Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala has made an instant impact in Saudi Arabia, being crowned the Saudi Women’s Premier League Player of the Month for September, barely weeks after joining Al Hilal.
The 30-year-old forward, who left Bay FC in the United States for Riyadh in September, emerged winner of a fan poll on X with 55 per cent of the 37,560 votes, edging out Al Ahli’s Moroccan striker Ibtissam Jraïdi (44 per cent) and Al Nassr’s Tanzanian sensation Clara Luvanga (1 per cent).
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Oshoala’s early numbers highlight her influence: three goals and two assists in three matches, helping Al Hilal maintain a flawless start with three wins from three, scoring freely while conceding none. The league body praised her immediate impact, posting: “In her first month in our league: 3 goals, 2 assists. Asisat Oshoala of Al Hilal wins the award for the best player of the month.”
While Jraïdi matched her tally of goals and assists, Al Ahli’s defeat dented her chances. Luvanga, despite leading the league’s overall scoring charts with four goals, settled for just one per cent of the vote as her Al Nassr side seeks a fourth straight title.
The award intensifies the Saudi women’s football rivalry, with an early-season “classico” looming as Jraïdi’s Al Ahli lock horns with Luvanga’s Al Nassr—a clash that could define the early title race. Both clubs are desperate to end Al Nassr’s dominance since the league’s launch in 2022.
For Oshoala, this recognition extends her legendary status. The six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year previously dazzled with Barcelona (107 goals in 149 appearances, five straight Liga titles, and two UEFA Women’s Champions League trophies), as well as spells in England and China.
Her move to Al Hilal also strengthens the Nigerian presence in Saudi Arabia, joining compatriots Ashleigh Plumptre and Francisca Ordega (Al-Ittihad), Chinonyerem Macleans (Al-Shabab), and Rita Chikwelu (Al-Riyadh).
With her blistering start, Oshoala is not just raising Al Hilal’s title hopes—she is also adding fresh star power to a fast-growing league determined to challenge global attention.
