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.

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^{[citation needed]} 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

Persondata
Name	Obodo, Christian
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	11 May 1984
Place of birth	Warri, Nigeria
Date of death
Place of death