Super Falcons defender Osinachi Ohale has announced her retirement from international football after 16 years of representing Nigeria.
The 34-year-old made the announcement on Friday in an emotional message shared on her Instagram page, bringing an end to a decorated career with the national team.
Ohale said the decision was difficult after spending so many years wearing the Nigerian jersey.
“After 16 years of wearing the Nigerian jersey, representing my country, and giving everything I had to the beautiful game, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from international football,” she said.
The experienced defender finished her international career with 86 caps.
She represented Nigeria at four FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments and seven Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) editions.
Ohale was also part of the Super Falcons squads that won five WAFCON titles in 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2024.
Her international career began in 2010 after she featured for the Falconets, and she went on to become one of the most experienced defenders in the history of the Super Falcons.
One of the highlights of her career came at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where she scored in Nigeria’s 3-2 group-stage victory over co-hosts Australia and was named Player of the Match.
She was also part of the Nigerian team that won the 2024 WAFCON, officially staged in Morocco in 2025.
In her farewell message, Ohale thanked her teammates, coaches, support staff, family, friends, the Nigeria Football Federation and Nigerian fans for their support throughout her career.
She said the opportunity to represent Nigeria remained her greatest achievement.
“Today, I say goodbye to international football with no regrets—only gratitude. 86 caps. 16 years. 4 World Cups. 7 WAFCON. 5 WAFCON titles,” she wrote.
“But the greatest achievement of all is knowing that I had the privilege to serve my country.”
Ohale’s retirement comes after Nigeria missed out on qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, bringing the curtain down on the international career of one of the Super Falcons’ most experienced players.
The defender remains active at the club level and currently plays for Mexican side Pachuca.
