Obinna Nwobodo
 |
_(cropped).jpg) Nwobodo with FC Cincinnati in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Obinna Emmanuel Nwobodo[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 29 November 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Enugu, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FC Cincinnati | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| FC Inter Enugu | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2015 | FC Inter Enugu | ||
| 2015–2017 | Enugu Rangers | 44 | (9) |
| 2017–2020 | Újpest | 93 | (10) |
| 2020–2022 | Göztepe | 60 | (0) |
| 2022– | FC Cincinnati | 80 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2015 | Nigeria U20 | 5 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 September 2024 | |||
Obinna Emmanuel Nwobodo (; born 29 November 1996) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati.
Club career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Nwobodo started his youth career with FC Inter Enugu while completing his high school education in Enugu State, Nigeria. He was scouted while representing his high school in a football competition and later played for FC Inter in the Nigeria Nationwide League (NNL) and State FA cup. During a preseason friendly between Enugu Rangers and FC Inter Enugu, he put in a man-of-the-match performance that troubled the six-time Nigerian league champions, who promptly negotiated a deal to have him play professionally for them during the 2015–16 league season.[2]
Enugu Rangers
[edit]After signing for Enugu Rangers, Obinna was promoted straight into the first team within a matter of weeks. He was handed his preferred number 8 shirt and registered as a central midfielder. Moving straight into the starting eleven, Nwobodo started majority of the early season games, making his league debut in the season opener against Nigerian league giants Kano Pillars.[3] He remained in the starting eleven afterwards with his playmaking and distribution helping take Rangers to the very top of the table during the 2016 season.[4]
Nwobodo was instrumental to Enugu Rangers's eventual title triumph, providing half of the assists for Chisom Egbuchulam's 16 goals and ending Rangers' 32-year wait for a 7th league title.[citation needed] On matchday 37 against Ikorodu United, he scored a goal-of-the-season contender; having sighted the Ikorodu United goalkeeper off his line, he scored with a lofted chip shot from almost 40 yards out. The tally was later increased to two when Nwobodo again made a spectacular run down the right and then delivered a prefect cross for Egbuchulam to simply tap home.[citation needed] That man-of-the-match performance cemented his place in the team of the season. He contributed 7 goals and 10 assists to finish as arguably the best midfielder in the league in his first professional season in the top flight of Nigerian football.[5][6] In December 2016, Nwobodo was presented with the best player award for his performance during the 2016 season by Enugu Rangers management.[7]
FC Cincinnati
[edit]On 13 April 2022, Nwobodo signed for Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati as a Designated Player. He signed a contract through the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025.[8]
Honours
[edit]Enugu Rangers
FC Cincinnati
Nigeria U20
References
[edit]- ^ "2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup – Club roster: FC Cincinnati (USA)" (PDF). CONCACAF. 30 January 2024. p. 5. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Obinna Nwobodo Emmanuel Profile". Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016..
- ^ "Rangers list Obinna Nwobodo for Pillars clash - Nigeria Premier League 2016 - Enugu Rangers". Africanfootball.com. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- ^ Akangbe, Biyi. "Clement, Nwobodo shoot Rangers back on top the NPFL". Soccernet.ng. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- ^ "Brilliant Nwobodo lifts Rangers to title". Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- ^ "Obinna Nwobodo The Nigerian Puppetmaster". Retrieved 6 August 2016.
- ^ Isiguzo, Christopher (20 December 2016). "Nigeria: Ugwuanyi Showers Champions Rangers With N41.5 Million, Land". This Day (Lagos). Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ "FC Cincinnati acquire Obinna Nwobodo as a Designated Player". Major League Soccer. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ "Nigeria name final AYC squad - 2015 African U20 Championship - Cote D'ivoire U20 - Dele Alampasu". 26 February 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
External links
[edit]- Obinna Nwobodo at Soccerway
- 1996 births
- Living people
- Nigerian men's footballers
- Men's association football midfielders
- Nigeria men's youth international footballers
- Rangers International F.C. players
- Újpest FC players
- Nemzeti Bajnokság I players
- FC Cincinnati players
- Nigerian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in Hungary
- Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Hungary
- Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey
- Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Designated Players (MLS)
- Major League Soccer players
- Footballers from Enugu
- 21st-century Nigerian sportsmen