From England to Nigeria - Plumptre to face birth country at World Cup showdown

Two years after swapping her allegiance from England to Nigeria, Ashleigh Plumptre will play against her birth country at the World Cup.

The defender, who qualifies for Nigeria through her paternal grandfather, made appearances for England Under 17s, Under 19s and Under 23s before declaring for the Africans in 2021.

Plumptre has spoken about her heritage, telling the BBC last year: ‘It’s always been an assumption that I’m white.’ And the 25-year-old said she feels she has aresponsibility to represent the mixed-race community.

‘People have different reasons for wanting to play for a different country,’ she said. ‘I grew up playing for England, but it was more of a life decision than a football decision.

'I felt I had a responsibility to try to play for Nigeria, if I could. ‘That just came from experiences within my family. I used to coach an Under 12s team with mixed heritage girls and feel I have a responsibility to learn about my heritage.

'A lot of people think, “Oh, you’re switching so you can play international football”. It’s not like that at all. I knew exactly what I wanted and that came from understanding who I am.’

Nigeria’s preparations have been overshadowed by a war of words between manager Randy Waldrum and the Nigerian Football Federation. He criticised their lack of help and there have also been disputes over unpaid wages, with players threatening to boycott the opening game.

‘We flew under the radar, but the players came in with a lot of confidence. They’ve been phenomenal,’ Waldrum added.