Frank Onyeka

Ogochukwu Frank Onyeka (born 1 January 1998) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Brentford and the Nigeria national team.[3]

Frank Onyeka
Personal information
Full name Ogochukwu Frank Onyeka[1]
Date of birth (1998-01-01) 1 January 1998
Place of birth Maiduguri, Nigeria
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Brentford
Number 15
Youth career
Ebedei
2016–2017 Midtjylland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Midtjylland 95 (14)
2021– Brentford 47 (0)
International career‡
2020– Nigeria 14 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 October 2033(UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Midtjylland

After moving from Nigerian club FC Ebedei to cooperation club FC Midtjylland in Denmark in January 2016,[4] Onyeka established himself as part of the club, and on 20 September 2017 he made his first-team debut in the Danish Cup in a 7–0 win over Greve Fodbold where he also scored.[5] Onyeka went on to make his Danish Superliga debut for the club a few months later in the club's 2017–18 campaign in a match against AC Horsens on 9 February 2018. There, he also scored, and was a key part in the 2–0 win.[5][6] Onyeka distinguished himself again in the next fixture, on 18 February, against the leading Superliga team from FC Copenhagen, where he scored his second league goal for the club at the right winger position as Midtjylland beat the capital side 3–1.[7] He was subsequently praised by head coach Jess Thorup for his positional versatility and maturity.[7]

Onyeka made his UEFA Champions League debut in the following season, in Midtjylland's qualifier against Astana FC on 24 July 2018.[8]

Brentford

Onyeka signed for newly promoted Premier League side Brentford on 20 July 2021 for an undisclosed fee.[9]

International career

Onyeka received his first call-up for the Nigeria national team on 22 September 2020 for the friendly matches against Algeria and Tunisia in Austria on 5 and 9 October 2020, respectively.[10][11] He made his debut with the Nigeria national team in a friendly 1–0 loss to Algeria on 9 October 2020.[12] He scored his goal for his country on 16 October 2023, in a 3-2 win over Mozambique.[13]

Personal life

Onyeka was born and bred in Benin City. He is nicknamed “The Tank”.[14]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 28 May 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Midtjylland 2017–18[15] Danish Superliga 15431——185
2018–19[16] Danish Superliga 21430—5[lower-alpha 1]0294
2019–20[17] Danish Superliga 32310—2[lower-alpha 2]1354
2020–21[18] Danish Superliga 27340—10[lower-alpha 3]1414
Total 9514111—17212317
Brentford 2021–22 Premier League 2000040–240
2022–23 Premier League 2100020–230
Total 4100060–470
Career total 136151116017217018
  1. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International
As of match played 18 June 2023
International statistics
National teamYearAppsGoals
Nigeria 202010
202130
202250
202330
Total120

Honours

FC Midtjylland

References
  1. "2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. "Frank Onyeka". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  3. "O. Frank". Soccerway.
  4. Aaes, Jette (3 June 2018). "Guldmedaljen glimter godmorgen". ikast-brandenyt.dk. Ikast-Brande Nyt. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  5. Kristiansen, Kenneth (9 February 2018). "Hårdt tilkæmpet FCM-sejr i Horsens" (in Danish). Herning Folkeblad. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  6. Margren, Sara (10 February 2018). "FCM-debutant vil fighte sig til fast plads". www.bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  7. Hansen, Charlotte (18 February 2018). "FCM-træner: Fantastisk at slå FCK med akademispillere" (in Danish). TV Midtvest. Retrieved 24 September 2020. Specielt det unge nigerianske talent Frank Onyeka, der scorede senest mod AC Horsens og igen mod FCK, bringer glæden frem hos FCM's cheftræner. - Frank har gjort det rigtig godt i opstarten. Han har prøvet at spille midterforsvarer, højreback og central midtbanespiller, men han er faktisk lidt mere en hængende angriber. Frank har gjort det virkelig godt, og det var kun et spørgsmål om tid, før at han skulle bringes ind. Han er jo en af de næste, der skal gribe de chancer, der kommer, for der er jo plads til nogle nye spillere.
  8. "Astana vs. Midtjylland - 24 July 2018 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com.
  9. "Brentford sign Frank Onyeka from FC Midtjylland". www.brentfordfc.com. 20 July 2021.
  10. "Full list of Super Eagles invitees for friendlies". The Nation. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  11. Dalgård, Jonas (22 September 2020). "Frank Onyeka kan få landsholdsdebut". www.bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  12. "Nigeria vs. Algeria - 9 October 2020 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  13. "ONYEKA SCORES FIRST NIGERIA GOAL". Brentfordfc. 18 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  14. "From the streets of Benin to Brentford: Super Eagles star shares his Emotional story". soccernet.ng. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  15. "Games played by Frank Onyeka in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  16. "Games played by Frank Onyeka in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  17. "Games played by Frank Onyeka in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  18. "Games played by Frank Onyeka in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  19. "Guldfest i Herning: FC Midtjylland er dansk mester". dr.dk. Danmarks Radio. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
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