The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ANGELO Ogbonna

  • Nigeria-born football stars who never played for Super Eagles

    Nigeria is blessed with many talented footballers who sadly never played for the Super Eagles- the national team.

    This was due to issue of dual nationalities, personal decision to represent other countries or lack of opportunity.

    Here is a list of such household football talents who never played for Nigeria:

     David Alaba

    David Olatokunbo Alaba was born in Vienna to a Filipino mother (a nurse) and a Nigerian father, a DJ and former rapper.  He is an Austrian professional footballer, who plays for Bayern Munich and the Austria national team.

    He holds Austria’s record as the youngest player in the senior national team, debuting in 2009 as a 17-year-old. He has played in a multitude of roles, including central midfield, central defence, right and left wing but has since blossomed as a left-back.

    Gabriel Agbonlahor

     Gabriel Imuetinyan “Gabby” Agbonlahor was born 13 October 1986. Agbonlahor was one of four children born to a Nigerian father and a Scottish mother in Birmingham. The English professional footballer plays as a striker for Championship club Aston Villa.

    Nedum Onuoah

    READ ALSO: I was asked to pay bribe before playing for Nigeria, says David Alaba

    Chinedum “Nedum” Onuoha plays for Real Salt Lake in the MLS. He is a defender, typically a centre back but he can also play at right back or left back. Born in Warri, Nigeria, Onuoha was brought up in Manchester, England.

    In March 2007, Onuoha received an international call up from Nigeria but announced he would like to play for England at full international level. Onuoha has never been capped by England at international level.

    Ross Barkley

    Shockingly, Ross Barkley is of Nigerian decent. Conceived on December 5, 1993, Barkley is an English footballer who plays for Everton and English national group as a midfielder. Barkley was brought up in Liverpool, his paternal granddad was Nigerian and that makes him qualified to play for both England and Nigeria.

    He, at last, selected England and has played at U-16, U-17, U-19, U-20, U-21 and senior team.

    Emmanuel Adebayor

    Emmanuel Adebayor is a Togolese footballer who plays as a striker for Turkish club İstanbul Başakşehir. He previously played for English clubs Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace as well as French sides Metz and Monaco and Spanish team Real Madrid.

    He was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2008.

    Patrick Olukayode Owomoyela

    Patrick Olukayode Owomoyela

    Patrick Owomoyela was born to a German mother and a Nigerian father. Owomoyela plays as a right-sided defender/midfielder. He had been capped by Germany at international level and was a member of the squad at the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. He has since retired into sports broadcasting.

     Angelo Ogbonna

    Nigerian-born Angelo Obinze Ogbonna is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for West Ham United and the Italian national team.

    Ogbonna was born to Nigerian parents who emigrated to Italy in 1983.

    Stefano Okaka Chuka

    Stefano Chuka Okaka was born in Castiglione del Lago, Perugia, Italy to Nigerian parents who later obtained Italian citizenship. Okaka joined the Roma youth system in 2004.

    The Italian played as a striker for Premier League club Watford and the national team. He is currently with Spezia Calcio on loan from Serie A club Parma.

    In April 2014, Okaka revealed he talked with the Nigeria Football Federation about the possibility of him playing with the Nigeria national football team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

    Dennis Aogo

    Born to a German mother and a Nigerian father, Dennis Aogo is a left wing-back or midfielder with Schalke 04. The 30-year old footballer once revealed in an interview that Nigeria once invited him to play for the national team which he turned down.

    ”When I heard Nigeria wanted me for the World Cup, I had to really think about it. But I hesitated because Nigerians won’t recognise me as a true African, it’s a totally different culture from what I am used to in Germany.

    “I know many Africans who were born in Europe are now playing for African teams but they are not regarded as locals. Nigeria is not well organised like what I am used to in Germany. I have been to Nigeria once for 14 days and so I knew what I wanted,” he said then.

  •  Ogbonna commits to West Ham till 2022

     Ogbonna commits to West Ham till 2022

     

    Italy international Angelo Ogbonna has signed a new five-year deal at West Ham, the Premier League side announced on Friday.

    The 29-year-old missed almost the entire second half of last season having undergone knee surgery in January, returning only for the Hammers’ final Premier League game of the campaign in a 2-1 win at Burnley.

    Ogbonna has now penned a fresh contract to keep him at the London Stadium until 2022, having originally signed for Slaven Bilic’s side from Juventus in 2015.

    The ex-Torino defender is expected to be fit enough to play for West Ham on their pre-season tour and will then battle with the likes of James Collins and Jose Fonte for a place in Bilic’s side.

    ‘I’m really grateful for this new deal,’ Ogbonna told the club’s official website.

    ‘Our position last year was quite high and we are looking forward to improving next season.

    ‘My target is that I can’t wait to get back playing. I think we have a long season ahead and for me my target is to be better than last season. We finished in 11th position but very close to 8th position and we know we can do better than what we did last year.

    ‘I am excited to show my quality on the pitch and the support is always amazing, even when I had my injury. We have got lots of experience in the team at the moment, which is very good.’

    West Ham will be hoping to add to their squad ahead of the new campaign, with the free transfer signing of former Manchester City full-back Pablo Zabaleta their only summer recruit to date.

    They have been linked with Arsenal striker Oliver Giroud and former Manchester united forward Javier Hernandez, who is currently plying his trade at Bayer Leverkusen.

  • NFF snubbed Ogbonna’s bid to play for Nigeria – Uncle

    NFF snubbed Ogbonna’s bid to play for Nigeria – Uncle

    West Ham star, Angelo Ogbonna, initially picked Nigeria ahead of Italy at international level but was ignored by the Nigeria Football Federation, the player uncle has revealed.

    Ogbonna was born in Cassino to Nigerian parents who are both from Owerri West in Imo State and made his debut for the Azurris  against Poland in an international friendly in 2011, having played for the Italian U-21 side two years earlier.

    “Angelo wanted to play for Nigeria but was ignored by the Nigeria Football Federation so he decided to play for the country where he was born,” the player’s uncle, Prince Ogbonna, told allnigeriasoccer.com.

    Ogbonna was included in Italy’s 23-man roster for the ongoing European championship in France and was an unused substitute against Belgium on Monday.

    “If he is given the opportunity to play, he will surely perform just as he is doing in West Ham now.

    “If he is not good he will not be invited to the Italian national team. It takes hard work to play in Italian national team, “the former Catania player added.

  • Ogbonna: A great start

    Ogbonna: A great start

    ANGELO Ogbonna believes his impressive introduction to the campaign is down to specific improvements he has made to his game over the summer and increased chances to shine under Massimiliano Allegri.

    Injuries to Andrea Barzagli and Martin Caceres in recent weeks have seen the 26-year-old asked to operate in an unorthodox position on the right of the back three – and it is an opportunity he has seized with both hands.

    Speaking exclusively to Sky, Ogbonna began: “It’s been a great start, not just for myself, but also for the team as a whole. I’m standing out a little bit more than I did last season. I’ve perhaps improved a tad concentration wise and also in understanding the type of attitude required out on the pitch.

    “The system also helps me a great deal. It’s inevitable that playing more regularly gives you greater opportunities to show what you can do.”

    Ogbonna’s displays in Serie A’s joint strongest rearguard led to a deserved call-up by former club boss Antonio Conte for Italy’s recent Euro 2016 qualification double-header against Azerbaijan and Malta.

    “I don’t think international caps are just dished out to anybody, only those deserving of the call receive it. In recent times a few of my positive outings have made the new coach’s decision an easy one to make.”

    Returning to league matters, the defender, who joined from inter-city rivals Torino in 2013, says the Bianconeri will be kept on their toes throughout the campaign by an “excellent” Roma outfit.