Spanish-Born Striker Chooses Nigeria, Rejects Morocco and Spain Offers
- Granada CF's goal poacher Edna Imade has expressed her desire to represent Nigeria over her country of birth
- The 24-year-old striker is eligible to represent either Nigeria, Morocco or Spain in international football
- Imade will join the likes of Toni Payne and Ashley Plumptre who chose the Super Falcons over the country of their birth
Granada CF forward Edna Imade has stated her desire to represent Nigeria at the international level, while being eligible to play for Spain and Morocco.
Born in Morocco and raised in Spain, the 24-year-old striker has emerged as a standout performer in the Spanish women's league, gaining accolades for her exceptional goal-scoring abilities.
Source: Getty Images
Imade, who has been on the radar of the Super Falcons, has been in prolific goalscoring form this season, netting nine goals from 11 starts for Granada in the Liga F, per ESPN.
The 24-year-old attacker has been in electrifying form, scoring in each of her past five matches across all competitions, with memorable performances including two goals against Eibar, a critical penalty goal in a close loss to Real Betis, and a brace in Granada's 3-0 victory over Sevilla.
How did Imade’s football journey kickstart?
Imade’s journey in football began at just six years old when she joined boys' teams in her hometown of Carmona before transitioning into indoor football and excelled, scoring for fun in two seasons for Nervion.
Her natural talent and determination quickly set her apart, paving the way for a professional career after scouts spotted her in one of her games.
Imade finally joined Malaga CF Femenino in the Reto Iberdrola league. Her career has been on an upward trajectory since, with periods at Cacereno Femenino and Granada CF, where she established herself as a prolific goal-scorer.
Why Imade chose Super Falcons
Despite her multicultural background and eligibility to represent three countries including Spain and Morocco, Imade has made it obvious that her heart belongs to Nigeria.
This 24-year-old’s decision is a big boost for the Super Falcons which has a rich history as Africa's most successful team as they seek new talents in the national team to displace the likes of aging Asisat Oshoala.
Imade's signing would strengthen an already dangerous squad, adding a fresh dimension to their attacking possibilities.
The Granada forward would also join the likes of Toni Payne and Ashley Plumptre who also chose to represent Nigeria and snubbing their country of birth.
The Nigeria Football Federation must now act quickly to secure the services of Imade who can still be poached by the Spanish and Moroccan national teams.
Oshoala dropped from Falcons squad
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Oshoala was notably absent from the Super Falcons squad, as confirmed by head coach Justine Madugu for the international friendly against France.
The Bay FC striker was not called up for the third game running, having also been overlooked for the Algeria games despite playing actively for his NWSL club.
Another notable absentee was captain Rasheedat Ajibade who missed out due to injury.
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Source: Legit.ng
