Florence Omagbemi is the first player to ever captained the Super Falcons of Nigeria.
She has consistently held the role of captain in all the teams she played for, notably as the first captain of the Super Falcons.
Born in February 1975 in the commercial city of Warri, Omagbemi has Ghanaian roots through her mother, whose father hails from Accra.
As the captain of the Super Falcons of Nigeria, she led the team to victory in the Africa Women Cup of Nations in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004.
As coach, Omagbemi achieved further success by guiding the Super Falcons to another women's Afcon victory on December 3, 2016, in Cameroon.
Raised in a large family with 5 brothers and 3 sisters, the 49-year-old Omagbemi displayed a passion for football from a young age, often playing with her brothers and other boys despite initial concerns about possible injuries.
Eventually, her father, a former footballer, supported and encouraged her pursuit of the sport.
Omagbemi's introduction to coach Napoleon Aluma occurred shortly after her impressive performance, during which Coach Aluma, who was the youth coach and founder of Invisible Leopard Football Club of Warri, took notice of her.
Subsequently, she embarked on her professional career as a foundation member of Ufuoma Babes Football Club of Warri (the present day Delta Queens) in the 1991/92 season.
However, her pursuit of further education led her to leave Ufuoma Babes for the Lagos-based club side, Princess Jegede Babes, in the 1992/1993 season.
It was during her time at Princess Jegede in 1991, at the young age of 15, that Omagbemi received her first call-up to the national team.
Known as 'Skippo' by her teammates, Omagbemi was selected from the Princess Jegede mini tournament, which served as a platform to recruit players for the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China.
Subsequently, the Delta-born midfielder became the highest-paid player in the league when she joined Pelican Stars of Calabar in 1997.
The team was under the guidance of the late Ntiero Effiom, leading them to victories in both the League and the FA Cup.
Following this success, Omagbemi ventured to the United States and played collegiate soccer in the 1999/2000 season at Milligan College, TN. There, she earned numerous accolades.
Subsequently, in 2001, she became a member of the Boston Breakers.
Omagbemi later teamed up with Mercy Akide Udoh in San Diego Spirit in 2002.
Her professional career continued as she competed for the Hampton Roads Piranhas semi-pro team (W-League) until her retirement from professional football in the 2006/2007 season.
Omagbemi notably represented the Nigeria women's national football team for more than a decade, participating in four FIFA Women's World Cups, including the 1999 tournament where the team advanced to the second round before being defeated by Brazil.
Being a member of the Nigerian team that participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia marked a significant milestone in her career.
Upon retiring from professional football in 2007, Omagbemi ventured into coaching.
She initially started coaching American-based youth teams before being appointed as the assistant coach for the Nigeria women's national under-20 football team.
During her tenure, the team managed to reach the semifinals of the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, where they were unfortunately defeated by the United States.
Omagbemi's coaching prowess was further recognized when she assumed the role of interim coach for the Super Falcons during the 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Omagbemi led the team to victory in Cameroon, making history as the first woman to win the women's Afcon both as a player and coach.
Her exceptional tactical skills in Cameroon led to her nomination for the Best FIFA Women’s Coach Award 2017 and the CAF Best Coach of the Year Award.
Omagbemi has received numerous honours and accolades.
She was inducted into the United Soccer League Women’s Hall of Fame as the first African Female Player in 2011 and named in the IFFHS All-time Africa Women's Dream Team in 2021.
In November 2022, Omagbemi was recognized as a women’s football living legend at the 11th Media Global Concept 2022 Recognition Award.
Omagbemi earned a diploma in Physical and Health Education from the University of Lagos.
Omagbemi admired late Stephen Keshi and Samson Siasia as role models, along with Wilson Oruma.
Sadly, in 2009, she lost her husband, and in June 2017, she suffered the loss of her 15-year-old foster son, Samson.
In February 2022, Omagbemi remarried after 13 years since the passing of her first husband, Adams Onuja.