Ejike Uzoenyi

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Ejike Uzoenyi

|image = Entrainement SRFC St-Malo 2013 (71bis).jpg

|image_size = 200px

|caption = Uzoenyi with Rennes in 2013

|fullname = Christantus Ejike Uzoenyi

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|3|23|df=y}}

|birth_place = Aba, Nigeria

|height =

|position = Left winger

|currentclub =

|clubnumber =

|years1 = 2005–2008

|clubs1 = Enyimba

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 = 2008–2014

|clubs2 = Enugu Rangers

|caps2 =

|goals2 =

|years3 = 2013

|clubs3 = → Rennes (loan)

|caps3 = 1

|goals3 = 0

|years4 = 2013

|clubs4 = → Rennes II (loan)

|caps4 = 3

|goals4 = 0

|years5 = 2014–2017

|clubs5 = Mamelodi Sundowns

|caps5 = 6

|goals5 = 0

|years6 = 2014

|clubs6 = → Enugu Rangers (loan)

|caps6 =

|goals6 =

|years7 = 2017

|clubs7 = Bidvest Wits

|caps7 = 2

|goals7 = 1

|years8 = 2017

|clubs8 = Ajax Cape Town

|caps8 = 4

|goals8 = 0

|years9 = 2020

|clubs9 = Zvijezda 09

|caps9 = 11

|goals9 = 0

|years10 = 2020–2021

|clubs10 = Sunshine Stars

|caps10 =

|goals10 =

|years11 = 2021–2023

|clubs11 = Enugu Rangers

|caps11 = 19

|goals11 = 0

|nationalyears1 = 2012–2014

|nationalteam1 = Nigeria

|nationalcaps1 = 21

|nationalgoals1 = 3

|club-update = 19:56, 17 December 2023 (UTC)

|ntupdate = 18:54, 28 July 2021 (UTC)

|medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{fb|NGA}}}}

}}

Christantus Ejike Uzoenyi {{post-nominals|country=NGA|MON}} (born 23 March 1988) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a left winger.

Club career

Uzoenyi has played club football in Nigeria and France for Enyimba, Rangers International and Rennes.{{NFT player|pid=46798|accessdate=12 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.staderennais.com/index.php?rb=22&id=AT7953|title=Entretien avec Pierre Dréossi|date=13 February 2013|access-date=13 February 2013|publisher=staderennais.com}}{{soccerway|christantus-uzoenyi-ejike/242550|accessdate=12 March 2017}}{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} On 20 February 2014, he signed for South African club Mamelodi Sundowns; he will remain with Enugu Rangers on loan before moving to South Africa in June 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26304866|title=Mamelodi Sundowns agree deal for Nigeria's Ejike Uzoenyi|author=Oluwashina Okeleji|date=22 February 2014|access-date=23 February 2014|publisher=BBC Sport}}{{cite web|url=http://sundownsfc.co.za/sundowns-complete-ejike-deal/|title=Sundowns complete Ejike deal|date=20 February 2014|access-date=21 February 2014|publisher=Mamelodi Sundowns F.C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224053603/http://sundownsfc.co.za/sundowns-complete-ejike-deal/|archive-date=24 February 2014|url-status=dead}} On 15 February 2017, Uzoenyi signed with South African club Bidvest Wits. He then joined Ajax Cape Town. Uzoenyi parted ways with Ajax Cape Town in December 2017.[http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/ajax-cape-town-snatch-up-zimbabwean-midfielder-gerald/uh6aew28g4j114hzfz2y4abav Ajax Cape Town snatch up Zimbabwean midfielder Gerald Takwara]‚ goal.com, 15 December 2017

On 28 February 2020, Uzoenyi returned to football and signed a contract with, at the time, Bosnian Premier League club Zvijezda 09.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/sport/nogomet/zvijezda-09-dovela-uzoenyija-nigerijca-koji-je-igrao-na-mundijalu-protiv-zmajeva/200228131|title=Zvijezda 09 dovela Uzoenyija, Nigerijca koji je igrao na Mundijalu protiv Zmajeva|date=28 February 2020|access-date=28 February 2020|language=bs|author=N.K.|publisher=Klix.ba}} He made his official debut for Zvijezda 09 in a 3–0 defeat against Željezničar on 29 February 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.klix.ba/sport/nogomet/zeljeznicar-uvjerljivo-savladao-zvijezdu-09-i-bodovno-se-izjednacio-sa-sarajevom/200229073|title=Željezničar uvjerljivo savladao Zvijezdu 09 i bodovno se izjednačio sa Sarajevom|date=29 February 2020|access-date=29 February 2020|language=bs|author=N.K.|publisher=Klix.ba}}

In July 2020, Uzoenyi left Zvijedza 09 and shortly after, joined Montenegrin First League club Titograd.{{cite web|url=https://sportsport.ba/fudbal/nigerijac-koji-je-igrao-protiv-bih-na-sp-u-napustio-zvijezdu-ali-odmah-pronasao-novi-klub/369530|title=Nigerijac koji je igrao protiv BiH na SP-u napustio Zvijezdu, ali odmah pronašao novi klub|date=24 July 2020|access-date=24 July 2020|language=bs|author=E. Škorić|publisher=sportsport.ba}} However, the deal was never officially confirmed and he played the rest of 2020 at Zvijezda 09.[https://sportdc.net/n/122870/kozara-ugasila-zvijezdu-09 KOZARA UGASILA ZVIJEZDU 09], sportdc.net, 9 August 2020

In the summer 2020, Uzoenyi returned to Nigeria and joined Sunshine Stars.[https://www.busybuddiesng.com/npfl-finally-sunshine-stars-win-mohammed-rescues-enyimba-pillars-lose-in-ph/ NPFL: Finally…Sunshine Stars Win, Mohammed Rescues Enyimba, Pillars Lose In PH], busybuddiesng.com, 9 June 2021 He then played for Enugu Rangers.

International career

Uzoenyi made his international debut for Nigeria in 2012, and has appeared in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.{{FIFA player|356713}} He was called up to Nigeria's 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20970786|title=Nations Cup 2013: Nigeria pick six locally-based players|author=Oluwashina Okeleji|date=10 January 2013|access-date=10 January 2013|publisher=BBC Sport}} He was named to Nigeria's squad for the 2014 African Nations Championship{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25568201|title=Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi names weakened CHAN Squad|author=Oluwashina Okeleji|date=1 January 2014|access-date=2 January 2014|publisher=BBC Sport}} and was selected the most valuable player of the tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/5720/2014-african-nations-championship/2014/02/01/4588570/ejike-uzoenyi-named-chans-best-player|title=Ejike Uzoenyi named CHAN's best player|author=Shina Oludare|date=1 February 2014|access-date=21 February 2014|publisher=Goal.com}}

Uzoenyi was also named in the provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27302995|title=World Cup 2014: Peter Odemwingie in provisional Nigeria squad|date=6 May 2014|access-date=11 May 2014|publisher=BBC Sport}} making the final squad after Uwa Echiejile was excluded by injury.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27751942|title=World Cup 2014: Nigeria's Elderson Echiejile out with injury|date=7 June 2014|access-date=7 June 2014|publisher=BBC Sport}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27833509|title=World Cup 2014: Nigeria's Uzoenyi revels in second chance|date=13 June 2014|access-date=13 June 2014|author=Oluwashina Okeleji|publisher=BBC Sport}}

Honours

Enyimba

Nigerian Professional Football League: 2005, 2007
Federation Cup: 2005

Mamelodi Sundowns

Bidvest Wits

Premier Soccer League: 2016–17

Nigeria

Africa Cup of Nations: 2013

Orders

60x60px Member of the Order of the Niger{{cite news |last=Okeleji |first=Oluwashina |author-link=Oluwashina Okeleji |date=13 February 2013 |title=Presidential reward for Super Eagles |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/21450619 |department=Sport |work=BBC |location=Lagos |access-date=19 March 2024}}