Al Ittihad's Ashleigh Plumptre determined to help women's football thrive in Saudi Arabia

Nigeria's World Cup star talks to The National about her move to Saudi and how she wants to use her platform to inspire girls to play football

Ashleigh Plumptre, left, scored a hat-trick on her Saudi Women’s Premier League debut for Al Ittihad. Photo: Al Ittihad

Former Leicester City defender Ashleigh Plumptre made history when she became the first Women’s Super League (WSL) player to move to the Saudi Women’s Premier League, following her transfer last month to Al Ittihad.

The men's Saudi Pro League (SPL) underwent a remarkable transformation this summer as a bold and ambitious transfer strategy saw some of the biggest names in football, including Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Riyad Mahrez move to the Kingdom. Cristiano Ronaldo initially paved the way with his move in January to Al Nassr.

Now the Saudi women’s football scene is also looking to expand, and Plumptre is an example of the direction in which it's heading.

“My football decisions are a reflection of what I care about," Plumptre told The National. "I joined Leicester after leaving university because I wanted to represent a club and community that I appreciate because I grew up there. Making the decision to come here was led by a connection to the coach and an alignment in passion to represent something bigger than ourselves.”

Plumptre, 25, was born in Leicester but was eligible to play for Nigeria through her paternal grandfather. While she represented England throughout youth level all the way up to Under-23, she ultimately chose to represent Nigeria on the international stage and starred at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Leaving her hometown for the Middle East was certainly not part of Plumptre's plans, but the mission to transform women's football in Saudi proved too exciting a project to resist.

“I am someone who makes decisions based on alignment with my inner self," Plumptre said. "A few months ago, I never would’ve expected to be leaving the UK to come to Saudi Arabia but I instantly felt connected to the staff members when having a chat with them over the phone before the World Cup.

"In fact, we didn’t even speak much about football. I’ve always been a fierce competitor but also seen how football is a vehicle for so much more. I have this deep desire to connect with people, learn about other cultures, and hopefully make some kind of impact by being myself, while also experiencing all that football has to offer on the pitch.

"I was joining a project by making the decision to come here and I’m grateful to be one of the first to have the opportunity to be a part of something so exciting.”

Playing at the World Cup is the pinnacle of any footballer’s career, and Plumptre is no exception. The defender was a key player in Nigeria's impressive 2023 tournament when they came within a penalty shootout of eliminating a heavily-favoured England side in the first knockout round. In that game, Plumptre struck the woodwork and helped her side keep a clean sheet.

That followed a group stage in which Nigeria advanced ahead of Olympic champions Canada and defeated hosts, and eventual semi-finalists, Australia.

“Representing Nigeria is always a huge privilege but especially at a World Cup," Plumptre said. "Joining the team, it was never about trying to set particular goals but rather to take every camp as it came and to soak up what I was able to learn about the girls, my heritage and culture.”

Plumptre began her Ittihad career in stunning style, scoring a hat-trick on debut against Dammam’s Eastern Flames FC. Two games into the season, Ittihad sit third in the eight-team table after drawing their second match 2-2 with Al Qadsiah.

The second season of the Saudi Women’s Premier League is part of a wider picture of female football development in Saudi Arabia. According to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, there has been an 86 per cent increase in registered female players in 2022, rising from 374 in 2021 to 694.

“I want to be in environments where girls and women want to learn, want to grow and are brave enough to step into more of themselves both on and off the pitch,” Plumptre said.

“Growing the game here in Saudi is more than just giving girls the opportunity to play professionally but seeing what these women are able to achieve when they are surrounded by people who want to lift them up, challenge them and encourage them to be who they truly are.”