Ashleigh Plumptre: “I Feel Safer and Happier in Saudi Arabia Than in the UK”
Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre has reflected on her bold and controversial move to Saudi Arabia, revealing that although her initial reaction to the offer was negative, she now feels happier and safer in the Middle East than she ever did in the United Kingdom, writes Nigeriasoccernet.com.
The 27-year-old made history in 2023 as the first player to move from the English Women’s Super League to the Saudi Women’s Premier League, joining Al-Ittihad from her childhood club, Leicester City, after her contract expired.
Two years later, Plumptre has signed a contract extension with the Jeddah-based club and says she’s proud to be part of the development of women’s football in the region, despite the criticism that followed her move.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Plumptre admitted she initially turned down the idea of moving to Saudi Arabia before being convinced after an hour-long conversation with Al-Ittihad’s coach and management team.
“I spoke to some teams in the UK, US, and Europe, then Dad said there was a team in Saudi Arabia interested in me,” she explained. “I was shocked. My first reaction was ‘no,’ but I decided to give them a chance.”
She continued:
“We barely even spoke about football, but about ourselves and what we were passionate about. I’m someone who follows my feelings and intuition. When I visited for two days, I really liked it. I left thinking, ‘this is where I want to be.’”
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