Oghenekaro Peter Etebo (born 9 November 1995) is a 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 ...
who plays as a
midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for
Aris Thessaloniki
Athlitikos Syllogos Aris Thessalonikis, means Athletic Club Aris Thessaloniki
...
, on loan from
Stoke City
Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Sto ...
, and the
Nigeria national team.
Etebo started out at
Warri Wolves where he spent three years before moving into European football with Portuguese side
Feirense. He helped the side gain promotion to the
Primeira Liga
The Primeira Liga (; English: Premier League, also written as Liga Portugal 1), also known as Liga Portugal Bwin for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga Portugal ...
and established themselves as a top-flight club. Etebo had a six-month loan spell at Spanish side
Las Palmas
Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spain, Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, on the Atlantic Ocean.
It is the capital (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the most populous city in th ...
in the
2017–18 season. Etebo joined English side
Stoke City
Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Sto ...
in June 2018 for a fee of £6.35 million.
Club career
Warri Wolves
Etebo joined
Warri Wolves in 2012, Etebo was announced as a member of the senior squad for the
2013 Nigeria Premier League season. However, due to his school studies and a delayed start to the league season, he only got to make his professional debut on 14 April 2013, announcing himself to Nigerian fans by scoring the first hat-trick of the season. With his goals in the 4th, 9th and 37th minutes and another by
Joseph Osadiaye in the 12th minute as Wolves were up by four goals in the first half against
El-Kanemi Warriors.
His excellent debut season continued when he scored the fastest hat-trick in the league in a 3–1 win against
Wikki Tourists
Wikki Tourists Football Club is a Nigerian football club based in Bauchi, and currently playing in the Nigeria Premier league after promotion from the second-tier Nigeria National League after the 2014 season.Sponsor is Bauchi State Government ...
, scoring all three goals within 22 minutes of play. Etebo opened scoring for Wolves in the seventh minute of the game, but the celebrations had yet to die down when Waziri Christopher equalized for Wikki. Etebo struck again in the 12th minute to restore Wolves' lead, and he completed his hat-trick in the 29th minute, after the hosts were awarded a spot kick. In March 2014, he scored his first continental goal against
Union Douala
Union Sportive de Douala is a Cameroonian professional football (soccer), football club based in Douala, that competes in the Elite One.
History
It was founded in 1958 and played its home matches in the Stade de la Réunification.
Achievements
...
in the
2014 CAF Confederation Cup
The 2014 CAF Confederation Cup (also known as the 2014 Orange CAF Confederation Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 11th edition of the CAF Confederation Cup, Africa's secondary club football competition organized by the Confederation of African ...
. His performances in the
CAF Confederation Cup
The CAF Confederation Cup, known as the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup for sponsorship purposes, is an annual association football club competition established in 2004 from a merger of the CAF Cup and the African Cup Winners' Cup and org ...
got the attention of Tunisian club
Espérance and Egyptian side
Zamalek
Zamalek ( ar, الزمالك , ''al zamalek'') is an affluent district of western Cairo encompassing the northern portion of Gezira Island in the Nile River. The island is connected with the river banks through three bridges each on the east an ...
, sparking a fight over his signature. In May 2014 Etebo had a trial at Italian club
Udinese.
In 2015 Etebo received the Glo Wondergoal award, for the best goal of the
2015 Nigeria Professional Football League
The 2015 Nigeria Professional Football League (referred to as the Nigerian Glo premier league for sponsorship reasons) is the 44th season of the Nigeria Premier League, the top Nigerian professional league for association football clubs, since its ...
season, which was scored against
Bayelsa United. On 7 January 2016, he won the Most Promising Talent of the Year award at the
CAF Awards
The CAF Awards is an awards evening held to honour the best African association football players. It is conferred by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Current awards
The awards include:
CAF Player of the Year
CAF Most Promising Talen ...
in
Abuja, Nigeria
Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Plan ...
. In total Etebo scored 23 goals in 64 league games for Warri Wolves in his three years with the club.
Feirense
Etebo joined Portuguese
LigaPro
The Liga Portugal 2 (), also known as Liga Portugal 2 SABSEG for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division of the Portuguese football league system. At the end of each season, the two top-finishing teams are promoted to the top-tier Pri ...
club
Feirense in early 2016, he played four times in
2015–16, scoring once helping them to gain promotion to the
Primeira Liga
The Primeira Liga (; English: Premier League, also written as Liga Portugal 1), also known as Liga Portugal Bwin for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga Portugal ...
.
He played 27 times in
2016–17 as Feirense finished in eight position narrowly misses out on a European place by two points.
Las Palmas (loan)
On 31 January 2018, Etebo was loaned to
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men' ...
side
UD Las Palmas
Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Las Palmas, on the island of Gran Canaria in the autonomous community of Canary Islands. Founded on 22 August 1949, it plays in Segunda División, holding home games at the ...
for six months, with a buyout clause. Etebo played 14 matches with Las Palmas but was unable to prevent them being relegated.
Etebo earned praise for his performances with the
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Mo ...
side.
Stoke City
On 11 June 2018, Etebo signed for
EFL Championship
The English Football League Championship (often referred to as the Championship for short or the Sky Bet Championship for sponsorship purposes) is the highest division of the English Football League (EFL) and second-highest overall in the E ...
side
Stoke City
Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Sto ...
for €7.2million (£6.35 million) from
Feirense on a five-year-deal. He became new manager
Gary Rowett
Gary Rowett (born 6 March 1974) is an English professional football manager and former player, who is currently manager of Championship club Millwall.
As a player, he was a defender, and played in the Premier League for Everton, Derby Coun ...
's first signing at Stoke, who described him as an 'energetic midfielder'.
Etebo revealed that he turned down offers from
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 ...
clubs before joining Stoke. He made his Stoke debut on 5 August 2018 against
Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire in England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of England's football league system, and plays its home matches at Elland Road ...
. Etebo played 37 times in
2018–19 and was one of the teams's better performers as Stoke finished in 16th position.
He scored twice both of which were powerful strikes against
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. Nottingham Forest was founded in 1865 and have been playing their home games at the City Ground, on the banks of the River Tren ...
and
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club, based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second tier of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. T ...
.
Etebo had a delayed start to the
2019–20 season due to his involvement with Nigeria at the
2019 Africa Cup of Nations
The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (abbreviated as AFCON 2019 or CAN 2019), known as the Total 2019 Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial international men's football championshi ...
. Stoke began the season in terrible form and found themselves in the Championship relegation places which cost manager
Nathan Jones his job in November 2019. Under new manager
Michael O'Neill, Etebo was dropped from the squad with O'Neill critical of his efforts in training. This lead him to being linked with a move away from the club in January 2020.
In January 2020, Etebo joined
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men' ...
side
Getafe
Getafe () is a municipality and a city in Spain belonging to the Community of Madrid. , it has a population of 180,747, the region's sixth most populated municipality.
Getafe is located 13 km south of Madrid's city centre, within a fla ...
on loan for the remainder of the
2019–20 season with an option to purchase. Etebo played 11 times for Getafe scoring once against
SD Eibar
Sociedad Deportiva Eibar (in eu, Eibar Kirol Elkartea) is a professional Spanish football club based in Eibar, Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous Basque Country.
Founded on 30 November 1940, the team currently plays in the Segunda División, the s ...
but the club decided against activating their purchase option.
On 9 September 2020, Etebo joined Turkish side
Galatasaray
Galatasaray Spor Kulübü (, ''Galatasaray Sports Club'') is a Turkish sports club based on the European side of the city of Istanbul in Turkey. Most notable for its association football department, the club also consists of various other dep ...
on loan for the
2020–21 season. He played 29 times for Galatasary as they finished in second place, missing out on the title to
Beşiktaş
Beşiktaş () is a district and municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and Şişli, on the west by Kağıthane and Şişli, on the south by Beyoğlu, and ...
on goal difference.
On 9 July 2021, Etebo joined newly promoted
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 ...
side
Watford
Watford () is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne.
Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal en ...
on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.
On 14 August 2021, he made his competitive debut for Watford in their league opener against
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa P ...
, where Watford won 3–2. Etebo struggled with injuries in
2021–22, making ten appearances for the Hornets as they suffered relegation from the Premier League and at the end of the season they decided against signing him on a permanent basis.
Aris Thessaloniki
On 15 September 2022, Etebo joined Greek side
Aris Thessaloniki
Athlitikos Syllogos Aris Thessalonikis, means Athletic Club Aris Thessaloniki
...
on a season-long loan.
International career
Etebo made his international debut on 27 July 2013 against Côte d'Ivoire in a 2–0 loss in
Abidjan
Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N’ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the economic capital of the Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of overall population of the country, ...
during the
2014 African Nations Championship qualification
Qualification is either the process of qualifying for an achievement, or a credential attesting to that achievement, and may refer to:
* Professional qualification, attributes developed by obtaining academic degrees or through professional exper ...
campaign for home-based players. He also played against Jordan in an international friendly on 23 October 2013. In December 2015, he helped the
Nigerian U-23 Team to the
U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
The Total Africa U-23 Cup of Nations (known as the CAF U-23 Championship until 2015) is the main international football competition for CAF nations, played by under 23 years old players. It is held every four years with the top three teams qualif ...
triumph in
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣 ...
; finishing top scorer with five goals, including a brace in a 2–1 win against
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
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, religi ...
in the final. Both goals were characterized by deep runs from his team's own half. Having almost single-handedly guaranteed Nigeria's qualification to the Olympic games, he was subsequently selected by Nigeria in the 35-man provisional squad for the
2016 Summer Olympics. Following a tumultuous arrival in Brazil, he scored four goals against
Japan in Nigeria's opening group match. The game ended 5–4 to Nigeria. Injured in the third game of the tournament, he played a lessened part in the run of the team to a bronze medal finish. Etebo is a member of the full
Nigeria national team.
Etebo was named in Nigeria's 23-man squad for the
2018 World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national Association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awa ...
in Russia. He started all three of Nigeria's
group matches which saw them beat
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its ...
but lose to
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...
and
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
which meant that they failed to progress to the knock-out stages.
Career statistics
Club
International
:''Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Etebo goal.''
Honours
Nigeria U23
*
Olympic Bronze Medal:
2016
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Etebo, Oghenekaro
Living people
1995 births
Association football midfielders
Sportspeople from Lagos
Nigerian footballers
Nigeria international footballers
2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations players
C.D. Feirense players
Warri Wolves F.C. players
UD Las Palmas players
Stoke City F.C. players
Getafe CF footballers
Galatasaray S.K. footballers
Watford F.C. players
Aris Thessaloniki F.C. players
Primeira Liga players
Liga Portugal 2 players
Nigeria Professional Football League players
La Liga players
English Football League players
Süper Lig players
Super League Greece players
Footballers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Olympic footballers of Nigeria
Expatriate footballers in Portugal
Expatriate footballers in Spain
Expatriate footballers in Turkey
Nigerian expatriate footballers
Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Olympic bronze medalists for Nigeria
Olympic medalists in football
African Games bronze medalists for Nigeria
African Games medalists in football
2018 FIFA World Cup players
Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in England
Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Greece
Expatriate footballers in England
Expatriate footballers in Greece
Competitors at the 2015 African Games
2019 Africa Cup of Nations players
Premier League players