Nwankwo Obiora

Nwankwo Obiora (born 12 July 1991) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder. Currently a free agent, he most recently played for Portuguese club Chaves.

Nwankwo Obiora
Personal information
Full name Nwankwo Obiora[1]
Date of birth (1991-07-12) 12 July 1991
Place of birth Kaduna, Nigeria
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
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 de Coimbra 38 (1)
2016–2018 Levadiakos 16 (1)
2018–2020 Boavista 38 (3)
2021–2023 Chaves 37 (1)
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
Winner2010 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

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

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

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,[16] and the 2009 African Youth Championship in Rwanda.[17]

He was called up to Nigeria's 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.[18]

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.
  7. "Primavera: mercato, Obiora per Pea". FC Internazionale – Inter Milan. Archived from the original on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  8. Parma F.C. S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2011. PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  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. 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. "Nwankwo Lands Murcia Deal". Archived from the original on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  17. "TimesLIVE". Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  18. Oluwashina Okeleji (10 January 2013). "Nations Cup 2013: Nigeria pick six locally-based players". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
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