PHOTOS: Naija Ratels FC unveil Onome Ebi

Onome Ebi, Super Falcons captain, has been unveiled as a new player for Naija Ratels FC in the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL). 

The club confirmed the signing of the 40-year-old defender on Saturday in Abuja.

Ebi is set to wear jersey number 5 for the club when the 2023/2024 NWFL season kicks off on November 15.

Paul Edeh, President of Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF), said the move to the club makes Ebi the highest-paid player in the NWFL, earning N1.5 million monthly salary.

Ebi had played for Omidiran Babes and Bayelsa Queens in the Nigerian women’s league before departing for Europe in 2009.

Speaking at the unveiling, Ebi said returning to the league fulfilled a career-long desire to impact the NWFL and mentor young players while supporting the growth of women’s football in Nigeria.

“People will ask me why I joined Naija Ratels, why did I come back to the league (NWFL),” the defender said.

“I didn’t just decide today to join them. I have had it in mind. My plan before getting to this stage is that I want to give back to Nigerian football.

“I left the league 10-11 years ago, but before leaving, I saw the struggles in the company, so when I went abroad, I saw how the foreign league is being organised, and I said to myself, before I retire, I will definitely come back.

“Not only to give, not only to support but to play with the youngest team, I said I was not going to play for big teams so these young ones can get the opportunity, I didn’t have.”

Earlier this year, Ebi became the first African woman to feature in six World Cups after featuring for the Falcons in the tournament held in Australia and New Zealand.

She played club football in Turkey, Sweden, Belarus and China, last featured for Spain’s Levante Las Planas.

More photos of the unveiling below: