Aishat Animashaun helped Nigeria complete a perfect group stage campaign at the U-17 Women’s World Cup but got eliminated against
the USA in the quarter-finals at FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic 2024™ on Saturday.
The pacy winger spoke to FIFA about her dream of playing for Chelsea, her football role models and an affinity for Korean movies.
The 16-year-old winger, hails from Abu State and plays local side Ninja Ratels, forms part of an attack that has registered nine goals in three matches, the beat in the in the championship aftwe the completion of the group stages with Animashaun contributing an assist in the 4-0 victory over Ecuador.
Before Nigeria’s USA showdown, Animashaun took time to speak with FIFA about her footballing dreams, her role models in the game, the support she receives from back home and her unique love for Korean films.
Enjoy the revealing one on one session.
FIFA: When and why did you start playing football?
Aishat Animashaun: Not quite long ago. Playing football, I was motivated by my mom. In childhood [I was] carrying a ball. I’m the last one in my family.
Are you from a big family?
Not that big, we are six and I’m the last one. We only have one boy in my family and that’s my brother, senior brother. And I followed him to field sometimes. Since then, I like playing football. I took football as my career and my family accepted me like that.
How old were you when you really started playing football?
I would say eight, nine years.
You are impressive with your speed. Is it something you have learned after starting football?
I like running. Sometimes, you know, we kids, when we see something, we want to impress ourselves. Like, [Kylian] Mbappe is my role model. And, you know, I like doing what he does. I like watching his training. And I determine myself to be like him. I watch Ronaldo, too. I give myself determination to like be like them or be more than them.
I started running, like going to the pitch to go and train. And thanks to my coaches, they actually motivate me to do more as a winger.
They told me, if you want to be a winger, you have to have skills and you have to have pace. To beat your opponent, you need pace. So, I think their motivation pushes me to do better.
Do you like scoring goals or do you like assisting?
I love assisting. Because if I assist, I will be happier. I like scoring though, but I don’t like being stingy on the ball. When it’s not possible for me to score, I would rather give the person [the ball] that is very free to score. Because if she scores, we are the ones that score.
Do you have a special dream in football?
I want to go higher. I want to play in Chelsea because I’m a Chelsea fan.
Why Chelsea?
That’s actually my dream team. I like them. I like the way they play. And actually, Lauren James is my role model. I love the way she plays.
Lauren James and Mbappe are not exactly the same kind of players….
Yeah, but [it’s] the spirit, the determination they put in their games [that] makes me like them. It’s not like they should be playing in a particular way. But what they give the team is what I actually look at. When Mbappe holds the ball, nobody can get the ball. Likewise, Lauren James, too. When she holds the ball, nobody can take it.
How did you discover Lauren? Was it during the World Cup?
Yes.
About Nigeria, is the dream to play for the national team in a World Cup?
Yes, [it’s] the biggest dream.
Do you think it’s possible to be at World Cup 2027?
It’s hard, but if you are determined, focused, [then] sure you can be there.
Do you believe you’ll play a World Cup one day?
I believe that.
When you don’t think about football, what do you like to do?
I like to listen to music or watch movies. I’m a Nigerian and I’m a Yoruba person… I’m actually a Muslim, I do listen to Muslim music, like Islamic music.
What music do you listen to before a game?
Something that will ginger me, make me on high spirits, make me dance, make me laugh, something like that.
And movies, you said, what do you like to watch?
Yeah, serious movies, like Korean movies. Let me remember…. The Uncanny Counter, so many like that.
You screamed before you entered the pitch before the [Dominican Republic] game. Do you do that all the time?
Not really, but one of our coaches always says, whenever you are down, or you want to get yourself up before the game, either you watch yourself in the mirror, or just be outside where there is [an] echo, then shout. And that shouting is to motivate ourselves before the game.
Is your family watching you from Nigeria?
Yeah, they were happy seeing me, they were happy watching me on the TV. They were like, I can do better than the way I’m playing. And I should be focused. And you know, they pray for me too.
Are you getting messages from friends?
I can’t read all the messages because there are many messages. You know, I can’t see my mistake alone. People watching me outside, they’ll see it and they’ll tell me what I need to do, what I need to add to my playing, something like that.
Is there something more you want to share?
First, I want to thank my family for supporting me. All the coaches that are a part of my life. I just want to thank them for being there for me, for the encouragement, the motivation, and everything.
