Rasheedat Busayo Ajibade is the captain of the Super Falcons and was named the Best Player of the Tournament at the recently concluded WAFCON 2024, where Nigeria celebrated its 10th championship title. Born on 8 December 1999, she is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish Liga F club Atlético Madrid and the Nigeria women’s national team. Beyond her football career, Ajibade is a dedicated scholar who proudly describes herself as a lover of education.
Here are eight interesting things you probably don’t know about Rasheedat Ajibade:
1. She was born in Mushin, Lagos but is originally from Ikirun, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State.
2. She started as a freestyle footballer on the streets of Lagos and rose through hard work to join FC Robo Queens, then the national team before gaining international stardom.
3. She is a consummate scholar with two degrees. She obtained her first degree in Accounting from Lagos State Polytechnic and later completed a degree in Sports Psychology through the Barça Innovation Hub, while actively playing professional football.
4. Ajibade received a red card in the WAFCON semifinal against Morocco in July 2022, which greatly impacted the team’s performance. Hers was the second red card for the Super Falcons in that match, and the nine-woman Nigeria team lost to Morocco on penalties. She made a strong comeback in 2025 to help Nigeria beat Morocco and secure the Player of the Tournament award.
5. She was named Most Valuable Player of the WAFCON 2024 tournament. Her leadership, energy and consistent performances were pivotal to Nigeria’s comeback and eventual triumph in the final against Morocco.
6. She is a devout Christian who proudly carries her faith as an emblem at every match, boldly confessing her belief in a world where it is not always popular to do so.
7. Ajibade founded the Rasheedat Ajibade Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Nigerian youth, especially girls, by providing scholarships, mentorship and sports programs that promote education, leadership and gender equality.
8. She was the only player to win three Player of the Match awards at WAFCON 2024.
