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For Esther Okoronkwo, football has always being something she cherishes. Fast forward to June 2025, and that same passion now fuels her rise in Canada’s Northern Super League, where she’s just been named Player of the Month, a landmark moment not just for her career, but for AFC Toronto, the young club she now leads from the front.

When AFC Toronto announced Okoronkwo’s signing in February 2025, it raised eyebrows. Not because she wasn’t talented, she’d already established herself as a Nigerian international with a reputation for clutch performances and a cannon of a right foot, but because few expected a player of her pedigree to choose a team still carving out its identity in a rapidly growing league. But Esther, ever the competitor, saw what others didn’t.

“I came because I wanted a challenge,” she told reporters after receiving the award. “I wanted to be part of something new, something that grows while I grow too.”

In just four matches in May, Okoronkwo found the net three times, each goal a testament to her versatility. There was the poacher’s tap-in against Vancouver Spirit, a thunderous 25-yard strike against Montreal Roses that went viral across Canadian sports media, and a deft header in a gritty away win over Ottawa Northside. The highlight, without question, was that blistering strike against Montreal, a goal so pure in technique and audacity that it earned the Northern Super League’s “Goal of the Week” and sparked conversations far beyond the league’s borders.

In that moment, with the ball arching past the outstretched fingertips of Montreal’s goalkeeper and nestling into the top corner, Esther Okoronkwo announced herself to Canada.

But beyond the goals and accolades, it’s been her leadership that’s left the deepest mark on AFC Toronto. A team built on youth and raw potential, the club needed a figurehead, someone to shoulder responsibility when matches grew tense, to rally teammates when the odds seemed long. Esther, with her relentless work ethic and infectious enthusiasm, became that figure.

“She’s everything you want in a leader,” said head coach Monica Clarke. “Not just because she scores, but because she lifts everyone around her. When Esther’s on the pitch, you believe you can win.”

And that belief has translated into results. AFC Toronto, once considered outsiders in the league, are now flirting with a playoff berth, fueled in part by Okoronkwo’s heroics.

The Player of the Month award, the first in AFC Toronto’s history, symbolizes more than individual excellence. It represents a shift in the club’s culture, a sign that the long nights and hard training sessions are beginning to pay off.

“It feels good. It feels good,” Okoronkwo said with a broad smile during the post-match ceremony where she received her trophy. “Lucky. I mean, obviously it wouldn’t have been possible without my teammates. So, as much as I won that, it’s also with them. To them as well.”

Her humility shone through, even amid personal triumph. When asked about what’s next, she was clear-eyed:

“I just gotta have the same attitude and mentality for every game. To always treat every game the same. At the end of the day, we want to win… I always have the mentality to give your best on the field and work as hard as you can, and let everything work out.”

Esther is also an advocate for the league’s future. She’s been vocal about the Northern Super League’s potential to become one of the top women’s leagues globally, if given time and investment.

“This is a good league. And it’s only going to get better. More talent will come, more eyes will be on it,” she said. “If you’re mentioning women’s leagues in the future, the Canadian league will be right up there.”

For now, AFC Toronto and their supporters will savor every moment with Esther Okoronkwo in their colors, knowing they’re witnessing not just a gifted footballer, but a pioneer helping shape the identity of a club, a league, and a new chapter in Canadian football history.