Ikechukwu Uche facts for kids
Uche as a Getafe player
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 5 January 1984 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Aba, Nigeria | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| Amanze United | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Iwuanyanwo Nationale | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Racing Ferrol | 28 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | Recreativo | 133 | (50) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Getafe | 55 | (11) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Zaragoza | 18 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2015 | Villarreal | 85 | (33) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | → Granada (loan) | 34 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | UANL | 1 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2016 | → Málaga (loan) | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Gimnàstic | 75 | (21) | |||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2014 | Nigeria | 46 | (19) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 June 2019 | ||||||||||||||||
Ikechukwu Uche is a famous Nigerian former professional footballer. He was born on January 5, 1984. Ikechukwu played as a striker, which means he was usually the player who scored goals for his team.
He was well-known for his amazing acrobatic goal celebrations! Ikechukwu spent most of his football career playing in Spain. He arrived there before he was 20 years old. Over nine seasons, he played 194 matches and scored 42 goals in La Liga, which is Spain's top football league. He played for several teams like Recreativo, Getafe, Zaragoza, Villarreal, Granada, and Málaga.
Ikechukwu also played for the Nigerian national team in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Ikechukwu Uche was born in Aba, Abia, Nigeria. He started his football journey in his home country with teams called Amanze United and Iwuanyanwu Nationale. When he was just 18, he moved to Spain to play for Racing de Ferrol in the country's second division. In his second season there, he played in 24 games.
Success with Recreativo
After Racing Ferrol, Uche joined another Spanish second-division club, Recreativo de Huelva. He quickly became a star, scoring 12 goals in his first year. In the 2005–06 season, he was the top scorer in the league with 20 goals in just 28 games! His amazing performance helped Recreativo win the league championship and return to La Liga, the top division, after three years.
In his first season in La Liga (2006–07), Uche scored eight goals. He even scored in three games in a row in November 2006, helping his team finish in a good position.
Playing for Getafe
In 2007–08, Uche moved to Getafe CF, a team near Madrid. He often came into games as a substitute. In November 2008, he scored a goal from the bench in a 3–1 home win against the famous team Real Madrid.
Time at Real Zaragoza
In July 2009, Uche joined Real Zaragoza, a team that had just returned to the top league. He signed a four-year contract. However, in only his second match, he got a serious knee injury that kept him out of the game for seven months.
He worked hard to recover for the 2010–11 season, but then suffered another knee injury, which meant another six months away from playing. He finally returned on February 19, 2011, playing for 20 minutes. On March 2, 2011, Uche started a game for the first time that season against Athletic Bilbao. He scored the winning goal, his first since May 2009, and was so emotional that he cried during the celebration.
Villarreal Journey
On the last day of the 2011 summer transfer period, Uche signed with Villarreal CF. He was immediately loaned out to Granada CF. On September 17, he scored the only goal in a game against Villarreal, the team that owned his rights!
Later, Uche returned to Villarreal. He was the top scorer for his team in the 2013 season, helping them get back into the top division. He scored two goals in several games, showing his great skill. On January 6, 2014, back in the top league, he scored his first ever hat-trick (three goals in one game) to help his team win 5–2 against Rayo Vallecano.
Later Career Years
In June 2015, Uche moved to Mexico to play for Tigres UANL. He scored his only goal for the club in a Concacaf Champions League match in September 2015, but unfortunately, he re-injured himself. In February 2016, he returned to Spain, joining Málaga CF on loan.
On August 10, 2016, Uche signed a one-year deal with Gimnàstic de Tarragona in Spain's second division. He later extended his contract until 2019.
International Career for Nigeria
Ikechukwu Uche first played for the Nigerian national team in 2007. He was part of the "Super Eagles" squad that played in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, where they reached the quarter-finals.
Uche was also chosen for the 23-player squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He played in four games and helped Nigeria win the championship!
Personal Life and Family
Ikechukwu Uche's older brother, Kalu Uche, was also a professional footballer and a forward, just like him. Kalu also spent most of his career playing in Spain.
Ikechukwu's name, "Ikechukwu," means "God's Power" in the Igbo language. He even made a small appearance in a music video for the song Touchin Body by J. Martins and DJ Arafat.
Honours and Awards
Ikechukwu Uche achieved several important wins and awards during his career:
- Recreativo
- Segunda División: 2005–06 (Champions of the second division)
- Nigeria
- Africa Cup of Nations: 2013 (African Champions)
- Individual
- Pichichi Trophy (Segunda División): 2005–06 (Top scorer in the second division)
- Orders
- Member of the Order of the Niger (An important award in Nigeria)
See also
In Spanish: Ikechukwu Uche para niños
