England U20 striker Princess Ademiluyi says her Nigerian heritage will not affect her approach when the Young Lionesses face the Falconets at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.

The England-born forward, who is eligible to represent Nigeria through her Nigerian parents, was set to face the Falconets in the Round of 16 of the tournament in Poland.

Ademiluyi, who was born in Gravesend, Kent, has already represented England in competitive youth football. A future switch to Nigeria would therefore require the relevant change of sporting nationality process.

Despite the personal significance of the encounter, the striker insisted she would treat the match like any other competitive fixture and remain fully focused on England’s objective.

“It’s amazing to play against Nigeria, but it doesn’t change the game. When I step out onto that field I will show up like it’s any other game,” Ademiluyi told England Football. 

The 20-year-old added that she would welcome the opportunity to interact with some of the Nigerian players after the match and reconnect with her heritage.

“After the game though, it’ll be nice to chat to a few of their players and see how they’re doing on their side.” 

Ademiluyi had been an important figure for England during their impressive group-stage campaign, featuring prominently in the Young Lionesses’ attack.

The No. 9 was among the scorers as England recorded a 5-1 victory over Tanzania, contributing to a perfect group-stage record before their meeting with Nigeria. 

The striker said reaching the knockout stages had changed the atmosphere within the England camp, with every match now carrying greater consequences.

“Obviously, now, it’s a bit tighter because if we don’t win this game we go home,” she said, while expressing confidence in the team’s togetherness. 

For Ademiluyi, the tournament also represents an opportunity to establish herself on the international stage and demonstrate her qualities at the highest level of youth football.

She explained that her love for football developed while growing up in Peckham, where she regularly played cage football with her older brother and other youngsters.

“Any moment I could find, I was kicking a ball around,” she recalled. 

The England striker also described her first U20 World Cup experience as a major milestone, saying the tournament had given her an opportunity to show what she could offer on the world stage.

The fixture therefore carried an added layer of significance, with Ademiluyi representing England against Nigeria, the country connected to her family heritage.

For the Falconets, the encounter represented another major test in their quest to progress at the tournament, while Ademiluyi entered the contest determined to put personal connections aside once the match began.