Christian Obodo

Chris Obodo
Personal information
Full name Christian Udubuesi Obodo
Date of birth 11 May 1984 (1984-05-11) (age 27)
Place of birth Warri, Nigeria
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Lecce (on loan from Udinese)
Number 8
Youth career
Plateau United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2001–2004 Perugia 62 (1)
2004–2005 Fiorentina 33 (2)
2005– Udinese 78 (6)
2010–2011 → Torino (loan) 16 (1)
2011– → Lecce (loan) 8 (0)
National team
2004– Nigeria 13 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 9, 2010.
† Appearances (Goals).

Christian Obodo (born 11 May 1984 in Warri, Nigeria) is a football defensive midfielder from Nigeria, currently plays for Italian Serie A side U.S. Lecce on loan from Udinese Calcio.

Contents

Football career

He was plucked from relative obscurity in the Nigerian league, playing for Plateau United before he became one of the hottest properties in the Italian Serie A where he had a brilliant season at Perugia. He scored his first ever Serie A goal in a 2–2 draw against Inter at the end of the season 2003.

Fiorentina signed him as a key part of their renovation as the team came back to Serie A in 2004. They only bought half the registration rights and in 2005 La Viola and Perugia were forced to make a blind auction to decide his future. Perugia won the auction but immediately sold him to Udinese.[1]

Obodo played his first UEFA Champions League with Le zebrette in 2005–06 season. Partnered with Sulley Muntari, they formed a strong midfielder role up until Muntari's exit for Portsmouth F.C. in 2007.

International career

He made his long-awaited debut for the Super Eagles in the LG Cup tournament featuring in the games versus Ghana and Cameroon. He also made a substitute appearance in the prestigious Brazil friendly, playing as a striker. He has also appeared in Nigeria's 4–1 win over Malawi in an ANC 2004 qualifier. Obodo scored his first goal in an 5-2 win at Algeria.

Goals for Senior National Team

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
4 September 2005 Oran, Algeria  Algeria 5–2 Won 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
27 January 2006 Port Said, Egypt  Zimbabwe 2-0 Won 2006 Africa Cup of Nations
2 September 2006 Abuja, Nigeria  Niger 2-0 Won 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
11 October 2008 Abuja, Nigeria  Sierra Leone 4–1 Won 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Statistics

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
2001/02 Perugia Serie A 1 0 0 0 - 1 0
2002/03 30 1 5 0 0 0 35 1
2003/04 31 0 5 1 10 0 46 1
2004/05 Fiorentina Serie A 33 2 6 0 - 39 2
2005/06 Udinese Serie A 28 1 1 1 12 0 41 2
2006/07 30 5 3 1 - 33 6
2007/08 1 0 3 0 - 4 0
2008/09 18 0 0 0 8 1 26 1
2009/10 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2010/11 Torino Serie B
Country Italy 173 9 23 2 30 1 226 12
Total 173 9 23 2 30 1 226 12

[2]

Nigeria national team
Year Apps Goals
2003 3 0
2004 5 0
2005 3 1
2006 5 2
2007 2 0
2008 3 1
Total 21 4

References

  1. ^ "Obodo unveiled by Udinese". UEFA.com. 1 July 2005. http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=313688.html. 
  2. ^ http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=4956
Nigeria squad – 2006 Africa Cup of Nations Third Place
U.S. Lecce – current squad