Evelyn Ijeh, daughter of former Nigerian striker, Peter Ijeh, has said she is not surprised Nigerians have been celebrating the progress made in her football career.
Ijeh recently secured a permanent move to AC Milan after a successful loan spell from Mexican side Tigres UANL.
Her move to Milan saw Nigerians sending her congratulatory messages, a gesture which according to her did not come as a surprise.
“I’m not that surprised that Nigerians celebrate my progress, because I know how passionate we Nigerians can be,” Ijeh told SportsBoom. “But at the end of the day, God is in control. I’m grateful for the love and support.”
Ijeh’s international career recently reached a new milestone when she was called up to the Swedish women’s senior national team in June.
Having represented Sweden at the U17, U20, and U23 levels, and captaining the U23 squad, her progression to the senior team was a natural step.
“It’s always nice to progress after years with the youth squad, but that’s not all. The goal is to become the best I can be and to reach the
highest level of playing.”
On her dad’s influence, Ijeh said the former striker has played an important role in her career, from individual training to shaping her into the player that she is today.”
The Swedish forward, who recently secured a permanent move to AC Milan after a successful loan spell from Mexican side Tigres UANL,
is living her dream.
On her latest move to Milan, the 22-year-old added:“Honestly, I’m happy to be here. It’s like a dream for me. AC Milan is a historic and prestigious club, and I feel they have the resources and environment for me to develop as a player.”
3 Comments
I remember this girl and her sister attending a training camp with the Super Falcons two years ago in Austria. But ever since then, they’ve been more ghosted than a bad Tinder date, despite her impressive strides at the club level. Now, Sweden, a top team in women’s football, is calling her up. This is a glowing testament to how much this lass has developed over the years.
Meanwhile, the NFF seems to be asleep at the wheel, letting talents slip through their fingers at every level—junior, senior, male, and female. It’s high time they revamped their scouting programs. We need the best talents in the Super Falcons and the Super Eagles, not just the ones who happen to be standing in the right place at the right time.
They weren’t “ghosted” but ultimately we cannot cap every player of Nigerian origin. Their dad has very good relations with the NFF and whenever they were in Nigeria made the rounds of the football community. In fact, Evelyn was here playing pickup football at Albati Barracks in Surulere (with the AOA girls) about 6/7 months ago. Nonetheless, she was born and raised in Sweden, has played for all of the Swedish youth national teams (and in fact was skipper of the Sweden U19 team), so realistically one would think that if she has the chance to play for the Swedish senior NT she would take it.
She is BOTH Nigerian and Swedish, but can only represent one at the senior level. BEST WISHES TO HER!
Corrupt NFF will not allow better strikers in the team than their girl friends or sugar girls Onumonu and co. Very soon Nigeria will be reduced to not just mediocre leaders but Mediocre fans because no reasonable person will continue following corrupt system.