Life has not been easy for Edna Imade since day one, though naturally enough, she has no recollection of the earliest struggles. After her mother gave birth to Edna and her twin brother Paul in Morocco, their odyssey from Nigeria continued on to Spain, settling in Andalusia when the babies were just three months old.
Imade’s path to football stardom has been far from straightforward either. Having grown up kicking a ball around with boys, which reinforced a resilience that has been crucial to her ultimate rise, the skilful speedster patiently plugged away, honing her talents at Andalusian outfits Malaga and Granada either side of a stint at Extremadura’s Cacereno.
The attacker’s efforts were rewarded when she earned a move to Bayern Munich last July. Even then, it took a sparkling loan spell at Real Sociedad for the Bavarian giants – who are through to this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-finals – to afford Imade a shot at the big time, which she has grabbed with both hands since the club cut short her time in San Sebastian.
At international level, meanwhile, the powerful striker is fast becoming one of the key players in Sonia Bermudez’s Spain side, with two goals to her name in as many games on the road to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. Beaming from ear to ear, the sharpshooter sat down with FIFA to reflect on her bright start to 2026.
Edna Imade: It’s been a whirlwind few months. Less than a year ago I was at Granada, and now I’m in Germany, playing Champions League football against top opponents and rubbing shoulders in the Spanish national-team dressing room with players I consider the very best in the world. The past few months have been all about change and finding my feet.
We knew how important it was to get six points on the board to help us in our bid to secure direct qualification for the 2027 tournament. I was over the moon about that, and getting myself on the scoresheet was the cherry on top. It was my first proper taste of game time, and finding the back of the net in our opening qualifier was a moment to remember. To top it off, I scored with a header, which is an area of my game that’s really improved lately. Whatever helps the team, I’m all for it.
Playing alongside the best players in the world makes everything much easier. Also, unlike at Bayern Munich, everyone here speaks Spanish, so communication is seamless. I’d say I’m a player who brings something a little different to the table for the national team, as I’m a real livewire in the box and a physical presence up top. It’s good for the team to have different options, and I’m going to keep giving my all to do my bit.
It goes without saying that England and their players are also world-class. It won’t be easy; they’ll try to hurt us as much as possible, and we need to be ready to deal with that and exploit their weaknesses.
Playing at Wembley will be another dream come true for me. They’ve got the home advantage and the backing of their fans, but we just need to stick to our game plan, adapt as the match unfolds and do our best to come away with the three points.
I could never have envisaged myself playing for Spain and at a World Cup, alongside and against some of the best players in the world. Never in a million years! Having broken into the national team fills me with pride and spurs me on to aim even higher. If we get there and I’m picked for the World Cup squad, I’ll give everything I’ve got to help us lift the trophy.
[Laughs] Yes, I only lasted a day doing flamenco! I first started playing football at school. I used to play with the boys because very few girls were interested, and I was even better than some of them. I used to get picked first for matches. My PE teacher told my mum I had real potential. I started out as a centre-back.
Though I was a defender to begin with, I also played out on the wing. I was in awe of Neymar and the joy he brought to the pitch. Nothing fazed him. I’d watch his videos and copy him, trying to pull off his tricks.
Over time, my role models have changed as I’ve developed as a player. Now I look up to Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Romelu Lukaku and try to learn from the way they play and their movement.
My family are everything to me. They’re my driving force. Everything I do is for them, and I want to put a smile on their faces. Seeing their gratitude when I give them something is far more rewarding and satisfying than buying something for myself. That means the world to me, and I’m immensely grateful for everything we have.
