What Next for Opeyemi Ajakaye after Failed Sojourns to USA and Spain?

After cutting a wide swath magnificently in Under-17 football in 2022, many had expected sharpshooter Opeyemi Ajakaye to be in the conversation of potential Super Falcons strikers by now.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

After graduating to the Under-20s, in 2024 where her performances were lukewarm to say this least, Ajakaye is slowly fading into national team oblivion.

A move to Madrid CFF in Spain in 2024 was meant to enhance her progression. It sort of did, as she moved to Kansas City and then loaned to Carolina Ascent, both in the USA afterwards.

Rather disappointingly, she failed to make any meaningful impacts in any of those overseas clubs, failing to secure game time, let alone register a single goal.

It wasn't long before she found herself back where it all began, at home with Robo Queens with absolutely nothing to show for her travels.

So, what next?

At 19 years old, Ajakaye is still very young. Her goals scoring prowess, centre forward IQ, and tantalising technique on the ball have never been in doubt.

Consistency has been the major culprit of her stunted and muffled development into a fully fledged international.

Some of her U-17 colleagues, notably Miracle Usani and Comfort Folorunsho, are currently establishing themselves as bona fide Super Falcons.

With age on her side and fire in her belly, Ajakaye might yet stage a remarkable resurgence in international football.

With the circumstances surrounding her failed overseas professional career pursuit still shrouded in mystery, Ajakaye will hope put all that behind her and use that experience as springboard to success.

After all, a wise man once wrote: “failure is an integral part of success.”