Nwankwo Obiora
Personal information
Full name Nwankwo Obiora[1]
Date of birth (1991-07-12) 12 July 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth Kaduna, Nigeria
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Académica
Youth career
2006–2010 ECO
2006–2008 → Heartland
2008–2009 → Wikki Tourists
2009–2010 → Real Murcia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Inter Milan 4 (0)
2011–2013 Parma 2 (0)
2012 → Gubbio (loan) 18 (2)
2012–2013 → Padova (loan) 14 (0)
2013 → CFR Cluj (loan) 7 (0)
2013–2014 CFR Cluj 11 (0)
2014 Córdoba 6 (0)
2014–2016 Académica 38 (1)
2016–2018 Levadiakos 16 (1)
2018–2020 Boavista 38 (3)
2021–2023 Chaves 37 (1)
2024– Académica 0 (0)
International career‡
2009 Nigeria U-20 4 (1)
2011 Nigeria U-23 4 (0)
2012– Nigeria 8 (0)
Medal record
Representing Italy Inter Milan
FIFA Club World Cup
Winner 2010 United Arab Emirates
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 June 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 June 2013

Nwankwo Obiora (born 12 July 1991) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Portuguese Liga 3 club Académica.

Club career

Obiora began his career with Lagos based club ECO FC,[2] before he signed for Heartland. He was loaned to Wikki Tourists in July 2008.[3]

He then left Heartland to sign a contract with Real Murcia on 11 May 2009[4] that ran through 30 June 2010.[5]

Internazionale

On 28 November 2009 it was announced that Internazionale signed Obiora from Eco FC.[6] At first the youngster was a part of Inter's primavera squad managed by Fulvio Pea.[7] Obiora made his first-team debut in a UEFA Champions League match against Tottenham in London, coming on as a substitute for the injured Sulley Muntari in the 53rd minute.

Parma

After not making an impact at the Milan club, Nwankwo Obiora moved to Parma on 31 January 2011 in a co-ownership deal for €300,000.[8] The deal was renewed in June 2011[8][9] and again in June 2012. He was loaned to Calcio Padova in 2012–13 season. Parma subsidized Padova for €200,000 in terms of premi di valorizzazione.[10]

CFR Cluj

On 6 February 2013, Romanian champions CFR Cluj announced that they brought the midfielder on a temporary basis, with a buyout clause to make the move permanent in the summer.[11] In June 2013 Parma also purchased the remain 50% registration rights of Nwankwo from Inter (as part of the return of Galimberti and Mella to Inter),[nb 1][10] in order to re-sell the registration rights to Cluj for free.[12]

Académica

On 23 July 2014, after a small stint with Córdoba in Segunda División, Obiora signed a three-year deal with Primeira Liga side Académica de Coimbra.[13] He made his debut in a 1–1 home draw against Sporting CP. Obiora scored his first goal for Académica on 1 November, in a 1–1 draw against Moreirense.

Levadiakos

On 15 September 2016, Levadiakos officially announced the signing of Nwankwo.[14]

Boavista

Obiora signed for Boavista for the 2018–19 season. In March 2019 he talked about how injuries had affected his earlier career.[15]

Later career

In July 2021, after having spent a year without a club, Obiora joined Liga Portugal 2 club Chaves.[16]

In January 2024, Obiora returned to Académica, competing in Liga 3.[17]

International career

He was a member of the Nigeria U-20 squad which took part at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, the 2009 WAFU U-20 Championship,[18] and the 2009 African Youth Championship in Rwanda.[19]

He was called up to Nigeria's 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.[20]

Honours

Club

Internazionale

2013 African Cup of Nations

International

Nigeria

Footnotes

  1. ^ The provision for co-ownership debt was €300,000, Parma received co-ownership income of €200,000 for the different of the actual price and the provision.

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009™: List of Players: Nigeria" (PDF). FIFA. 6 October 2009. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2009.
  2. ^ "Nigeria U-20 Midfielder Obiora Nwankwo Moves To Italy | Goal.com". Goal. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Best Football Cleats". Football Central. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Kick Off – South Africa Obiora to Murcia in July". Archived from the original on 11 May 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  5. ^ Nwankwo joins Spanish Liga Archived 13 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Fussball auf 4-4-2.com | das Schweizer Fussballportal". 4-4-2.com (in German). Retrieved 28 March 2018.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Primavera: mercato, Obiora per Pea". FC Internazionale – Inter Milan. Archived from the original on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  8. ^ a b Parma F.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2011. PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Movimenti di mercato e compartecipazioni" [Market movements and co-ownerships]. Parma F.C. fcparma.com. 24 June 2011. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2011.((cite news)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ a b Parma F.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2013 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  11. ^ "Bun venit, Nwankwo Obiora!" [Welcome, Nwankwo Obiora!]. CFR Cluj. cfr1907.ro. 6 February 2013. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  12. ^ Parma F.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2014 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  13. ^ "Lucas Mineiro e Obiora são reforços da Académica". academica-oaf.pt. 23 July 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Στον ΛΕΒΑΔΕΙΑΚΟ και ο Nwankwo Obiora". levadiakosfc.gr. 15 September 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  15. ^ Oluwashina Okeleji (30 March 2019). "Nwankwo Obiora: Forgotten Nigerian midfielder keen to make up for lost time". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  16. ^ "OFICIAL: Desp. Chaves anuncia Nwankwo Obiora" [OFFICIAL: Desp. Chaves announces Nwankwo Obiora]. TVI Notícias (in Portuguese). 20 July 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Obiora regressa à Académica" [Obiora returns to Académica]. Record (in Portuguese). 25 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Nwankwo Lands Murcia Deal". Archived from the original on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  19. ^ "TimesLIVE". Retrieved 28 March 2018.[permanent dead link]
  20. ^ Oluwashina Okeleji (10 January 2013). "Nations Cup 2013: Nigeria pick six locally-based players". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 January 2013.

External links

Associação Académica de Coimbra – current squad
Nigeria squad – 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winners (3rd title)
Categories