Ifeanyi Udeze (born 21 July 1980) is a former Nigerian professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...

who played as a defender. He now works with Brila FM, one of the biggest sports radio in Nigeria as a Sports analyst. He participated in the

2002 World Cup The 2002 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Korea Japan 2002, was the 17th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial Association football, football world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams organized by ...

, and played mainly as a

left-back In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...

, he is also used as

centre-back In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...

Club career

Udeze played for clubs such as

Bendel Insurance FC Bendel Insurance Football Club, also known as Insurance of Benin Football Club or simply Bendel Insurance, is a football club based in Benin City, Nigeria. The club plays in the Nigeria Professional football league. They were originally known ...

, AO Kavalas (Greece) and

PAOK Thessaloniki PAOK ( el, ΠΑΟΚ, Πανθεσσαλονίκειος Αθλητικός Όμιλος Κωνσταντινοπολιτών, ''Panthessalonikeios Athlitikós Ómilos Constantinopoliton'', ''Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans' ...

, before joining

West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion Football Club () is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has pla ...

in 2003. In his first season with the Albion, he played in the

Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...

, joining the club on loan in the latter stages of the season after which Albion were relegated. He was released from

AEK Athens A.E.K ( el, AEK , formally Αθλητική Ένωσις Κωνσταντινουπόλεως; Athlitikí Énosis Konstantinoupόleos, ''Athletic Union of Constantinople''), known as A.E.K, is a major Greece, Greek multi-sport club based in Nea ...

in January 2007, six months after signing a three-year contract on 11 August 2006. On 4 July 2007, he returned to PAOK FC, signing a two-year deal. A niggling knee injury prevented him from grabbing a first team spot and he was released after a year at the club.

International career

Udeze first came into international limelight at the inaugural UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup held in Portugal in 1997, a tournament where Spain's

Xavi Xavier Hernández Creus (born 25 January 1980), known as Xavi is a Spanish professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, player who is the manager of La Liga club FC Barcelona, Barcelona. Widely con ...

and Portugal's Simao made their mark. He was a member of the Fanny Amun-led

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

n squad that beat Spain 3–2 to win the tournament. Some members of the squad included

Rabiu Afolabi Rabiu Afolabi (born 18 April 1980) is a Nigerian former professional association football, footballer, who played as a Defender (association football)#Centre-back, centre-back. Career Born in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria, Afolabi started his f ...

Joseph Enakarhire Joseph Enakarhire (born 6 November 1982) is a Nigerian former professional footballer. He could play as either a right back or a central defender. Club career Born in Warri, Enakarhire impressed at a young age at Standard Liège before moving ...

Bright Igbinadolor Bright Igbinadolor (born 16 December 1980) is a Nigerian international footballer who plays professionally in Myanmar for Southern Myanmar United, as a midfielder. Career Igbinadolor has played professionally in Nigeria, Spain, Switzerland, Finl ...

, Chijioke Nwankpa, Hashimu Garba, and

Mohammed Aliyu Datti Mohammed Aliyu Datti (born 14 March 1982) is a Nigerian former footballer who played as a forward. Career Aliyu started his career with Padova Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Ital ...

. Having made his full international debut in 2001, Udeze went on to feature for Nigeria at the

2002 African Cup of Nations The 2002 African Cup of Nations was the 23rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the association football championship of Africa (Confederation of African Football, CAF). It was hosted by Mali. Just like in 2000 African Cup of Nations, 2000, th ...

and 2004, and the

, playing two games. At the 2002 African Cup of Nations held in Mali, he was selected among the CAF Team of the Tournament. During his playing days, he was Super Eagles' second choice left-back to former Chelsea left-back,

Celestine Babayaro Celestine Boyd Jonto Hycieth Babayaro (born 29 August 1978) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a left-back or a midfielder. Babayaro spent the majority of his career playing in the Premier League, mainly for Chelsea from ...

. On some occasions, he played together with Babayaro; both switching positions from the left full-back to the left wing of the midfield, often confusing opponents with their identical style of play. Udeze was noted for his feistiness, intelligent marking and remarkable recovery rate. He was Nigeria's most fouled defender in games he featured in. Whenever he joined the attack, he was seldom dispossessed of the ball without winning a free-kick, corner or throw-in. Udeze last featured for Nigeria in a 2006 World Cup qualifier against

Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

in 2005.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Udeze, Ifeanyi 1980 births Living people Footballers from Lagos Nigerian footballers Men's association football fullbacks Nigeria men's international footballers 2002 FIFA World Cup players 2002 African Cup of Nations players 2004 African Cup of Nations players Premier League players Super League Greece players Bendel Insurance F.C. players PAOK FC players Kavala F.C. players West Bromwich Albion F.C. players AEK Athens F.C. players Nigerian expatriate footballers Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Greece Expatriate footballers in Greece Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in England Expatriate footballers in England