Cynthia Uwak

Cynthia Uwak listenⓘ (born 15 July 1986 in Akwa Ibom State) is a Nigerian football striker who most recently played for Åland United in the Naisten Liiga in Finland.

Cynthia Uwak
Personal information
Full name Cynthia Uwak
Date of birth (1986-07-15) 15 July 1986
Place of birth Nigeria
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Åland United
Number 18
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 KMF
2006 FC United (17)
2007 Falköpings KIK
2008 FC United
2008–2009 Lyon
2009 KMF 12 (18)
2009–2011 1. FC Saarbrücken 42 (12)
2011–2012 PK-35 Vantaa 29 (22)
2012– Åland United 32 (22)
International career
2002 Nigeria U-19
2004– Nigeria
Medal record
Women's Football
Representing  Nigeria
African Championships
Gold medal – first place 2004 South Africa Nigeria
Gold medal – first place 2006 Nigeria Nigeria
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 June 2014

Early life

Cynthia Uwak's first experience of playing football was against boys in the streets of her hometown. She was supported by her mother to pursue football, and was able to combine playing with her secondary education.[1]

Football career

Club

Cynthia Uwak began her club career with Finnish women's side KMF, and has spent the majority of her club career in Scandinavia with the exception of a stint in France and Germany.[1] She was part of the Olympique Lyonnais team that won the Division 1 Féminine title in France in 2009.[2] After moving to Finnish side Åland United, she won a further Naisten Liiga title in 2013, and was the top goal scorer in the division.[1]

International

She is also a member of the Nigeria national football team. Uwak competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics[3] and the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.

She missed out on the squad for the 2010 African Women's Championship in South Africa following an injury. It was stated at the time by coach Eucharia Uche that this would not automatically mean that she would be left out of the squad for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup during the following year.[4] However, when the World Cup squad was announced, Uwak was not listed. No specific reason was given for her omission, with a general statement saying "The coach has strictly gone with players that are capable of doing the country proud at the World Cup in Germany".[5]

She was considered for a return to the national team by coach Florence Omagbemi in 2016 for the Africa Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon. The coach was looking at a succession of former players in an effort to bolster the team's chances at the upcoming tournament.[2]

Personal life

Uwak has previously spoken out against the notion that all women involved in football are lesbians; "saying that female footballers are lesbians is rather pathetic. You can’t just label people based on assumptions."[6]

Honours

Club

International

Personal

References
  1. "My mother encouraged me to play football – Uwak". Monty Entertainment. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  2. Akpodonor, Gowon (11 May 2016). "Nigeria: Cynthia Uwak, Oluehi, Uchechi May Return to Super Falcons". AllAfrica. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  3. "Cynthia Uwak Biography and Statistics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  4. "CYNTHIA UWAK not ruled out of World Cup". All Nigeria Soccer. 18 November 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  5. Okeleji, Oluwashina (14 June 2011). "Nigeria omit Cynthia Uwak from World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  6. "Cynthia Uwak: "Female Footballers Are Not Lesbians"". 360 Nobs. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2016.


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