Odion Ighalo
Ighalo with Watford in 2016
Personal information
Full name Odion Jude Ighalo[1]
Date of birth (1989-06-16) 16 June 1989 (age 34)[2]
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[3]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Al-Wehda
Number 9
Youth career
2000–2005 Prime
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 Prime 5 (0)
2006 Julius Berger 10 (5)
2007–2008 Lyn 20 (9)
2008–2014 Udinese 6 (1)
2009–2010 → Granada (loan) 26 (16)
2010–2011 → Cesena (loan) 3 (0)
2011–2014 → Granada (loan) 95 (16)
2014 → Watford (loan) 8 (3)
2014–2017 Watford 82 (34)
2017–2018 Changchun Yatai 55 (36)
2019–2021 Shanghai Shenhua 17 (10)
2020–2021 → Manchester United (loan) 12 (0)
2021–2022 Al-Shabab 31 (21)
2022–2023 Al-Hilal 40 (31)
2023– Al-Wehda 17 (9)
International career‡
2009 Nigeria U20 3 (0)
2015– Nigeria 37 (16)
Medal record
Representing  Nigeria
Men's football
Africa Cup of Nations
Third place 2019 Egypt
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 December 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 29 March 2022

Odion Jude Ighalo (born 16 June 1989) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Saudi Pro League club Al-Wehda and the Nigeria national team.

After starting his career at Nigerian clubs Prime and Julius Berger, Ighalo moved to Norwegian club Lyn in 2007. A year later, he was signed by Italian club Udinese, spending most of his tenure on two separate loan spells with Spanish club Granada. In 2014, he signed for Championship club Watford and was integral in the club's promotion to the Premier League in the 2014–15 season. In January 2017, Ighalo joined Chinese Super League club Changchun Yatai for a reported £20 million, before moving onto Shanghai Shenhua. In January 2020, Ighalo returned to the Premier League, joining Manchester United on loan, initially until the end of the 2019–20 season; the loan was then extended until January 2021.

Ighalo made his debut for the Nigeria national team in March 2015 against Uganda. He represented the nation at the 2018 World Cup and was the highest goalscorer in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign. He eventually led Nigeria to a third place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where he finished in the competition's Team of the Tournament and was crowned top scorer.[4]

Club career

Early career

Born in Lagos[5] and raised in Edo,[6] Ighalo played in his country with Prime and Julius Berger, where he was discovered by FIFA agent Marcelo Houseman who recommended him to Atta Aneke, being subsequently taken on trial by Norway's Lyn.[7]

He made his Tippeligaen debut on 16 September 2007 at the age of just 18, scoring in a 2–0 home win against Viking. He scored six goals in 13 matches in his second year to help his team to the seventh position, and subsequently arose interest from other clubs in the country, with Brann reporting Lyn to the Norwegian Football Federation for unfairness in the negotiation process.[8]

Udinese and Granada

On 30 July 2008, Ighalo signed for Udinese in Italy, moving alongside teammate Jo Inge Berget and agreeing to a five-year contract.[9] He appeared rarely in Serie A in his debut season, scoring against Cagliari in a 6–2 home routing.[10] Four of his five league appearances came as a late substitute.[11]

Ighalo was loaned to Granada in summer 2009, as part of the partnership agreement between Udinese and the Spaniards.[12][13][14] He scored 17 times in his first year (playoffs included)[15] and five in the second, as both seasons ended in promotion;[16][17] this was interspersed with a brief loan stint back in Italy, with Cesena.[18]

Ighalo continued playing with Granada in the following years, still owned by the Udine club.[19][20] He played his first La Liga match on 27 August 2011, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–1 home loss to Real Betis.[21]

Watford

Ighalo warming up for Watford in 2014

Ighalo joined Watford on a season-long loan deal from Udinese, on 29 July 2014.[22] He made his debut for the English club in the first round of the League Cup away to Stevenage on 12 August,[23] and scored his first goal in the Championship against Brentford on 30 September by tucking the ball home after his initial penalty was saved by David Button, in a 2–1 home win.[24][25]

On 24 October 2014, Watford terminated Ighalo's loan and re-signed him on a permanent deal the same day after Udinese released him from his contract.[26] Exactly three months later, he scored four-second-half goals and was voted Man of the match in a 7–2 home routing of Blackpool, who led 0–2 at half time;[27] he took his league tally to 14 on 10 February 2015, after netting a brace to help his team come from behind at Brentford to win it 2–1 – his second came through an injury time header.[28]

Ighalo scored in his Premier League debut on 8 August 2015, replacing José Manuel Jurado 16 minutes from time and putting the visitors ahead 2–1 in an eventual 2–2 draw away against Everton for the season opener.[29] He netted twice in a 2–0 home win over West Ham United on 31 October, reaching seven goals for the season and becoming the highest club scorer in the competition after just 11 matches.[30] On 20 December, Ighalo scored in a Watford victory for the fourth consecutive time, netting a brace in a 3–0 win over Liverpool.[31] His five-goal haul earned him December's Premier League Player of the Month, while his manager Quique Sánchez Flores won the equivalent award.[32]

Ighalo broke a 599-minute personal scoring drought on 13 March 2016, with a goal in a 2–1 win at holders Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, putting the Hornets into the last four for the first time in nine years.[33] On 12 August he signed a new five-year contract[34] but, the following season, he scored just one league goal and did not find the net in any of his last 15 games.[35]

Changchun Yatai

On 31 January 2017, Ighalo joined Chinese Super League club Changchun Yatai for a reported £20 million.[35] He ranked second in the scoring charts in his second season at 21, but his team suffered relegation.[36][37]

Shanghai Shenhua

Ighalo transferred to Shanghai Shenhua on 14 February 2019.[38][39] In March, he said he turned down a move to Barcelona the previous month.[40]

In March 2020, he was offered a contract extension worth over £400,000 a week by Shenhua.[41]

Loan to Manchester United

On 31 January 2020, Ighalo returned to the Premier League, joining Manchester United on loan until the end of the season.[42][43] In doing so, he became the first Nigerian player, and the seventh African, to join the club.[44] After the move was confirmed, Ighalo revealed that he had taken a pay cut to make the move happen, calling it a "dream" to join the club he has long supported.[45] He opted to wear the number 25 shirt, previously worn by United's first and longest-serving African player, Quinton Fortune of South Africa.[46]

His presence within the first team was initially blocked as a precautionary measure due to ongoing fears over the COVID-19 outbreak in China.[47][48] After three substitute appearances, Ighalo made his full debut for United in their Europa League round-of-32 second-leg match against Club Brugge on 27 February. He scored his first United goal, which was also his maiden goal in a European competition, as the hosts won 5–0.[49] A week later, he scored his first brace for the club as United beat Derby County 3–0 in the FA Cup.[50] In United's final game before the suspension of football due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ighalo scored a half-volley after juggling the ball in a 5–0 win over LASK; it was voted United's goal of the month for March.[51]

With football suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Ighalo's loan set to expire at the end of May, United announced that they had agreed to extend Ighalo's loan deal until 30 January 2021.[52] On 26 January 2021, Ighalo posted a farewell message on social media, ahead of his imminent departure from United at the end of the month.[53] United confirmed Ighalo's departure the following day.[54]

Al Shabab

On 4 February 2021, Ighalo joined Saudi Professional League club Al Shabab on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[55]

Al-Hilal

On 29 January 2022, he signed for Saudi club Al-Hilal.[56] He finished his first season as the league's top scorer with 24 goals.[57] On 26 February 2023, he scored four goals in a 7–0 win over Al-Duhail in the Champions League semi-final.[58]

Al-Wehda

On 15 August 2023, Ighalo joined Al-Wehda on a free transfer.[59]

International career

Ighalo playing for Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup

On 24 March 2015, after a series of strong performances for Watford, newly appointed Nigeria interim coach Daniel Amokachi selected Ighalo for the first time, and the latter stated, "I feel good because it is my dream to play for my country".[60] He won his first cap two days later, starting in a 0–1 friendly home loss to Uganda.[61]

Ighalo was initially named as one of three overage players in Nigeria's squad for the 2016 Olympic tournament, but he eventually did not make the trip to Brazil.[62] In June 2018, he was named in the 23-man squad for the upcoming edition of the FIFA World Cup in Russia,[63] making his first appearance in the competition by playing 73 minutes in the 0–2 group stage defeat against Croatia;[64] in October, he revealed that his family had received death threats after he failed to score in the tournament.[65]

Ighalo scored seven goals in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, the most by any player, to help Nigeria qualify for the finals in Egypt later that year.[66] He was included in Gernot Rohr's squad,[67] taking part in all the matches and finding the net against Burundi in the group phase (1–0),[68] Cameroon in the round of 16 (3–2 win),[69] Algeria in the semi-finals (1–2 loss)[70] and Tunisia in the third-place playoff (1–0).[71] At the end of the competition, he announced his retirement from the international scene.[72]

Ighalo was recalled to the Nigeria team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations but his club, Al Shabab, blocked him from taking part.[73]

Personal life

Ighalo is a devout Christian,[74] who also often dedicates part of his wages for Nigerian charitable organisations to help impoverished children, schools and widows below the poverty line.[75] He is a lifelong Manchester United supporter.[76] Ighalo has three children, two sons and one daughter.[77] On 22 June 2021, He was unveiled as an Ambassador of the National Principal's Cup in Abuja by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare.[78]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Prime 2005[79] NNL 5 0 0 0 — — — 5 0
Julius Berger 2006[79] 10 5 0 0 — — — 10 5
Lyn 2007[79] Tippeligaen 7 3 0 0 — — — 7 3
2008[79] 13 6 0 0 — — — 13 6
Total 20 9 0 0 — — — 20 9
Udinese 2008–09[79] Serie A 6 1 0 0 — — — 6 1
Granada (loan) 2009–10[79] Segunda División B 26 16 0 0 — — 2[c] 1 28 17
Cesena (loan) 2010–11[80] Serie A 3 0 1 0 — — — 4 0
Granada (loan) 2010–11[80] Segunda División 21 4 0 0 — — 4[d] 1 25 5
2011–12[80] La Liga 30 6 1 0 — — — 31 6
2012–13[80] 28 5 2 1 — — — 30 6
2013–14[80] 16 2 2 2 — — — 18 4
Total 95 17 5 3 — — 4 1 104 21
Watford 2014–15[80] Championship 35 20 1 0 2 0 — — 38 20
2015–16[80] Premier League 37 15 5 2 0 0 — — 42 17
2016–17[80] 18 1 1 0 1 1 — — 20 2
Total 90 37 7 2 3 1 — — 100 40
Changchun Yatai 2017[80] CSL 27 15 0 0 — — — 27 15
2018[80] 28 21 0 0 — — — 28 21
Total 55 36 0 0 — — — 55 36
Shanghai Shenhua 2019[80] CSL 17 10 2 0 — — — 19 10
Manchester United (loan) 2019–20[81] Premier League 11 0 3 3 — 5[e] 2 — 19 5
2020–21[82] 1 0 0 0 2 0 1[f] 0 — 4 0
Total 12 0 3 3 2 0 6 2 — 23 5
Al Shabab 2020–21[80] SPL 13 9 0 0 — 0 0 — 13 9
2021–22[83] 18 12 1 1 — 0 0 — 19 13
Total 31 21 1 1 — 0 0 0 0 32 22
Al Hilal 2021–22[80] SPL 13 12 3 2 — 4[g] 2 2[h] 1 22 17
2022–23[80] 27 19 4 2 — 3[g] 5 4[h] 0 38 26
Total 40 31 7 4 — 8 7 5 1 58 42
Al-Wehda 2023–24[80] SPL 17 9 2 1 — — — 19 10
Career total 427 192 28 14 5 1 14 9 11 3 484 219
  1. ^ Includes Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey, FA Cup, Chinese FA Cup, King Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
  4. ^ Appearances in Segunda División play-offs
  5. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  6. ^ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
  7. ^ a b Appearances in AFC Champions League
  8. ^ a b Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup

International

As of match played 29 March 2022[79]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Nigeria 2015 7 2
2016 5 1
2017 3 1
2018 10 6
2019 10 6
2021 1 0
2022 1 0
Total 37 16

Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Odion Ighalo[79]
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 13 June 2015 Ahmadu Bello, Kaduna, Nigeria 3  Chad 2–0 2–0 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2 11 October 2015 Edmond Machtens, Brussels, Belgium 5  Cameroon 3–0 3–0 Friendly
3 31 May 2016 Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg 11  Luxembourg 3–1 3–1 Friendly
4 1 September 2017 Godswill Akpabio, Uyo, Nigeria 13  Cameroon 1–0 4–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
5 8 September 2018 Stade Linité, Victoria, Seychelles 23  Seychelles 3–0 3–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
6 13 October 2018 Ahmadu Bello, Kaduna, Nigeria 24  Libya 1–0 4–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
7 2–0
8 3–0
9 16 October 2018 Taïeb Mhiri, Sfax, Tunisia 25  Libya 1–0 3–2 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
10 3–2
11 22 March 2019 Stephen Keshi, Asaba, Nigeria 26  Seychelles 1–0 3–1 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
12 22 June 2019 Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt 29  Burundi 1–0 1–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
13 6 July 2019 Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt 32  Cameroon 1–0 3–2 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
14 2–2
15 14 July 2019 International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt 34  Algeria 1–1 1–2 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
16 17 July 2019 Al Salam Stadium, Cairo, Egypt 35  Tunisia 1–0 1–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations

Honours

Watford

Shanghai Shenhua

Al-Hilal

Nigeria

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Odion Jude Ighalo" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Football Federation. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Odion Ighalo". ESPN. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Odion Ighalo: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  4. ^ Ezekute, Nnamdi (19 July 2019). "Ighalo Emerges AFCON 2019 Top Scorer With Five Goals". Complete Sports. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Odion Ighalo". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Odion Ighalo: Watford striker to be honoured by Edo State". Pulse. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Odion Ighalo Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Lyn, Brann og Odion Ighalo" [Lyn, Brann and Odion Ighalo] (in Norwegian). FC Lyn. 30 July 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2010.[dead link]
  9. ^ "Blir trist å forlate Lyn" [Sad to leave Lyn] (in Norwegian). FC Lyn. 30 July 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2010.[dead link]
  10. ^ "Udinese-Cagliari 6–2: Quagliarella saluta nella festa del goal" [Udinese-Cagliari 6–2: Quagliarella salutes in goal party]. Goal.com (in Italian). 31 May 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  11. ^ "Odion Ighalo must do what it takes to extend Manchester United stay". Goal.com. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Apuesta de futuro por el Granada CF" [Granada CF bet on future] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 10 July 2009. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  13. ^ "Pistoletazo de salida al Granada C.F. 2009/2010" [Starting gun to Granada C.F. 2009/2010] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 23 July 2009. Archived from the original on 29 July 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
  14. ^ "Odion Ighalo, nuevo jugador del Granada C.F." [Odion Ighalo, new Granada C.F. player] (in Spanish). Granada CF. 22 August 2009. Archived from the original on 26 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  15. ^ "El Granada, a medio palmo del ascenso" [Granada, inches away from promotion]. Ideal (in Spanish). 16 May 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  16. ^ "Granada, en Primera 35 años después" [Granada, in Primera 35 years after]. Marca (in Spanish). 18 June 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  17. ^ "Ighalo, el goleador oportuno" [Ighalo, the timely scorer]. El País (in Spanish). 19 June 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  18. ^ "Ufficiale: Ighalo al Cesena" [Official: Ighalo to Cesena] (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  19. ^ "Ighalo vuelve cedido a Granada" [Ighalo returns to Granada on loan]. Marca (in Spanish). Madrid. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  20. ^ "Ighalo jugará en el Granada su quinta campaña consecutiva cedido por Udinense [sic]" [Ighalo to play his fifth consecutive campaign with Granada loaned by Udinese]. Ideal (in Spanish). 24 August 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  21. ^ "Rubén Castro hace justicia" [Rubén Castro does justice]. El País (in Spanish). 28 August 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  22. ^ "Udinese striker Odion Ighalo agrees one-year loan switch to Watford". Watford Observer. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  23. ^ "Stevenage 0–1 Watford". BBC Sport. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  24. ^ "Watford 2–1 Brentford". BBC Sport. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  25. ^ "Odion Ighalo". Watford F.C. Archived from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  26. ^ "Official: Ighalo signs permanent deal". Watford F.C. 24 October 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  27. ^ "Watford 7–2 Blackpool". BBC Sport. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  28. ^ "Brentford 1–2 Blackpool". BBC Sport. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  29. ^ "Watford hold Everton to point on return to Premier League". ESPN FC. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  30. ^ "STAT ATTACK: Watford 2 West Ham 0 – Ighalo becomes Watford's highest-ever Premier League scorer". Yahoo Sports. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  31. ^ "Watford 3 Liverpool 0: Ighalo double stuns Klopp's visitors". Yahoo Sports. 20 December 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  32. ^ McVitie, Peter (15 January 2016). "Watford's Ighalo and Flores win Premier League awards". Goal.com. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  33. ^ Jennings, Patrick (13 March 2016). "Arsenal 1–2 Watford". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  34. ^ "Odion Ighalo: Nigerian striker 'honoured' by new Watford deal". BBC Sport. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  35. ^ a b "Odion Ighalo: Watford striker joins Changchun Yatai for £20m". BBC Sport. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  36. ^ Abayomi, Tosin (11 November 2018). "Ighalo's club Chanchung Yatai suffers relegation in China". Pulse. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  37. ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (21 December 2018). "Nigeria's Odion Ighalo does not plan on playing in second division". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  38. ^ 申花官方宣布中超银靴加盟 以情动人和恩师再聚首 (in Chinese). Sina Corp. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  39. ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (14 February 2019). "Odion Ighalo: Nigeria striker 'excited' to reunite with Quique Sanchez Flores in China". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  40. ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (29 March 2019). "Odion Ighalo: Why I turned down Barcelona move". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  41. ^ Sheth, Dharmesh (26 March 2020). "Man Utd loanee Odion Ighalo offered £400k-a-week deal by Shanghai Shenhua". Sky Sports. Sky. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  42. ^ Stone, Simon (31 January 2020). "Odion Ighalo: Manchester United sign Nigeria striker on loan until end of season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  43. ^ "United complete loan move for Nigerian striker Ighalo". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  44. ^ "Manchester United African players before Odion Ighalo". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  45. ^ "Odion Ighalo reveals he took pay cut to make 'dream' Manchester United move". The Guardian. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  46. ^ "Odion Ighalo explains choice of shirt number at Man Utd". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  47. ^ "Odion Ighalo kept away from Man Utd training ground". BBC Sport. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  48. ^ "Odion Ighalo training away from Carrington due to Coronavirus concerns". ITV News. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  49. ^ "Manchester United 5-0 Club Bruges: Odion Ighalo scores first goal as hosts progress". BBC Sport. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  50. ^ Rostance, Tom (5 March 2020). "Derby County 0-3 Manchester United: No joy for Wayne Rooney as Odion Ighalo scores twice". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  51. ^ Carney, Sam (28 March 2020). "Confirmed: United's Goal of the Month for March". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  52. ^ Bostock, Adam (1 June 2020). "Confirmed: United extend Ighalo loan deal". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  53. ^ "Odion Ighalo: Manchester United loanee bids emotional farewell". Sky Sports. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  54. ^ "Ighalo loan period ends". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  55. ^ "Odion Ighalo: Ex-Manchester United striker joins Al Shabab from Shanghai Shenhua". Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  56. ^ McAuley, John (30 January 2022). "Al Hilal recruit former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo from title rivals Al Shabab". The National News.
  57. ^ Alao, Seyi (30 June 2022). "Ighalo happy with successful season with Al Hilal". brila.net.
  58. ^ "Hilal thrash Duhail to reach AFC Champions league final". Gulf Times. 26 February 2023.
  59. ^ "الوحدة.. ثالث محطات إيجالو في الدوري السعودي".
  60. ^ "Nigeria: Watford striker, Ighalo, happy to play for Super Eagles". All Africa. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  61. ^ "Uganda Cranes edge Nigeria Super Eagles in international build up". Kawowo. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  62. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Siasia picks Mikel, Ighalo, Akpeyi for Olympics; Iwobi doubtful". Complete Sports. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  63. ^ "Super Eagles drop Aina, Agu from World Cup squad". ESPN. 3 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  64. ^ Whalley, Mike (16 June 2018). "Croatia 2–0 Nigeria". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  65. ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (20 October 2018). "Odion Ighalo: 'Threat to family not enough to make me quit'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  66. ^ Taiwo, Taiye (25 March 2019). "EXTRA TIME: Nigeria's Odion Ighalo celebrates Afcon goalscoring feat". Goal.com. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  67. ^ Inyang, Ifreke (9 June 2019). "AFCON 2019: Rohr announces final Super Eagles 23-man squad (Full list)". Daily Post. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  68. ^ "UPDATED: Odion Ighalo snatches Nigeria winner against stubborn Burundi". The Punch. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  69. ^ "UPDATED: Nigeria beat Cameroon 3–2, qualify for quarter-finals". The Punch. 6 July 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  70. ^ "BREAKING: Algeria knock Nigeria out of 2019 AFCON". The Punch. 14 July 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  71. ^ a b "BREAKING: Nigeria beat Tunisia, win bronze". The Punch. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  72. ^ "Cup of Nations Golden Boot Ighalo retires from international football". France 24. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  73. ^ Ogungbe, Damola (5 January 2022). "Breaking: Cyril Dessers to replace Odion Ighalo in Super Eagles squad for AFCON 2021". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  74. ^ Baines, Ollie (1 October 2015). "Interview: Watford striker, Jude Ighalo talks goals and God with Cross The Line". Cross The Line. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  75. ^ Walters, Mike (16 October 2015). "Watford's Odion Ighalo discusses his heart of Gold and hopes of reuniting with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  76. ^ "Odion Ighalo: Manchester United striker took pay cut to make loan deal happen". BBC Sport. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  77. ^ Jeremiah, Abass (31 August 2020). "Odion Ighalo's children Show Support By Rocking New Manchester United Jerseys". ABTC. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  78. ^ "FG names Ighalo National Principal's Cup ambassador". Punch Newspapers. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  79. ^ a b c d e f g h "Ighalo, Odion". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  80. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "O. Ighalo: Summary". Soccerway. DAZN Group. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  81. ^ "Games played by Odion Ighalo in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  82. ^ "Games played by Odion Ighalo in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  83. ^ "Games played by Odion Ighalo in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  84. ^ Anderson, John, ed. (2015). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2015–2016. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 370–371. ISBN 978-1-4722-2416-3.
  85. ^ "申花打破足协杯先主后客夺冠魔咒 并终结尴尬纪录" (in Chinese). Sina Corp. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  86. ^ Sharma, Rohan (11 January 2023). "Real Madrid vs Al-Hilal 5–3: Club World Cup 2022 – as it happened". Aljazeera. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  87. ^ "Urawa beats Al Hilal to capture third Asian Champions League title". The Japan Times. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  88. ^ "The Total AFCON 2019 Best XI". Confédération Africaine de Football. 20 July 2019.
  89. ^ Eludini, Tunde (20 July 2013). "AFCON 2019: Ighalo wins top scorer award, makes Best XI". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  90. ^ "Odion Ighalo wins Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot". Goal. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  91. ^ "كاريلي أفضل مدرب في أبريل ومايو.. وإيغالو وغروهي والنجعي ينتزعون النجومية" (in Arabic).
  92. ^ "سباق الاتحاد والهلال يقودهما إلى جوائز مارس".
  93. ^ Oyebola, Mike (15 July 2022). "Ighalo makes Saudi Pro League Team of the Season". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 3 January 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Odion Ighalo.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Odion Ighalo.
Al-Wehda – current squad
Nigeria squads
Awards
Categories