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Nigerian footballer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anthony Ujah (born 14 October 1990) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bulgarian First League club Botev Plovdiv and the Nigeria national team.
 Ujah during his time with 1. FC Köln | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 October 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Ugbokolo, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Botev Plovdiv | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2007 | Abuja F.C. | ||
| 2008–2009 | Warri Wolves | 22 | (13) |
| 2010–2011 | Lillestrøm | 36 | (27) |
| 2011–2013 | Mainz 05 | 12 | (2) |
| 2012–2013 | → 1. FC Köln (loan) | 28 | (13) |
| 2013–2015 | 1. FC Köln | 66 | (21) |
| 2015–2016 | Werder Bremen | 30 | (11) |
| 2016–2017 | Liaoning Whowin | 39 | (10) |
| 2018–2019 | Mainz 05 | 33 | (4) |
| 2019–2022 | Union Berlin | 27 | (3) |
| 2022–2024 | Eintracht Braunschweig | 52 | (13) |
| 2024– | Botev Plovdiv | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2013– | Nigeria | 7 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 September 2015 | |||
Ujah grew up in the little town of Ugbokolo in Nigeria's Benue State.[2]
Ujah began his career with Abuja F.C. In 2008, he was signed by Warri Wolves.[3] He left Warri Wolves in January 2010 to attend a trial with Lillestrøm.[4]
Having impressed while attending the trial, Ujah signed a four-year contract with Lillestrøm and made his debut for the club on 14 March 2010 against Aalesunds FK.[5]
In January 2011, Ujah was linked with a move to England with Football League One clubs Swindon Town and Southampton reportedly interested.[6] On transfer deadline day, Ujah travelled to La Liga side Mallorca to discuss a move after Lillestrøm accepted a bid for the striker. However, no deal was signed, and Ujah started the 2011 campaign still in the Norway with Lillestrøm.[7]
In the first game of the season on 3 March 2011, Ujah scored four goals in Lillestrøm's 7–0 victory away against Stabæk.[8] Following his strong performance, it was reported that PSV Eindhoven, among other European clubs such as Rennes, Lille, Toulouse and Sunderland, were keeping tabs on Ujah.[9] Ujah added to his tally by scoring a brace in his side's 5–0 of FK Haugesund on 25 April.[10] In May 2011, following his return of eight goals from the first six league matches for Lillestrøm, Ujah was linked to a host of bigger clubs from strong continental leagues including the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Eredivisie.[citation needed] A month later on 28 May, Ujah netted the winning goal in a 4–2 victory over Sarpsborg 08.[11] On 19 June 2011, Ujah again hit four goals for Lillestrøm, this time against Strømsgodset, helping his side to a 4–2 win in the Tippeligaen. After just 15 months in Norway, he built up a tremendous rapport with the club's supporters and arguably attained an almost legend-like status unheard of for a 20-year-old.[citation needed] He ended up scoring 30 goals in 42 matches across all official competitions for Lillestrøm.[12]
In June 2011, Ujah signed for Mainz 05, after being tracked by several clubs, most notably Danish outfits F.C. Copenhagen and Brøndby IF.[13][14] Early in his Mainz career, Ujah missed multiple chances and scored a crucial own goal as Mainz were knocked out of the UEFA Europa League by Gaz Metan Mediaș.[15] Ujah scored his first two goals for his new club in a 3–1 victory over VfB Stuttgart on 4 November, ending his side's winless run that stretched back to mid-August and moved them three points clear of the relegation zone; however, these were the only Bundesliga goals he scored that season, and he made only three substitute appearances after the winter break.[15][16][17][18]
On the last day of the summer 2012 transfer window, Ujah signed for 1. FC Köln on a season-long loan.[19] He scored 13 goals in the 2012–13 2. Bundesliga and the transfer was made permanent at the end of the season.[18][20]
Köln won promotion to the Bundesliga in the 2013–14 season, with Ujah forming a strike partnership alongside Patrick Helmes. Ujah was the club's top scorer in the 2014–15 Bundesliga season, scoring 10 goals.[18][20] In March 2015, Ujah made headlines for his celebration after scoring a goal against Eintracht Frankfurt; the striker ran towards the club's goat mascot, Hennes, and grabbed its horns.[21]
In 2020 Ujah described his spell at Köln as the best time in his career.[22]
On 5 May 2015, Werder Bremen announced that they had triggered Ujah's release clause and he would join the club for the 2015–16 season.[23][24] On 24 October, Ujah scored a brace against his former club Mainz as Werder earned a 3–1 away win following five successive defeats.[25] Four days laters, he netted again, helping Werder to a 1–0 victory over his former club 1. FC Köln in the second round of the DFB-Pokal.[26] It was his first goal in a home match at the Weserstadion.[27]
On 5 July 2016, Werder Bremen announced Ujah would be joining Liaoning Whowin pending a medical for a reported transfer fee of €13 million. Both player and club had rejected a similar offer from Liaoning Whowin in the previous winter transfer window.[28][29] Two days later, the move was finalised with Ujah signing a three-year contract.[30] On 8 July 2016, Ujah scored on his debut for Liaoning in a 2–1 win over Shijiazhuang Ever Bright.[31]
In December, it was announced that Ujah would return to the Bundesliga having re-signed with former club Mainz 05 on a 3+1⁄2-year contract until 2021.[32] Although he only scored four league goals in his second spell at Mainz, Ujah did help Mainz beat rivals Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in May 2019 with a brace.[15][18]
In June 2019, Ujah's move to Union Berlin, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, for the 2019–20 season was agreed. He signed a three-year deal.[33] Ujah contributed three goals in his first season for Union, but spent a long time out injured and was released in summer 2022.[34]
On 2 August 2022, Ujah signed with Eintracht Braunschweig on a one-year contract, with an optional extra year.[35] His contract was renewed for a second season after Eintracht Braunschweig avoided relegation, with Ujah contributing ten goals and five assists in the 2. Bundesliga.[36]
On 19 June 2024, Ujah moved to Bulgaria, signing a deal with Botev Plovdiv.[37] In July 2024, he scored in both legs of the UEFA Europa League qualifying matches against Maribor, which saw Botev Plovdiv prevail 4:3 on aggregate.[38] In August 2024, in the return encounter of the next round against Panathinaikos, Ujah suffered a torn ligament, which subsequently necessitated a knee operation and is expected to sideline him for a number of months.[39]
At the end of May 2011, Ujah was called up to the Nigeria national U23 team that faced Tanzania on 5 June 2011.
He was selected for Nigeria's squad at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.[40]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lillestrøm | 2010 | Tippeligaen | 24 | 14 | 3 | 3 | — | 27 | 17 | |
| 2011 | 12 | 13 | 3 | 0 | — | 15 | 13 | |||
| Total | 36 | 27 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 30 | ||
| Mainz 05 | 2011–12 | Bundesliga | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| 2012–13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 12 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 1. FC Köln | 2012–13 | 2. Bundesliga | 28 | 13 | 3 | 0 | — | 31 | 13 | |
| 2013–14 | 34 | 11 | 3 | 0 | — | 37 | 11 | |||
| 2014–15 | Bundesliga | 32 | 10 | 3 | 2 | — | 35 | 12 | ||
| Total | 94 | 34 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 36 | ||
| Werder Bremen | 2015–16 | Bundesliga | 30 | 11 | 5 | 3 | — | 35 | 14 | |
| Liaoning Whowin | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 5 | |
| 2017 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 24 | 5 | |||
| Total | 39 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 10 | ||
| Mainz 05 | 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |
| 2018–19 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 23 | 4 | |||
| Total | 33 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 4 | ||
| Union Berlin | 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 24 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 28 | 4 | |
| 2020–21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 27 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 4 | ||
| Eintracht Braunschweig | 2022–23 | 2. Bundesliga | 29 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | 30 | 10 | |
| 2023–24 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 24 | 4 | |||
| Total | 52 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 14 | ||
| Career total | 323 | 104 | 31 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 356 | 114 | ||
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