Her stay in China might not be over, as her move to Barcelona is only a loan signing, but it presents another big move for Oshoala. At just the age of 24, Oshoala who started her career at Robo FC in Lagos has played for Liverpool Ladies, Arsenal Ladies and tried out her abilities in the competitive Chinese women football league. 

The move to Barcelona compliments her status as the best Nigerian women’s player of her generation and one of the greatest ever in the history of Nigerian women football. It’s also a move that will afford her the opportunity to be fully fit for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup which will hold in France. 

The 2018 Chinese Women's Super League ended in October with the new season kicking off in March but for Oshoala, staying off match practice until that time would have been hampering to her performance in France. She spent her Christmas and New Year holidays working to remain fit ahead of her move to Barcelona where she could be thrown into action straightaway. 

Barcelona are gunning for three titles, the Primera División de la Liga de Fútbol Femenino (women’s Spanish league), Copa de la Reina and UEFA Women’s Champions League. This congested schedule will help Oshoala stay fit ahead of the 2019 Women’s World Cup. 

For Oshoala, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup is an opportunity for her to define her legacy in Nigerian football. After excelling in Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) with three titles in three tournaments, it is on the world stage that she has fallen short of expectations.

She managed just a goal when the Super Falcons crashed out of the group stage after a disappointing campaign at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup where they suffered two defeats and one draw. It is this reason she has never been the first choice in the 'greatest of all time (GOAT) conversations. 

Mercy Akide, a GOAT and arguably the best of the first generation of Nigerian women’s football, won three AWCON titles-same as Oshoala- but it was her five-star performance for the Super Falcons at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup that stands her out in the conversation. To buttress how important her performance at that World Cup is, that was the only time Nigeria have reached the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup.

Perpetua Nkwocha, another GOAT and the star of the generation after Akide has four African Women’s Player of the Year awards to her name-compared to Oshoala’s three- and won the AWCON five times. 

Oshoala, who has already won more club honours than Akide and Nkwocha needs a good World Cup showing to pull ahead of the former internationals in the GOAT conversion.