Women football was a focal point in 2022 with great development taking place in all division of the game.
2022 saw a huge improvement in the women’s game as we saw a record breaking grand crowd at the women’s world cup finals which England won against Germany at the Wembley Stadium in London.
In Africa, there was a significant upgrade with the women’s African champions league, the women’s African cup won by Morocco and lot of other completions hosted within the continent to give more opportunity to girls who have taken football as their career.
Locally in Sierra Leone, the Elite Women’s Premier League kicked off after several years of wait. Girls across the country once again have the chance of showcasing their talent.
Though there are lot of improvement to be made, the league is playing and the performances of the girls, especially teams from the provincial areas have exceeds the expectations of the fans.
Not only that the country is producing super talented girls in the local league, there are Sierra Leonean players who are playing top football in Europe and America.
Here are the list of top Sierra Leonean female football players abroad.
Folashade Annie Evelyn Pratt Known as Shade Pratt, born April 2, 1993 to a Sierra Leone parents, is a Sierra Leonean-American football players based in the USA.
Pratt who currently nursing her injury is earned several accolades, including being nominated two-times All-Metro selection, two-times all-state and three-times all-conference selection.
In 2011, Pratt went to University of Maryland. She played only seven matches in her freshman year. In her sophomore year, she became a starter for the Terrapins, playing most as a wide midfield and a wide back. In her junior year, Pratt played for the first time in her career as a centre-back. In her senior year, after several Terrapins were sidelined by injuries, Pratt was moved to frontline, becoming a forward.
Pratt was the 25th overall pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft when she was picked by Sky Blue FC. Pratt only played one match for the SBFC, on June 28, 2015, against Chicago Red Stars. For the 2016 National Women’s Soccer League season, Pratt signed with Portland Thorns FC. She played five matches for the Thorns in that season.
In 2017 she was signed to the Norwegian top club Røa Dynamite Girls. From August she was on loan to another club in the same division, Stabaek Chixa. She signed with the Swedish club IFK Kalmar in January 2018.
In June 2019, she signed with the Portuguese champions, Braga and she was featured in the Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino and the Europa Champions League before she picks up an injury which she is still nursing.
At the moment Shade Pratt is a free agent and hope to return to the pitch soon. The attacking forward is still illegible to represent the USA or Sierra Leone.
Jasmine Hamid is an American soccer player from Annandale, Virginia who plays as a forward for Towson Tigers soccer team.
She also played for FC Virginia and she was committed to play for the George Mason Patriots soccer team.
Jasmine is born to a family of Sierra Leonean decent and that’s gives are the illegibility to represent Sierra Leone at any point in time in her career if she wish to play for the country of her parents origin.
In 2021, she was the All-CAA Second Team forward in her first year with the Tigers. She played in 15 games with 14 starts, leading the team with six assists, adding three goals on 38 shots
Jasmine scored her first goal and eventual game-winner in a home victory against Temple, following with an assist on the overtime golden goal by Nia Christopher in road win over Mount St. Mary’s notched a goal and an assist in road win over Delaware State earned two assists in conference victory against William & Mary.
Before Towson: She spent 2020-21 season at George Mason University, playing in four games with two starts in the spring season.
Khadija Sian Bah: is a football player who is currently playing for William Penn University in the USA. Sian was born on April 20, 2003 to Sierra Leonean parents.
The attacking forward, is also studying Political Science at William Penn University.
Sian, before moving to the USA to continue her education career, played for Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford in the U16-17 category in England.
High School: Led team in goals all four years at St. Claudine’s Catholic School for Girls…Three-time Golden Boot winner…Jack Petchey achievement award recipient.
Other players to watch out for
Saio M. Quraishi is a Sierra Lean defender who plays for Ilkadim Bilediyesi yab-pa spor in the Turkish women’s League.
Salamatu Kamara is a defensive wing back who is currently playing for Ilkadim Bilediyesi yab-pa spor in Turkey.
Fatmata Turay is a currently studying and playing for the Citadel Military University in South Carolina, USA.
Isata kamara plays for Whyteleafe FC in the London and South East Regional Women’s league in England.
Rashidatu Gas Kamara based in Armenia is currently unattached as her agent is still negotiating with clubs for a possible transfer.
