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 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
Antwerp
|2001–02 |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 |13 | 0 | |||||||||
rowspan="3"|Alania Vladikavkaz
|2005 |7 | 0 | |||||||||
2006 | |0 | 0 | ||||||||
colspan="2"|Total
!7 | 0 | |||||||||
Herfølge
|2006–07 |11 | 0 | |||||||||
colspan="3"|Career total
!47 | 1 |
=International=
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
rowspan="2"|Nigeria
|2001 | 4 | 0 | |
2002 | 7 | 0 | |
colspan="2"|Total | 11 | 0 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Nigeria squad 2002 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Nigeria squad 2002 FIFA World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christopher, Justice}}
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:Katsina United 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