The Ampem Darkoa Ladies star reflects on her journey from playing with boys in her community to joining Ghana’s national women’s squad.
For most two-year-olds, life revolves around play. For Ajegipina Zakaria, it revolved around a football.
The rising star has described her first senior call-up to the Black Queens as a defining milestone, marking the transition from a young girl defying social norms to a professional representing Ghana on the international stage.
The news of her selection reached her while she was training with her club, Ampem Darkoa Ladies. For Zakaria, the moment was as emotional as it was inevitable.
“I was very, very happy,” Zakaria said. “I was at Ampem Darkoa when they told me they were calling me to come and play for the Black Queens. I told my parents first.”
For the young forward, the call-up represents the culmination of a journey that began in an environment where girls were often discouraged from the pitch.
Zakaria’s path to the national team started on the dusty pitches of her local community. She revealed that she began playing at the age of two, often finding herself as the only girl among the boys.
“Girls, they don’t take football as something that is very, very good,” she explained. “But because of the guys, the way they are playing, I also joined them.”
This early exposure to the physical, fast-paced nature of the men’s game has clearly paid dividends, honing the skills that eventually caught the eye of the national team scouts.
Now embedded in the national setup, Zakaria is determined to soak up the experience of her veteran teammates. High on her list of mentors is the Black Queens’ captain, Portia Boakye.
Zakaria admitted to being starstruck by the skipper, whose presence on the pitch provides a sense of security for the younger players.
Speaking on her admiration for the captain, she noted that Boakye is a talented player who makes her feel happy and confident whenever they share the field.
This call-up is more than just a personal accolade; it is a tactical boost for the Black Queens as they look to integrate fresh talent into their ranks.
As Zakaria settles into the squad, her focus remains on development and establishing herself as a mainstay in Ghanaian football.
With her blend of youthful energy and a lifelong passion for the game, the Ampem Darkoa standout is no longer just a girl playing with the boys, she is a woman playing for her country.
Source: Ekow Segu
