Godfrey Itama Oboabona (born 16 August 1990) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Georgian club FC Dinamo Batumi as a centre-back.[3]
Obabona with Çaykur Rizespor in 2013 | ||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Godfrey Itama Oboabona[1] | |||||||||||||||
Date of birth | (1990-08-16) 16 August 1990 (age 32) | |||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Ondo, Nigeria | |||||||||||||||
Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | |||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||
Club information | ||||||||||||||||
Current team | FC Dinamo Batumi | |||||||||||||||
Number | 27 | |||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
2006–2010 | Rising Stars | |||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
2010–2013 | Sunshine Stars | |||||||||||||||
2013–2017 | Çaykur Rizespor | 96 | (5) | |||||||||||||
2017–2018 | Al-Ahli | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||||
2018–2019 | Gorica | 14 | (0) | |||||||||||||
2020– | FC Dinamo Batumi | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||
2012–2016 | Nigeria | 39 | (1) | |||||||||||||
Honours
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:18, 14 March 2020 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:00, 13 November 2015 (UTC) |
Oboabona was born in Ondo City, and began his professional career with local club Sunshine Stars[2] In August 2013, the BBC claimed there was speculation linking him with a move to English side Arsenal, a claim denied by both Oboabona and Sunshine Stars chairman Mike Odoko.[4]
Later that month, he signed a four-year contract with Turkish club Çaykur Rizespor.[5] He described the transfer as a "dream move."[6] In September 2018, Oboabona joined HNK Gorica in the Croatian First Football League.[7][8]
In February 2020 he signed for Georgian club FC Dinamo Batumi.[9]
Oboabona made his international debut for Nigeria in 2012,[2] and has appeared in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.[1] He was called up to Nigeria's 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.[10]
He was selected for Nigeria's squad at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup,[11] and was named in the provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[12] Oboabona was selected by Nigeria for their 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[13]
Nigeria squads | |||||||||||||
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