Michelle Alozie
Michelle Alozie has become a key player for the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s triumphant squad at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The dynamic full-back featured in five of Nigeria’s six matches in Morocco, missing only the inconsequential group-stage finale against Algeria.
Her impact was particularly crucial in the semi-final clash against South Africa, where her dramatic 94th-minute strike secured Nigeria’s place in the final.
Yet, Alozie’s journey to the national team might never have happened if not for a visa crisis in 2021.
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At the time, the Super Falcons, under American coach Randy Waldrum, were set to compete in the She Believes Cup in the United States.
However, visa complications left the squad shorthanded, threatening their participation in the tournament.
Desperate for reinforcements, the former Falcons coach reached out to Nigerian-American players across the US to fill the roster. That’s when Alozie, a California-born defender with Nigerian roots, got her chance.
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Last year, during an episode of the Women’s Game MIB podcast, Alozie, 28, recounted her sudden call-up.
She revealed that her integration into the team was swift, adding that after just one training session, Waldrum was convinced of her abilities.
“They [Super Falcons] came to the US for the She Believes Cup, and they had so many visa issues that they almost had to withdraw from the cup because they didn’t have enough players,” she said.
“The coach, then, Randy Waldrum, reached out to maybe every Nigerian-American playing soccer in the US just so that we could fill the roster.
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“He had no idea who I was, and I just happened to be in Houston, happened to be Nigerian American, it was like a perfect scenario.
“They came to one training session and they were like ‘see you at training tomorrow’, and then I trained with them for one day, and he [Waldrum] was like ‘amazing, you’ll make the roster for tomorrow’s game,’ and I was like ‘oh, alright. I guess I’m here, I guess I’m playing now.’
“And ever since then, I’ve been playing with the national team.”
Advertisement— IKEDI🩵 (@okoli_ikedi) July 27, 2025
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Beyond her football career, Alozie holds a degree in molecular biology from Yale University and works as a cancer research technician at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.
The football star said her work in cancer research gives her a unique perspective that fuels her resilience on the pitch.
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“Having a different hobby that is completely out of the realm of athletics definitely helps me mentally, and I think since I’m working with children… it is pediatric cancer… being able to talk to them and hear their stories puts my life in a different perspective.
“And I know that there are people going through trials and tribulations, and I can’t compare it to me missing a few shots at training.
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“It definitely allows my mind to reset, look at the bigger picture of life, of my purpose, and helps me hone in on those things.”
