Justice Christopher

{{Short description|Nigerian footballer (1981–2022)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Justice Christopher

| image =

| fullname = Justice Longs Christopher

| birth_date = {{birth date|1981|12|24|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Jos, Nigeria

| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|3|9|1981|12|24|df=yes}}

| death_place = Jos, Nigeria

| height = 1.81 m

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1996–1998

| youthclubs1 = Amazing International FC

| years1 = 1999

| clubs1 = Katsina United

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2000

| clubs2 = Sharks

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 2001

| clubs3 = Bendel Insurance

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 2001–2002

| clubs4 = Antwerp

| caps4 = 14

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2002–2004

| clubs5 = Levski Sofia

| caps5 = 2

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2004

| clubs6 = Trelleborg

| caps6 = 13

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2005–2006

| clubs7 = Alania Vladikavkaz

| caps7 = 7

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2006–2007

| clubs8 = Herfølge Boldklub

| years9 = 2012

| clubs9 = Nasarawa United

| caps8 = 11

| goals8 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2001–2002

| nationalteam1 = Nigeria

| nationalcaps1 = 11

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Justice Longs Christopher (24 December 1981 – 9 March 2022) was a Nigerian professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Club career

Christopher played for several clubs, including Katsina United, Sharks, Bendel Insurance, Antwerp (Belgium), Levski Sofia (Bulgaria), Trelleborg (Sweden), Alania Vladikavkaz in Russia and Herfølge Boldklub in Denmark.

After the end of the season 2006–07 season he announced his retirement from football.{{cite web|url=http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/121120/Nasarawa_sign_exWorld_Cup_star |title=Nasarawa sign ex-World Cup star – SuperSport – Football |publisher=SuperSport |date=8 June 2013}}

On 21 October 2012, Christopher announced his comeback and signed for Nasarawa United.{{cite web |url=http://www.mtnfootball.com/africa/nigeria/premier-league/news/2012/november/21-world-cup-star-justice-christopher-to-prove-himself-in-npl.html |title=World Cup star Christopher to prove himself in NPL |publisher=Mtnfootball.com |access-date=21 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230212932/http://www.mtnfootball.com/africa/nigeria/premier-league/news/2012/november/21-world-cup-star-justice-christopher-to-prove-himself-in-npl.html |archive-date=30 December 2012 |url-status=dead }}

International career

Christopher made a total of 11 appearances for the Nigeria national team and was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, playing in all three games before the team's group stage elimination.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/team_pages/nigeria/squad/newsid_1948000/1948211.stm |title=Justice Christopher |publisher=BBC News |date=20 May 2002}}

Personal life

Christopher died on 9 March 2022, at the age of 40, having collapsed at a hotel he owned in Jos, Nigeria.{{cite news |last1=Okeleji |first1=Oluwashina |title=Justice Christopher: Nigeria World Cup player dies aged 40 |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/60675463 |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=BBC Sport |date=9 March 2022}}

Career statistics

=Club=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{cite web |url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/4851.html |title=Justice Christopher |website=National-Football-Teams.com |access-date=}}

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|National cup

!colspan="2"|League cup

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Antwerp

|2001–02

|First Division

|14

1
rowspan="3"|Levski Sofia

|2002–03

|rowspan="2"|A PFG

|2

0
2003–04

|0

0
colspan="2"|Total

!2

0
Trelleborg

|2004

|Allsvenskan

|13

0
rowspan="3"|Alania Vladikavkaz

|2005

|Premier League

|7

0
2006|00
colspan="2"|Total

!7

0
Herfølge

|2006–07

|First Division

|11

0
colspan="3"|Career total

!47

1

=International=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National teamYearAppsGoals
rowspan="2"|Nigeria

|2001

40
200270
colspan="2"|Total110

References

{{reflist}}

{{Nigeria squad 2002 African Cup of Nations}}

{{Nigeria squad 2002 FIFA World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christopher, Justice}}

Category:1981 births

Category:2022 deaths

Category:Footballers from Jos

Category:Nigerian men's footballers

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Nigeria men's international footballers

Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players

Category:2002 African Cup of Nations players

Category:Belgian Pro League players

Category:Danish Superliga players

Category:First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players

Category:Russian Premier League players

Category:Allsvenskan players

Category:Katsina United F.C. players

Category:Sharks F.C. players

Category:Bendel Insurance F.C. players

Category:Royal Antwerp F.C. players

Category:PFC Levski Sofia players

Category:Trelleborgs FF players

Category:FC Spartak Vladikavkaz players

Category:Herfølge Boldklub players

Category:Nasarawa United F.C. players

Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers

Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium

Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Bulgaria

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bulgaria

Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Sweden

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden

Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Russia

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Russia

Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Denmark

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark

Category:21st-century Nigerian sportsmen