really difficult to combine both football and education while growing up, but these days things are already changing.
I want the girls not to just focus on one thing which is football but also on other things like going to school, learning a trade and other skills because as a woman, you cannot play football forever.
By the time you are about 40 you have to stop, so you need other things you can do by the side. I don’t want them to end their career and there would be nothing else for them to do.
What does it take you to motivate these children?
Basically it’s for me to be at my best at all the time because there are a lot of people looking up to me, it’s not just about football on the pitch but other things because I know many people are looking up to me.
So, whenever I have the opportunity to go on the pitch, I always try to give over 100 per cent.
