The Super Falcons of Nigeria have enjoyed the talents of Francisca Ordega for the last 13 years (at the time of writing). She is one of the key members of the Super Falcons squad in the on-going FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand.
The forward has grown into one of the most popular faces in the Nigeria women's national football team recently and is a leader in their camps.
She is one of the best exports of the fledgling women's division of the Nigerian league system and her experience in the women's youth teams is invaluable.
In this article, you will learn about Ordega, her life, family and everything pertaining to one of the Super Falcons modern icons.
Last weekend in Asaba, Ahmed Musa was named the King of the Pitch at the 2019 Nigeria Pitch Awards just as Francisca Ordega was crowned Queen of the Pitch at same award ceremony.
Congratulations King Musa & Queen Franny 👑👸 pic.twitter.com/IZx61ohcX5
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) June 11, 2019
Francisca Ordega profile
Name | Francisca Mlumun Ordega |
Born | 19 October 1993 (29 years) |
Birthplace | Benue State, Nigeria |
Nationality | Nigerian |
Height | 160 cm (5 ft 3) |
Position | Forward |
Social Media | Twitter, Instagram |
Francisca Mlumun Ordega, known professionally as Francisca Ordega and affectionately as “Franny”, is a Nigerian professional women's football player who plays for the Nigeria women's football national team and CSKA Moscow in the Russian Women's Football Championship. She is a forward who can play any role across the attack.
Francisca Ordega early life and career beginnings
Born in Gboko, Benue State, Nigeria, she started her career with the Bayelsa Queens at the youth level in the early 2000s.
She was promoted to the senior side that competes in the top-flight women's division of the Nigerian football league system, the Nigerian Women's Championship, from 2008 to 2011 before she joined Rivers Angels.
Rivers Angels are one of the most revered clubs in the Nigerian Women's Championship and it was a big move for the 18-year-old Ordega at the time. This was where she made a big splash and was noticed by clubs in Europe.
Francisca Ordega club career
In just one year with Rivers Angels, Ordega caught the attention of a number of European clubs. In 2012, she signed a contract with Russian club WFC Rossiyanka that competed in the Russian Women’s Football Championship until their dissolution in 2017.
Ordega, 18 at the time, was one of the success stories of the Nigerian Women's Championship for the move. However, her time with Rossiyanka did not last and by November 2012, she and the club agreed to part ways by mutual consent.
Their dissolution five years later has now been pointed to as a reason for parting ways with Ordega and a number of players in the years building up to the eventual disbandment of the club.
Ordega then signed a contract with Piteå IF in the Swedish Damallsvenskan in 2013. This was another big move for the diminutive forward as the Swedish Damallsvenskan is in the top three women's football leagues in the world. Many of the world's women's football superstars all got their start in the league and many are still playing there.
On May 26, 2013, she scored her first goal for the club to break the tie in their game against Vittsjö GIK. She played for them between 2013 and 2015 before moving on to the NWSL in the USA, another of the world's most advanced women's football leagues.
She signed for Washington Spirit as a promising 22-year-old but was unable to secure a spot in their starting line up.
This was due to her suffering a knee injury in July 2017, which threw her off form. She still managed to rack up 14 more appearances after the injury, scoring four goals in those games.
To help her regain sharpness as match fitness, Spirit sent her on loan to Sydney FC in Australia where she played six official games between 2016 to 2017 as the first African to play in the Australian Women's League (W-League).
From there, she joined Atlético de Madrid on loan for the 2017/18 women's football season. She spent six months in Madrid before returning to Washington.
She spent two quiet years in China with Shanghai Shengli before returning to Spain to play for Levante. Ordega and Levante UD agreed to a contract that was supposed to last until 2023 in April 2021.
The club wanted to build a team that could compete in the UEFA Women's Champions League, and Ordega was seen as a viable squad option by the team's handlers.
The dream did not last and Ordega moved back to Russia, where she first began her European sojourn. She signed with CSKA Moscow in 2021 and has been at the club ever since.
What more can I say???
Thank you God… three medals 🥇 🥈🥈in a year👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 what a year💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 I’m blessed🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 what God can not do doesn’t exist… what have I done to deserve this God??😭😭 pic.twitter.com/t8rRP9YIVW— ordega francisca (@OrdegaF) November 4, 2022
Francisca Ordega national team career
Ordega has played at every level for the Nigerian women’s national football team.
In 2010, she was part of the Flamingos team (U-17 Nigeria women's national football team) that competed in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup of that year.
In 2012, she was part of the Falconets team (U-20) that took part in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup of that year.
By 2010, however, she was already a Super Falcon, having impressed as a Flamingo. She took part in the 2010 Women's AFCON (called the African Women's Championship) which Nigeria won. She was also a part of the Nigeria women's AFCON team for 2014, which was also a victorious outing.
Francisca Ordega sending love from Casablanca ❤️✌️#TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 | #EmpoweringOurGame | #TeamNigeria | @OrdegaF pic.twitter.com/nRa78x5wNl
— CAF Women’s Football (@CAFwomen) July 14, 2022
In 2011, she was part of the Super Falcons' team for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. She was an unused substitute in that edition.
She has represented Nigeria at the 2015 (when she made her debut) and 2019 FIFA World Cup and is set to make her fourth senior women's World Cup appearance at the 2023 edition.
Her contributions in the 2015 tournament made her a legend among Nigerians. The Super Falcons were down by two goals in the opening encounter of Group D of that tournament and after some amazing play in which she was involved, the Falcons got a goal back.
Following some more amazing plays from her, she got the equaliser to set up a tense finish to the match. It ended 3 – 3 and was unanimously agreed among fans to be the most exciting game of the 2012 Women's World Cup.
Francisca Ordega family, education, relationship, lifestyle
Ordega was born to a trader father and a farmer mother in Gboko, Benue state. She is the sixth child of 15 children.
She was educated up to secondary school level. There is no information on if she finished her secondary education, as she became an active footballerwhile in senior secondary school.
She also keeps her relationship under wraps but her social media posts shows that she enjoys hanging out. Many have speculated that there is a special person in her life because of her posts, but there is no information on this person, if they truly exist.
Givers never lack…come out all let’s make Benue great by showing love to one another…francisca Ordega Foundation.. we are here again..Christmas celebration 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾… pic.twitter.com/15s4VCEV76
— ordega francisca (@OrdegaF) December 15, 2019
Francisca Ordega net worth, salary
There is no information on her salary available. However, according to multiple online sources, she is estimated to be worth $1 million – $5 million. She is also Nigeria's second richest football player behind Asisat Oshoala (among Nigerian-born Super Falcons). Her net worth has been amassed from a 15-year career and her various business endeavours.
Francisca Ordega honours
Club
Rivers Angels – 2012 Nigerian Women’s Cup
Atlético Madrid – 2018 Primera División
International
Nigeria – 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018 African Women’s Championship
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 years ago