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Chris Obodo

Personal information
Full name	Christian Udubuesi Obodo
Date of birth	(1984-05-11) 11 May 1984 (age 28)
Place of birth	Warri, Nigeria
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Lecce (on loan from Udinese)
Number	8
Youth career
	Plateau United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2004	Perugia	62	(1)
2004–2005	Fiorentina	33	(2)
2005–	Udinese	78	(6)
2010–2011	→ Torino (loan)	16	(1)
2011–	→ Lecce (loan)	20	(0)
National team
2004–	Nigeria	13	(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 10, 2012. † Appearances (Goals).

Christian Obodo (born 11 May 1984 in Warri, Nigeria) is a football defensive midfielder from Nigeria, currently plays for Italian Serie A side U.S. Lecce on loan from Udinese Calcio.

Football career [link]

He was plucked from relative obscurity in the Nigerian league, playing for Plateau United before he became one of the hottest properties in the Italian Serie A where he had a brilliant season at Perugia. He scored his first ever Serie A goal in a 2–2 draw against Inter at the end of the season 2003.

Fiorentina signed him as a key part of their renovation as the team came back to Serie A in 2004. They only bought half the registration rights and in 2005 La Viola and Perugia were forced to make a blind auction to decide his future. Perugia won the auction but immediately sold him to Udinese.^[1]

Obodo played his first UEFA Champions League with Le zebrette in 2005–06 season. Partnered with Sulley Muntari, they formed a strong^{[citation needed]} midfielder role up until Muntari's exit for Portsmouth F.C. in 2007.

International career [link]

He made his long-awaited debut for the Super Eagles in the LG Cup tournament featuring in the games versus Ghana and Cameroon. He also made a substitute appearance in the prestigious Brazil friendly, playing as a striker. He has also appeared in Nigeria's 4–1 win over Malawi in an ANC 2004 qualifier. Obodo scored his first goal in an 5-2 win at Algeria.

Goals for Senior National Team [link]

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
	4 September 2005	Oran, Algeria	Algeria	5–2	Won	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
	27 January 2006	Port Said, Egypt	Zimbabwe	2-0	Won	2006 Africa Cup of Nations
	2 September 2006	Abuja, Nigeria	Niger	2-0	Won	2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
	11 October 2008	Abuja, Nigeria	Sierra Leone	4–1	Won	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Statistics [link]

^[2]

References [link]

v t e Nigeria squad – 2006 Africa Cup of Nations Third Place 1 Enyeama 2 Yobo 3 Taiwo 4 Kanu 5 Odiah 6 Enakarhire 7 Utaka 8 Mikel 9 Martins 10 Okocha 11 Lawal 12 Ejide 13 Yussuf 14 Obinna 15 Obiefule 16 Oruma 17 Aghahowa 18 Obodo 19 Makinwa 20 Odemwingie 21 Nwaneri 22 Kaita 23 Aiyenugba Coach: Eguavoen