Nigeria's Ngozi Ebere signs a one-year contract with top Norwegian Club
“Nigerian players are highly sought after, abroad and history has shown that foreign-based players bring knowledge and greater quality to their national teams’ play. ”
Norwegian club Arna Bjornar has signed Super Falcons defender and the 2018 AWCON champion, Ngozi Ebere. Ebere’s career began in the Nigerian Women’s League where she won six titles with former club River Angles. The three-time CAF woman of the year has signed the year-long contract with Arna Bjornar after a one-year stay at Barcelona FA.
Francisca Ordega #17 of Nigeria celebrates her game-tying goal against Sweden with Asisat Oshoala #8 and Ngozi Ebere #23 during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group D match between Sweden and Nigeria at Winnipeg Stadium on June 8, 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada.
(June 7, 2015 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)
In 2015, Ebere made a major career move to PSG from the Nigerian Women’s League on a two-year contract. The year 2017 saw her leave PSG and the French Ligue unsatisfied, immediately moving to Cypriot side, Barcelona FA. The latest transfer to Norway has been highly praised with the 27-year-old defender touting the move to the Topperserian side as a fresh new challenge. The former PSG player told the media that joining the highly competitive Norwegian league offers the Nigerian an opportunity to grow as a player and added that, "As a professional, you want to keep testing yourself among the best, right now I am prepared for that."
Ebere has played for the Nigerian U-20 and appeared 20 times for the Super Falcons. In 2015, she was an integral part of the Super Falcons’ World Cup campaign and brings her experience to one of Europe’s top flight Leagues in Norway, where she will be a great asset for Arna Bjornar.
Nigerian players are highly sought after abroad and history has shown that foreign based players bring knowledge and greater quality to their national teams’ play. The Super Falcons currently have a big pool of foreign-based players including former Arsenal Women player Asisat Oshoala, Desire Oparanozie and Onome Obi just to mention a few. Currently having a sorority of foreign-based players is best practice for the top teams on the continent.
The Norwegian league resumes in March. Ebere will join her new club for the pre-season training camp in Turkey in preparation for the fresh challenge in the Scandinavia.