Ikechukwu Uche
Encyclopedia
Ikechukwu Uche is a Nigeria
n footballer who plays for Granada CF
on loan from Villarreal CF
, as a striker.
He spent most of his professional career in Spain
, having arrived in the country before the age of 20.
. Aged just 17, he moved to Racing de Ferrol
in the Spanish
second division
, appearing in 24 games in his second season, which ended in relegation for the Galician team.
Uche then joined another club in the country's second level, Recreativo de Huelva
, for a fee of $
300,000, and scored 12 goals in his first season, becoming the league's top scorer in 2005–06
, at 20 in just 28 games (with five braces), as the Andalusia
ns returned - as champions - to La Liga
after a three-year absence.
In his first top flight year, Uche scored on eight occasions. Notably, he netted in three consecutive matches in November 2006 (with wins at Celta de Vigo
and against CA Osasuna
), as Recre finished eight.
For 2007–08, he joined Madrid
's Getafe CF
, mainly being used as a substitute. On 29 November 2008, also from the bench, he netted in a 3–1 home win over Real Madrid
.
, recently returned to the top flight, agreed terms to sign Uche, subject to medical. He was presented officially on the 22nd, and signed a four-year contract. In only his second match, a 1–4 loss at Sevilla FC
, he suffered a severe knee
injury, going on to miss seven months.
Uche recovered fully for Zaragoza's 2010–11
pre-season; however, he suffered another knee injury, being ruled out for another six months. His return to action took place on 19 February 2011, as he played 20 minutes in a 0–1 home loss against Atlético Madrid, hitting David de Gea
's bar in the dying minutes of the game, after an individual effort.
On 2 March 2011, Uche made his first start of the season, at home against Athletic Bilbao
. On the 55th minute, he scored the final 2–1 for the Aragon
ese - his first goal since May 2009 - and cried profusely as he celebrated.
, Uche was purchased by Villarreal CF
, being immediately loaned out to fellow top-divisioner Granada CF
. On 17 September, he scored the game's only goal against the team that held his rights, in a home fixture.
in 2007. He was part of the squad that competed in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana
, helping the Super Eagles to the quarterfinals.
Correct as of 15 November 2011
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n footballer who plays for Granada CF
Granada CF
Granada Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 14 April 1931, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home matches at Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes....
on loan from Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
, as a striker.
He spent most of his professional career in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, having arrived in the country before the age of 20.
Early years
Uche's footballer career began with Amanze United and Iwuanyanwu NationaleHeartland F.C.
Heartland F.C is a Nigerian soccer club based in Owerri. They play their home games at Dan Anyiam Stadium. With local rivals Enugu Rangers, they are one of two Nigerian teams that have never been relegated....
. Aged just 17, he moved to Racing de Ferrol
Racing de Ferrol
Racing Club de Ferrol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Ferrol in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia.Founded in 1919, in currently plays in Tercera División, holding home games at Estadio de la Malata...
in the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, appearing in 24 games in his second season, which ended in relegation for the Galician team.
Uche then joined another club in the country's second level, Recreativo de Huelva
Recreativo de Huelva
Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 23 December 1889, it is the oldest football team in Spain, and currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estadio Nuevo Colombino, which has a...
, for a fee of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
300,000, and scored 12 goals in his first season, becoming the league's top scorer in 2005–06
2005–06 Segunda División
-Classification 2005–06:-Relegated to Segunda División B:* UE Lleida -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 3* Ferrol -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 1* Eibar -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 4...
, at 20 in just 28 games (with five braces), as the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
ns returned - as champions - to La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
after a three-year absence.
In his first top flight year, Uche scored on eight occasions. Notably, he netted in three consecutive matches in November 2006 (with wins at Celta de Vigo
Celta de Vigo
Real Club Celta de Vigo , simply referred to as Celta Vigo, is a Spanish professional football club based in Vigo, Galicia, currently playing in the Segunda División. It was founded on March 28, 1923 following the merger of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna Foot-ball Club.Nicknamed Los Celestes ,...
and against CA Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
), as Recre finished eight.
For 2007–08, he joined Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
's Getafe CF
Getafe CF
Getafe Club de Fútbol is a Spanish La Liga football club based in Getafe, a city in the Madrid metropolitan area, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.In the top level since 2004-05, it holds home games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez....
, mainly being used as a substitute. On 29 November 2008, also from the bench, he netted in a 3–1 home win over Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
.
Zaragoza
In July 2009, Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
, recently returned to the top flight, agreed terms to sign Uche, subject to medical. He was presented officially on the 22nd, and signed a four-year contract. In only his second match, a 1–4 loss at Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
, he suffered a severe knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injury, going on to miss seven months.
Uche recovered fully for Zaragoza's 2010–11
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
pre-season; however, he suffered another knee injury, being ruled out for another six months. His return to action took place on 19 February 2011, as he played 20 minutes in a 0–1 home loss against Atlético Madrid, hitting David de Gea
David de Gea
David de Gea Quintana is a Spanish footballer who plays for Manchester United as a goalkeeper. Born in Madrid, he started his career aged 10 with Atlético Madrid and rose through the academy system at the club before making his senior debut in 2009...
's bar in the dying minutes of the game, after an individual effort.
On 2 March 2011, Uche made his first start of the season, at home against Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
. On the 55th minute, he scored the final 2–1 for the Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
ese - his first goal since May 2009 - and cried profusely as he celebrated.
Villarreal
In the last day of the 2011 summer transfer windowTransfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, Uche was purchased by Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
, being immediately loaned out to fellow top-divisioner Granada CF
Granada CF
Granada Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 14 April 1931, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home matches at Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes....
. On 17 September, he scored the game's only goal against the team that held his rights, in a home fixture.
International career
Uche made his debut for NigeriaNigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
in 2007. He was part of the squad that competed in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, helping the Super Eagles to the quarterfinals.
International goals
-
- Scores and results table. Nigeria's goal tally first:
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 January 2008 | MPFS Marbella, Estepona Estepona Estepona is a town and municipality in the region of the Costa del Sol, southern Spain. It is located in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. Estepona is renowned for its beaches, which stretch along some 21 km of coastline... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 2 | 1 June 2008 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2010 World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) The Confederation of African Football section of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification saw teams compete for five berths in the final tournament in South Africa... |
|
| 3 | 21 June 2008 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2010 World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) The Confederation of African Football section of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification saw teams compete for five berths in the final tournament in South Africa... |
|
| 4 | 6 September 2008 | Telkom Park, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) The Confederation of African Football section of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification saw teams compete for five berths in the final tournament in South Africa... |
|
| 5 | 7 June 2009 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2010 World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) The Confederation of African Football section of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification saw teams compete for five berths in the final tournament in South Africa... |
|
| 6 | 27 March 2011 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
3–0 | 4–0 | 2012 African Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 7 | 27 March 2011 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
4–0 | 4–0 | 2012 African Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 8 | 29 March 2011 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 9 | 1 June 2011 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 10 | 1 June 2011 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
3–0 | 4–1 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 11 | 5 June 2011 | Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa Addis Ababa Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia... , Ethiopia Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2... |
1–0 | 2–2 | 2012 African Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 12 | 8 October 2011 | Abuja Stadium Abuja Stadium Abuja National Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Abuja, the rapidly developing Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagles, as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events... , Abuja Abuja Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
2–1 | 2–2 | 2012 African Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 13 | 15 November 2011 | Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna Kaduna Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census... , Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in... |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
Correct as of 15 November 2011
Personal
- Uche's older brother, Kalu UcheKalu UcheKalu Uche is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Neuchâtel Xamax in Switzerland.Known for his acrobatic goal celebrations, he can operate on occasion as an attacking midfielder or a second striker, and spent most of his professional career in Spain.-Early years:Uche's career began in Nigeria with...
, is also a footballer. Also a forward, he too spent most of his senior career in Spain (they are not related to two other players, Uche Okechukwu and Ikechukwu KaluIkechukwu KaluIkechukwu Kalu is a Nigerian football striker who plays for Chiasso. His name, Ikechukwu, means "Power of God".-Football career:...
).
- His name, Ikechukwu, means "God's Power" in IgboIgbo languageIgbo , or Igbo proper, is a native language of the Igbo people, an ethnic group primarily located in southeastern Nigeria. There are approximately 20 million speakers that are mostly in Nigeria and are primarily of Igbo descent. Igbo is a national language of Nigeria. It is written in the Latin...
.