By Uche Amunike
One of the brightest lights of the Nigerian female national team, Super Falcons at the just concluded 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Michelle Alozie has continued to trend in the cyber space for the right reasons.
The pretty Super Falcons star recently teased her numerous fans when she made a tweet that gave the impression that she was interested in taking part in the ongoing Big Brother Naija Reality Show.
The Houston Dash defender tweeted that she was interested in knowing how to go about being admitted into the show. Her post on her official Twitter handle read: ‘What’s #BBNaija & how do I join?’
This led to a barrage of comments from her fans who thronged the comment section, showing great enthusiasm in seeing her join the reality show, while some others discouraged her from being a part of it to avoid losing her value.
She however eventually tweeted that she was only joking and had no plans of featuring in the popular TV show. Her post: ‘Im jokinggggg. I’m wouldn’t actually join, I’m just curious.’
The American-born Michelle is a Nigerian professional footballer. She was born in Apple Valley, California on April 28, 1997 to Imo State parents. She attended the Granite Hills High School, California and soon after, the Yale University, where she played football as an undergraduate. Her senior season came to an end when she suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament making her transfer as a graduate to the University of Tennessee where she continued to play for the Tennessee Volunteers.
In 2019, Michelle Alozie registered for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft, but was not selected. She however, signed a contract with the defending champions of the Kazakhstan Women’s Football Championships, BIIK Kazygurt and for three months, she trained and played for the team before the season was brought to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic, making her return to California.
In 2021, she joined the Houston Dash as a preseason trialist, without signing a contract. Her childhood friend, Ally Prescott, was also playing for them. She was previously recruited by Dash Assistant, Twila Kilgore, when he was Head Coach of the Pepperdine Waves. She also signed a national team replacement contract during the 2021 Houston Dash Season, before signing a full contract for the rest of the season in August 2021. She made her first postseason start in the Dash’s NWSL Playoffs appearance in the 2022 season. By December 2022, she signed a two-year contract extension with the Houston Dash.
In June, 2021, Michelle Alozie made her senior debut to Nigeria as a 65th-minute substitution in a 0-1 friendly loss to Jamaica. She was named by Randy Waldrum, who was former manager of the Dash, but now managed the National team. Because Alozie was still a trialist with the Dash, she asked the team’s then-manager, James Clarkson, to invite Waldrum to Dash practice on 8 June 2021. At practice, Waldrum listed Michelle Alozie and Esther Okoronkwo on the roster against Jamaica, two days later. He eventually played Alozie at full-back, out of necessity.
Luck shone on Michelle as she was included in the 23-player Nigerian team for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup where she made her FIFA Women’s World Cup debut on 21st July, 2023 in a goalless draw against Canada. Six days later, she played a vital role in Nigeria’s 3-2 victory over co-host Australia.
She eventually played every bit of the tournament for the Super Falcons where Nigeria only lost to England on penalties after a goalless draw in a fiercely contested round of 16 tie in Lang Park, Brisbane.
