Ugochi Desire Oparanozie, born on 17th December 1993, is a prolific Nigerian footballer making her mark as a forward in both the Chinese Women’s Super League with Wuhan Jianghan University and the Nigerian women’s national team.
Club Career: Ugochi Desire Oparanozie’s football journey began in her home country, Nigeria, where she showcased her talent at Bayelsa Queens in the Nigerian Women’s Championship before moving to Delta Queens in 2010. She briefly went on loan to Düvenciler Lisesispor in the Turkish Women’s First Football League in 2011, making a significant impact before returning to Delta Queens.
Her international appeal grew when she joined Rossiyanka in the Russian Women’s Football Championship in 2012, where she participated in the 2012–13 UEFA Women’s Champions League, scoring a notable goal. Oparanozie then made a move to Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg for the 2013–14 season before transferring to Ataşehir Belediyespor in the Turkish Women’s First Football League.
In 2014, she took her skills to France, joining Guingamp in the French Division 1 Féminine. At Guingamp, she established herself as a key player and was later named the club captain ahead of the 2019–20 season.
In 2020, she signed a two-year contract with Dijon FCO, showcasing her versatility and leadership qualities throughout her career.
International Career: Ugochi Desire Oparanozie has been an integral part of the Nigerian national team since 2010, representing her country in multiple FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments, including 2011, 2015, and 2019. In April 2019, she was appointed the team’s captain, earning praise for her discipline and good character from coach Thomas Dennerby.
As captain, Oparanozie has been vocal in advocating for equal pay in Nigerian football, highlighting the disparity with the bonuses received by the men’s national team. Her impactful leadership has garnered respect and admiration from her teammates and fans.
Throughout her international career, she has scored crucial goals, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s success in the African Women’s Championship, winning the tournament four times. Her scoring prowess earned her the Golden Boot at the 2014 African Women’s Championship.
As a determined and talented striker, Ugochi Desire Oparanozie continues to shine on the field, leading the charge in Nigerian and international football. Her achievements and contributions to the sport have earned her numerous accolades, making her a role model and inspiration for aspiring footballers.
As Nigerians express their frustrations over the recent fuel price hikes by the Nigerian National…
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has officially removed companies that failed to file their annual…
The Senate on Thursday agreed with the House of Representatives' recommendation to replace the death…
Monday Odigie, the coach of Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin, has resigned from his…
Robert Lewandowski has reflected on the time he nearly joined Manchester United in 2012, only…
Maduka Okoye has reflected on his first appearance for the Super Eagles in two years.…
