US U23 star Antionette Oyedupe Payne has said she has opted to change her international allegiance to Nigeria after consulting her family.

Toni Payne Profile

‘Toni’ Payne, whose parents Oyekele and Mojemilat Payne are Nigerians, has been in the US programme since she was 13 and represented the US at the U17 FIFA World Cup in Azerbaijan.

She has also been part of the US U23 team since January.

“I am ready to play for Nigeria now after thinking about this decision for the past one year and getting the support of my family,” she said.

The attacking midfielder or centre-forward has never visited Nigeria, but she said she has followed the country’s women’s teams and can hold her own in the Super Falcons.

“I know Nigeria have some good players and play an attacking style and personally this fits my style,” Payne said.

“My best position is attacking midfield, but I could also play as a centre-forward.

“I believe if I am given a chance, I will prove myself again.”

Her younger brother Stephen is on the books of Portuguese club Estoril, while younger sister Nicole has been scouted for the US U17s.


http://africanfootball.com/news/674471/USA-U23-star-Toni-Payne-says-she-has-opted-for-Nigeria

Career Stats

Career: One of the most dynamic and skilled players with the ball to play at Duke ... netted 14 goals and 15 assists in her first three years for 43 points, including three game-winning goals ... started 63-of-67 matches at Duke.

National Team Experience:

Helped lead the U.S. U-23 squad to the U-23 Women’s Nordic Tournament championship in England in June of 2016 ... guided the U-23 team to the Istria Cup title in Croatia during March of 2016 ... trained with the U.S. U-20 National Team in May of 2014 ... traveled to Sweden in the summer of 2013 with the U.S. U-20 National Team ... attended the U.S. U-20 National Team training camp in February and August of 2013 … member of the U.S. U-17 National team that won the 2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship in Guatemala and qualified for the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup … traveled to Croatia, Slovenia and La Manga with the U-17 national team …. played with the U.S. U-15

National Team.
Junior (2015): Earned NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team honors ... TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week accolades Dec. 1 ... notched four goals and five assists for 13 points ... attempted 65 shots ... scored three goals and had two assists in the NCAA Tournament ... totaled the lone goal in a 1-1 draw at top-seeded Stanford that Duke eventually advanced on penalty kicks ... put the exclamation point on a NCAA College Cup semifinal win over top-ranked and defending national champion Florida State by scoring with one second remaining ... assisted on the game-winning goal against Florida State ... added goals against James Madison and William & Mary ... saw action in 2,001 minutes ... tied a career high with seven shots at Louisville ... totaled three goals and four assists over her final nine matches of the season.

Sophomore (2014): Started all 18 of Duke’s contests in the midfield and forward slots ... Second Team All-ACC selection ... netted a career-high seven goals, five assists and career-high 19 points ... posted two game-winning goals against UAB and Boston College ... ranked ninth in the ACC with 2.89 shots per game ... named to Duke Nike Classic All-Tournament team ... collected goals in three straight games against 13th-ranked West Virginia, UAB and 18th-ranked Arkansas ... ACC Player of the Week on Sept. 2, after notching two goals and an assist against West Virginia and UAB ... netted two assists against Arkansas and a total of four points ... posted four goals against ACC opponents -- Boston College, Virginia, Wake Forest and Pittsburgh ... attempted a career-high seven shots against West Virginia ... earned CS360 Primetime Performer honors after totaling goals against Virginia and Boston College ... named to All White Kit Preseason Midfielder of the Year list ... played 1,437 minutes and took 52 shots.

Freshman (2013):
Saw action in all 24 games, starting 21 ... earned All-ACC Freshman Team honors ... named to Preseason TopDrawerSoccer All-Freshman team ... selected to Soccer America All-Freshman Second Team ... earned 11 points, with three goals and five assists ... scored the game-winning goal against Miami Sept. 12 ... all three goals came against ACC opponents (Maryland, Miami and Notre Dame) ... recorded five assists, including two in Duke’s 6-3 win over Pittsburgh Oct. 27 ... posted an assist at 12th-ranked Notre Dame in her first collegiate contest ... took 37 shots ... tallied 1,875 minutes played.

Regional Team Experience:

Member of the 95 ODP Regional III team and the 95 ODP Alabama State team … traveled with the ODP region team in 2010 on the Costa Rica tour … went to Germany and France on tours in 2011 with the region squad.

High School/Club: Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year ... ranked No. 10 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com top 150 ranking of the club soccer players ... listed No. 2 in the South Atlantic region rankings by TopDrawerSoccer.com ... NSCAA All-America as a junior and senior … 2013 Elite Soccer Report Spring All-America ... three-time Birmingham News All-State first team selection … NSCAA All-State and NSCAA Alabama Player of the Year as a senior ... All-Metro Team as a junior … collected 37 goals and 25 assists her junior year at Oak Mountain H.S. … Birmingham News State & Metro Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013 … scored a season-high five goals on eight shots … led her squad to a 28-2 overall record and the state championship … as a sophomore, registered nine goals and six assists, while taking 18 shots … played club soccer for Busa 95 ECNL and Concorde Fire 95 ECNL … led Busa 95 Elite to the State Cup Championship and the Region III Premier League Championships 2008-10 … competed in the 2010 Disney Showcase and was a finalist, while winning the 2008 3v3 World Championship with the Atlanta Soccer Association … participated in the West Hamm United ID camp and the ECNL Disney Showcase All- Star team … lettered in track & field as well as cross country as a freshman and sophomore.

Personal: Full name is Antionette Oyedupe Payne ... born April 22, 1995 in Birmingham, Ala. ... daughter of Oyeleke and Mojemilat Payne … both parents were born in Nigeria … has one brother, Stephen (18), and one sister, Nicole (15) … member of the Minority Students Association her final two years at Oak Mountain H.S. ... majoring in political science

pictures

hello guys do you think she can fit into the present falcons team?

Lets go there….
ItsQuinn, safarigirl, shizzy7, AngelAhnie, Smellymouth, Mediapace, refiner(, suwalee, optional1, vivianblog1, cruzita, klexycole, VickyRotex(, blueto, TheSuperNerd, mikron, TonyeBarcanist, Ajibel, honeric01

MrJeffBrown:
IS IT THE SAME FALCONS THAT ARE PROTESTING FOR PAYMENT? ANYWAY SHE CAN JOIN IF SHE IS READY TO COPE WITH THE FOOLISHNESS OF NFF

if only they know how to sell the brand more people will buy and also play for us

If she wants to play why not? Let her come.


Am sure she is aware of the circumstances of the Super falcons in the past months but yet not bothered by that, still wants to play. Now that's patriotism!!!



If she has already made it in the states, the chicken change from NFF will not bother her.





#you are welcome!!!

Very impressive records...she should think twice though.

After it dawned on you that you cannot make the US national team abi?

Anyways, you are still better than all those male naija footballers wey England, Germany and Italy used and dumped.

All the same welcome back home but be ready for placards carrying like your would be naija female compatriots. Hope u don't mind sha.

Thot it was former Mrs gongo aso

Iyawo 9ice

Though it sounds patriotic but I know you are taking the wrong decision.

Buhari doesn't like sports or any modern way of life.

Good news... Come to the Promise Land

them dey owe people money here oh
na pay after service

.

SAI BUHARI

she wants to be broke for life

.

Meanwhile Jordon Ibe and Chuba Akpom are hoping for England to call them up...

MrJeffBrown:
IS IT THE SAME FALCONS THAT ARE PROTESTING FOR PAYMENT? ANYWAY SHE CAN JOIN IF SHE IS READY TO COPE WITH THE FOOLISHNESS OF NFF

my dear you wrote everything i would have written.

I will submit your CV and stats to our able minister "the fund spended were well spended"

But we don't pay salary without protest here, so think before leaving US team.

She has every right ti aspire to play for Nigeria.

[Buhari vs Donald Trump] who bad pass gon?

She is running away from the USA because of Donald Trump.

Gbam!!!

Yoruba girl wey get sense

robosky02:


if only they know how to sell the brand more people will buy and also play for us

Bros even if they decide not to sell at all! People will still queue to represent nigeria

Until fifa changes the rules and allow individuals come together to represent themselves... an athlete must represent a nation

Now here's the koko...if I were NFF i'd blacklist ALL girls who participated in that protest... I mean every last one

These dull NLANDERS forget same cameroun they were praising BANNED eto'o for 6months after he led a player strike! A whole eto'o

That didn't more players like chupo-moting from switching allegiance to cameroun.

Shebi Zaha don run come ivory coast...did they beg him? No time

my dear, wait until amaju picnic & that useless beret wearing minister are no longer in charge