CHI BELIEVES…

For new signing CHIOMA UBOGAGU, stepping out at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Arsenal this afternoon will be a surreal feeling. The 28-year-old was born in London and spent most of her childhood in the U.S. before signing for the red half of north London in 2013. Chi returned to the States to gain experience with Houston Dash and Orlando Pride before embarking on a new challenging with Real Madrid. After signing for us from Madrid last month, the versatile forward’s football journey has come full-circle and she is eager to make her family proud when she pulls on a Spurs shirt for the first time, hopefully today!

- Lydia Griffihs

What were some of the reasons behind you wanting to join Spurs?

Chi: “I was born in London, so it’s always been home to me. I left when I was young and moved to the States, but I came back to London every year and loved it. It was the first place I lived after I graduated from [Stanford] University and it’s always had a special place in my heart. I watched a lot of the WSL last year and I thought Spurs were a team that tried to do exciting things. They play possession-oriented football, which is what I love, and I believe that’s how football should be played. You can tell at the heart of the team that they fight for each other, and I think that’s so important to have when the season is long, you need that strong sense of togetherness to get you through. It was also a team I thought I could really add to; the team probably wanted to score more goals and attack more than they did last season which is something I love to do. In my mind and in my heart, it felt like the perfect move and I’m so excited that everything worked out.”

What did Rehanne say to you before joining the Club?

“It’s funny because I’m in England’s pool of players and I was in contact with Phil [Neville, former Lionesses Head Coach] and Rehanne who were watching my games while I was at Real Madrid. When Rehanne left to take the role here at Spurs, we stayed in contact and when the opportunity arose, I was really excited.”