Former England youth international Ashleigh Plumptre has revealed the heartfelt reasons behind her decision to represent Nigeria, her father’s homeland, at the senior level.
Plumptre played for England’s U15, U17, U19, and U23 teams before debuting for Nigeria’s senior team in February 2022 and representing them at the 2023 World Cup.
The Super Falcons defender described the switch not as an alternative, but as an embrace of identity and purpose “bigger than me.”
She said, “I enjoyed the very valuable time playing with England in the youth age groups, but what pushed me to play for Nigeria was asking myself the question; what do I want to do with football?
“This happened during the covid era, when I spent more time with my sister. And she spoke about wanting to know about our heritage. So it was more of a journey for me to learn more about our culture based on her provoking that in me because of her interest. And what representing Nigeria means to me is beyond words.”
Plumptre emphasised that choosing Nigeria was not a fallback option; it was a deliberate choice. She expressed her pride in the Super Falcons jersey, calling the decision one she had to make for deeper personal reasons
“I’ve been out to identify the part of my heritage that I’ve never really been able to delve into before, and also be a representation of other young people, especially mixed-race people, who need to identify with being here nor there, but feel connected to two different cultures,” she said via Nigerian Tribune.
Plumptre was a key member of the Nigerian women’s national team that won the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
She was awarded the national honour Officer of the Order of the Niger, along with a $100,000 prize and a three-bedroom apartment in Abuja’s Renewed Hope Estate.
