Onome Ebi, captain of the Super Falcons of Nigeria, has denied stories making the rounds that the team is planning to boycott its first match against Canada when the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on July 21.
The 40-year-old Ebi who will make history as the first African female player to play in six editions of the women’s tournament, told thenff.com that the nine-time African champions had at no time threatened to boycott their opening game against Canada scheduled to hold in Melbourne.
The defender said she and other senior members of the team had not granted any interview to any media outfit in the country or anywhere else where they said they would boycott the match due to an announcement by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that the team would not be paid their bonuses.
“I have no idea where that boycott story is coming from. We, the players, never had any such conversations as regards that; we are good with training and ready for the World Cup,” Ebi reportedly said at the team’s training camp in Gold Coast, Australia on Saturday morning.
She added that the team’s training sessions had been intense but interesting, as they look forward to their Group B encounters against Olympic champions, Canada, co-hosts, Australia and debutants, Republic of Ireland.
“The sessions have been intense, motivating and okay. The girls are in good shape, good spirit and ready to go. The training speaks for itself as regards the mood in camp because this is what I bargained for.
“The players are meeting up with physical and tactical aspects of training; the mood is okay,” she stated.