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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 Shabab and the Nigeria women's national team. She previously played for Swedish sides Umeå IK and Kristianstads DFF^[2] 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.^[3]

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.^[4] She later transferred to Madrid CFF and Levante Las Planas in Spain. In August 2023, she signed for Saudi club Al Shabab.^[5]

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.^[6]

Honours

African Women's Championship Winner: 2016, 2018

References

^ "Athlete Biography: CHIKWELU Rita". Beijing2008.cn. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008.
^ "Rita Chikwelu profile". Umeå IK. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
^ "Naisten Liiga scorers 2006–2011". Finnish Football Association. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
^ Fredriksson, Emelie (26 November 2016). "Rita Chikwelu klar för Kristianstads DFF" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
^ "Transfer: Super Falcons midfielder completes Al Shabab transfer". Daily Post Nigeria. 24 August 2023.
^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Rita Chikwelu". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2009.

External links

Media related to Rita Chikwelu at Wikimedia Commons

Rita Chikwelu – FIFA competition record (archived)
FIFA.com – Article on Rita Chikwelu
FC United – Picture of Rita and FC United team
FIFA.com – Photo album
Rita Chikwelu at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish) (archived)
Rita Chikwelu at Soccerway
Rita Chikwelu at Olympedia
Rita Chikwelu at Olympics.com

[1] "Athlete Biography: CHIKWELU Rita". Beijing2008.cn. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008.

[2] "Rita Chikwelu profile". Umeå IK. Retrieved 22 February 2013.

[3] "Naisten Liiga scorers 2006–2011". Finnish Football Association. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.

[4] Fredriksson, Emelie (26 November 2016). "Rita Chikwelu klar för Kristianstads DFF" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Retrieved 30 December 2016.

[5] "Transfer: Super Falcons midfielder completes Al Shabab transfer". Daily Post Nigeria. 24 August 2023.

[6] Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Rita Chikwelu". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2009.

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