Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre has opened up about her move to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad, describing how she completed the transfer, the criticism she faced, and her experience since joining the Saudi Women’s Premier League (SWPL).
Plumptre joined Al Ittihad from Leicester City in 2023, becoming the first player to move from the Women’s Super League (WSL) to the Saudi Women’s Premier League, which was launched in 2022 as a fully professional competition.
“I spoke to some teams in the UK, US and Europe, then Dad said there was a team in Saudi Arabia who are interested in you,” she told BBC Sport.
“I was shocked. My initial reaction was ‘no’, but I wanted to give them a chance.”
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“I had an hour-long call with the coach and two people in the management staff, and I said to Dad, ‘I have a really good feeling about this’,” said Plumptre.
“We barely even spoke about football, but about ourselves and what we were passionate about. I’m someone who goes off feeling and intuition. But I wanted to go out and visit – I wanted to see what it was really like. I visited for two days and really liked it, and when I left there I thought ‘this is where I want to be’.”
Plumptre’s transfer, however, drew criticism. As an established international player in her prime, her decision to leave a top European league for a relatively new and unfamiliar competition in Saudi Arabia raised eyebrows.
The move also drew attention because women’s football has been viewed as a more inclusive space for LGBT communities, a sharp contrast to Saudi Arabia, where same-sex relationships remain illegal.
Plumptre revealed that she and her Leicester teammates had shared a close relationship with the club’s LGBT supporters’ group and admitted that the backlash to her decision was difficult to take. She acknowledged receiving negative comments after joining Al Ittihad, and it was evident that the criticism left a lasting mark.
“Especially when I moved out here, the reaction was not good at all,” she said. “That was difficult.”
“When I made this move there were people around Leicester – I remember some comments I received – it was like I was not the person they thought I was.”
“I had deeply hurt them because they feel like I am representing something which makes them not feel valued, and I understand that. I don’t really know what to say.”
“It does not mean I condone certain things, even if the move means I am associated with certain things.”
On the football side, Plumptre admitted the level of competition in the SWPL is not yet on par with the WSL but is gradually improving.
“It’s not something I will ever hide away from – the standard is not what I’m used to in the WSL or at international level, and I worried how that would impact myself and my development,” she said.
“One of my club and international team-mates, Francisca Ordega, said in Saudi we must do more. The pace is not as fast, so you must think in different ways, and push yourselves beyond boundaries that you didn’t before. There is more responsibility on you.”
She also highlighted the growing investment in facilities and infrastructure at Al Ittihad.
“When I first came here, we were using the same gym the volleyball and basketball teams use,” she said.
“Now we are in the old men’s gym. The men’s team have a new facility. We have a medical clinic, access to ice baths, our own locker room. We train on the main field, separate to the men. When I got here the field was not great at all, so we pushed on that and people listened.”
Looking to the future, Plumptre believes Saudi Arabia must focus on gradual, sustainable progress in women’s football rather than rushing into major global events.
“In the near future I would say ‘no’ [to Saudi hosting a Women’s World Cup], because everything takes time,” she said.
“I really care about helping these Saudi players develop and I don’t want things to happen too soon. I believe in the process, taking measurable and decisive steps – make it long-lasting.”
“It is not about trying to rush something. If you put the Saudi team on a stage they are not ready for, it is unfair for them and women’s football.”
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