The football fans widely assumed to be family members of Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre
Ashleigh Plumptre, the Super Falcons defender, has clarified that she has no biological ties to the individuals believed to be her family members in the stands at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium during the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final.
During the match, which saw Nigeria defeat Morocco 3-2 in a thrilling comeback, a woman and two girls in the stands were seen waving Nigerian flags and celebrating passionately.
Many fans believed them to be Plumptre’s family members, with commentators even referring to them as such.
☺️☺️The joy of a mother!
AdvertisementAshleigh Plumptre’s mom was all smiles in the stands, watching her daughter help Nigeria to an unprecedented 10th WAFCON title in Morocco.
Since Plumptre switched to playing for Nigeria, she has given her body & soul to Naija🇳🇬pic.twitter.com/fQWK3zV3SX
— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) July 26, 2025
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“That’s the family of Ashleigh Plumptre,” the lead commentator said, with his co-commentator affirming, “Yes”.
However, the Al-Ittihad defender revealed the true nature of the relationship in a post-tournament interview.
“That’s not my family,” she said.
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“That family came and watched the tournament in 2022, and I saw them in the crowd – the girls – and it made me emotional because they reminded me of myself, my sisters, and my dad.
“I’ve actually been speaking to them, because when we played a couple of games ago, I saw them in the crowd again. I wanted to make sure I could [speak to them again], so I gave one of the girls my shirt.”
Plumptre explained that while the family isn’t biologically related to her, they hold a special place in her heart.
“They’re not my family, but they almost feel like my family… their dad resembles my dad, the girls resemble myself, and look like my mum. It’s not my family, but they mean a lot to me.”
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🚨🇳🇬 Ashleigh Plumptre says the people in the crowd last night were not her family. pic.twitter.com/yy3a7uKq7P
— Ghana Naija Ballers (@GHNaijaBallers) July 27, 2025
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🎥 We caught up with a proud Nigerian from Kwara State who came to the Stadium with his family to support the Super Falcons 🇳🇬
Advertisement💡 And just to clear the air, contrary to what many believe, the woman beside him is not Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre’s mother, but his… pic.twitter.com/fZ03ceja2z
— The Super Falcons Show (@Superfalconshow) July 27, 2025
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The Al Ittihad captain delivered a standout performance, contributing both defensively and in attack as the Falcons overturned a two-goal deficit to clinch their 10th continental title.
Plumptre, whose Nigerian heritage comes from her paternal grandfather, has been a vital part of the Super Falcons since her debut in 2022.
Her work rate and composure under pressure were crucial in Nigeria’s triumph, earning praise from coach Justine Madugu.
“She [Ashleigh Plumptre] really deserves to be in the team of the group stage because we did marvelously well in both games that she featured. She was very outstanding defensively and offensively,” Madugu had said.
“The performance is there for everyone to see. She really did very well and I quite appreciate her performance and being part of the team for the group stage.”
Born in Leicester, England, on May 8, 1998, Plumptre has represented England at under-15, under-17, under-19, and under-23 levels, including at two tournaments: the 2014 and 2015 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship
She made her debut with the Super Falcons in February 2022 and later represented the nation at the 2023 World Cup.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Ashleigh Plumptre’s clarification that the individuals shown celebrating in the stands during Nigeria’s WAFCON final victory were not, in fact, members of her biological family.
