Rita Chikwelu (born 6 March 1988) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward and midfielder for the Saudi Women’s Premier League club Al-Riyadh and the Nigeria women’s national team. She previously played for Swedish sides Umeå IK and Kristianstads DFF and later for the Spanish clubs Madrid CFF and Levante Las Planas.
Club career
From 2006 to 2009, Chikwelu played in Finland for FC United. She was the top scorer of the Finnish women’s league Naisten Liiga in 2009 with 22 goals.[6]
Chikwelu spent seven seasons with Umeå IK from 2010 to 2016, but left upon the club’s relegation and joined Kristianstads DFF on a two-year contract.[7] She later transferred to Madrid CFF and Levante Las Planas in Spain. In August 2023, she signed for Saudi club Al Shabab.[8][9]
International career
Chikwelu participated in the FIFA U-20 World Cup from 2004 to 2008 and made her senior national team debut in 2007 at the FIFA women’s World Cup. She was a member of the Nigerian Olympic team which participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics in China and a member of the Nigerian squad in the 2011 FIFA women’s World Cup.
Honours
- African Women’s Championship Winner: 2016, 2018
In 2024, she was honored with a traditional bestowment by her hometown, which donated a sum of money to her foundation, the Rita Chikwelu Football Academy.[12]
