Uchenna Kanu

She has a dog named Luna.

She grew up selling oranges and sachets of water in Aba, Nigeria, to help support her family.

She would peel the oranges and put them in a pan, put it on top of her head and walk around the streets of Aba.

She represented Nigeria in the 2014 U-17 and U-20 Women’s World Cups.

She featured in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, scoring in Nigeria’s historic 3-2 win over Australia in the group stage.

She likes music and dance.

She is interested in fashion and was even a special guest at a fashion show.

She grew up playing soccer with her neighborhood boys, which helped her develop her skills and love for the game.

She started playing soccer seriously at age 14.

Her family was her biggest support system, encouraging her to keep playing even when opportunities for girls were scarce in Nigeria.

She believed in the importance of balancing education with football, which later shaped her as a well-rounded athlete.

She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management from Southeastern University in Florida.

She scored 115 goals in 55 college matches at Southeastern University and became the NAIA’s all-time leading scorer.

She was the first African player to join Sevilla’s women’s team in Spain.

She was inspired by Marta and Desire Oparanozie, who showed her that women could succeed in football on the global stage.

She founded the Uchenna Kanu Foundation to support young athletes, particularly girls, by providing opportunities for skill development, education, and community outreach.