“We want her but” — Super Falcons coach reveals heartbreak over Nigeria-eligible goal-hungry star

Real Sociedad's in-form striker, Edna Imade, who is tied for the Liga F top scorer, is reportedly set to choose World Champions Spain over Nigeria, despite repeated efforts from the Super Falcons' management.

In a revelation ahead of the Super Falcons' WAFCON 2026 qualifier second-leg clash in Abeokuta, head coach Justine Madugu reportedly confirmed that the Nigerian national team has made multiple bids to secure the commitment of highly-rated forward Imade. 

The 24-year-old, who is currently tearing up the Spanish league on loan at Real Sociedad from Bayern Munich, is at the centre of an international battle with reigning World Champions, Spain.

"I made approaches to Edna. We want her to come and play for Nigeria. I tried to reach out two or three times, to get feedback on her feelings about playing for Nigeria," Madugu stated in a post on X. 

He revealed, however, that the efforts are being complicated: "But the agents around her and the team she plays for are really trying to see how they can get her to play for Spain."

Imade's international tug-of-war is fuelled by her explosive start to the 2025/2026 season. The striker, who was born in Morocco to a Nigerian mother, has spent her entire life in Spain. 

She has netted an incredible six goals in her first six Liga F matches for Real Sociedad, putting her in a three-way tie for the league's top scorer and earning her the Liga F Player of the Month award for October. 

Notably, she recently scored the penalty that ended Barcelona Femení's long unbeaten league streak.

This prolific form has intensified Spain's push to secure her services. According to an earlier report from Pulse Sports Nigeria, the final administrative paperwork for Imade to represent La Roja is almost complete, a move seemingly confirmed by Spanish national team coach Sonia Bermudez.

Imade, who was the second-highest scorer in the Spanish second tier last season with 16 goals in 29 appearances for Granada, reportedly initiated the naturalisation process herself last May, signalling her clear preference for the Spanish national setup.

The likely loss of a world-class talent like Imade is a blow to the Nigerian Football Federation's (NFF) strategy of recruiting top players of Nigerian heritage across Europe. 

Imade's background, having developed entirely within the Spanish football ecosystem, gives Spain a natural advantage in securing her allegiance.

For the Super Falcons, this decision shows the increasing challenge of convincing Nigeria-eligible players to choose the African giant over top European nations, especially the World Champions. 

For Spain, Imade's inclusion provides a proven goal-scorer to bolster an already world-class attack as they aim to "continue winning titles."

With the paperwork reportedly nearing completion, Edna Imade's bright international future appears to be with Spain, a big blow to Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Africa’s record-breaking champions.