Nigeria defender Ashleigh Plumptre has opened up on the moment she joined the Super Falcons, revealing how teammates reacted with curiosity and initial scepticism following her switch from England, Footynaija.com reports.
Born in Leicester, 2024 WAFCON-winning defender Plumptre was a regular at youth level for England and earned over 25 caps with the Young Lionesses.
But in 2021, after FIFA approved her request for a change of association, she committed her international future to Nigeria through her paternal grandfather.
The centre-back’s first taste of life with the Nigerian national team came during an eight-day training camp in Austria ahead of the Aisha Buhari Cup.
Reflecting on that experience, Plumptre admitted she encountered a mix of culture shock, physical intensity, and questions about her Nigerian identity.
“My first camp was in 2021 and it was like a friendly camp in Austria, and I knew one girl (Ini-Abasi Umotong) who was on the team at the time, she was born in Nigeria but grew up in the UK,” Plumptre told Lagos Talks 91.3.
“She took me under her wing a little bit. Before the camp she was calling and messaging me, saying if I had any worries, she told me what to expect.”
That included a warning about the Super Falcons’ trademark physicality.
“I do remember one of the things she said was Nigerians pride themselves on being physically strong, so you don’t want to be in your first session and somebody just bully you to the ground,” she said.
“I do remember that first session because I went for a header against a player called Desire (Oparanozie). Even when I saw her, I said I don’t want to get into any physical battles with her. I kind of bounced off her and didn’t fall to the floor.”
Though her presence eventually earned respect, some players initially questioned her Nigerian background.
“Everybody didn’t really know what to expect from me at first… Normally when I get that question, I just show them a picture of my dad, and they’re like, ‘Oh, okay.’”
Plumptre, despite the team’s lack of support, featured prominently in Nigeria’s run to the 2024 WAFCON title, starting every game except one.