Maduka Okoye
{{short description|Nigerian footballer}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Maduka Okoye
| image =
| fullname = Maduka Emilio Okoye
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|8|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Düsseldorf, Germany
| height = 1.98 m
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub = Udinese
| clubnumber = 40
| youthyears1 = 2006–2007
| youthclubs1 = DJK SC Flingern 08
| youthyears2 = 2007–2008
| youthclubs2 = Fortuna Düsseldorf
| youthyears3 = 2008–2009
| youthclubs3 = Borussia Mönchengladbach
| youthyears4 = 2009–2017
| youthclubs4 = Bayer Leverkusen
| youthyears5 = 2017–2018
| youthclubs5 = Fortuna Düsseldorf
| years1 = 2017–2020
| clubs1 = Fortuna Düsseldorf II
| caps1 = 34
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2020
| clubs2 = Jong Sparta Rotterdam
| caps2 = 2
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2020–2022
| clubs3 = Sparta Rotterdam
| caps3 = 45
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2022–2023
| clubs4 = Watford
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| clubs5 = → Sparta Rotterdam (loan)
| years5 = 2022
| caps5 = 14
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2023–
| clubs6 = Udinese
| caps6 = 46
| goals6 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2019–
| nationalteam1 = Nigeria
| nationalcaps1 = 16
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalteam-update = 9 February 2022
| club-update = 30 May 2025
}}
Maduka Emilio Okoye (born 28 August 1999){{Cite web |last=Ambrose |date=2022-05-19 |title=Maduka Okoye Biography, Age, State, Family, Girlfriend And Net Worth |url=https://basenaija.com/maduka-okoye-biography-age-state-family-girlfriend-and-net-worth/ |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=BaseNaija |language=en-US}} is a professional footballer, who plays as a goalkeeper for the Serie A club, Udinese. Although born in Germany, he plays for the Nigeria national team.
Early life
Okoye was born in Düsseldorf, to an Igbo Nigerian father and a German mother.
Club career
=Fortuna Düsseldorf II=
In the summer of 2017, he left the youth team of Bayer Leverkusen, where he had played since 2009 to join the youth team of Fortuna Düsseldorf.
On 14 October 2017, he made his professional debut in the Regionalliga West for Fortuna Düsseldorf II in a game against Wuppertaler SV, replacing the injured Max Schijns on the 43rd minute of the game.{{cite web|url=https://www.fupa.net/berichte/wuppertaler-sv-wsv-nun-auf-platz-drei-999581.html|title=WSV now in third place|date=15 October 2017|accessdate=23 August 2019|website=FuPa}} He finished the 2017/2018 season with 5 appearances, conceding just 1 goal and keeping 4 clean sheets, while his club finished the season in the 15th position with 36 points after 34 games, narrowly escaping relegation to Oberliga.
In the 2018/2019 season, he became the clubs regular goalkeeper. On 13 April 2019, he played his last match of the season, against SV Rödinghausen, after being replaced in goal for the next matches by goalkeeper Jannick Theissen. He finished the season with 15 appearances, conceding 25 goals and keeping 3 clean sheets. This time, his club did better than the previous season, finishing the season in the 12th position with 42 points after 34 games.
On 24 August 2019, he played his first match of the 2019/2020 season in a 2–1 home win against Schalke 04 II.{{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/report/regionalliga-west-2019-2020-fortuna-duesseldorf-ii-fc-schalke-04-ii|title=Fortuna Düsseldorf II - FC Schalke 04 II 2:1 (Regionalliga West 2019/2020, 5. Round)|date=24 August 2019|accessdate=25 August 2019|website=World Football}}
=Sparta Rotterdam=
In July 2020, Okoye signed for Eredivise side Sparta Rotterdam on a free transfer.{{cite web|url=https://www.sparta-rotterdam.nl/sparta-contracteert-doelman-okoye/|title=SPARTA SIGNS GOALKEEPER OKOYE|date=13 July 2020|accessdate=10 November 2021|website=sparta-rotterdam.nl/}} He was named Sparta's Player of the Season, keeping 10 clean sheets in 28 league games during the 2020/21 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.sparta-rotterdam.nl/maduka-okoye-verkozen-tot-speler-seizoen-20-21/|title=MADUKA OKOYE NAMED PLAYER OF THE SEASON 20/21|date=30 June 2021|accessdate=10 November 2021|website=sparta-rotterdam.nl/}} On 4 August 2021, Okoye signed a contract extension until 2025.
=Watford=
On 8 November 2021, it was announced that Okoye had agreed to join Premier League outfit Watford on a five-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee.{{cite web|url=https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-watford-reach-okoye-agreement|title=Official: Watford Reach Okoye Agreement|date=8 November 2021|accessdate=10 November 2021|website=watfordfc.com/}} Okoye joined Watford on 1 January 2022. The deal saw Okoye loaned back to Sparta Rotterdam until the end of the 2021–22 campaign. Okoye made his Watford debut on 23 August 2022 in a 2–0 home defeat to MK Dons in the second round of the EFL Cup.
=Udinese=
On 24 August 2023, Okoye signed for Serie A club Udinese for an undisclosed fee.{{Cite web |title=Official: Okoye Departs |url=https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-okoye-departs |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=www.watfordfc.com |language=en}}
International career
On 30 November 2017, the coach of the
Nigerian National Team, Gernot Rohr talked about his plans to invite Maduka to the Nigerian National Team before the 2018 World Cup, but the plan wasn't a success.{{cite web|url=https://www.brila.net/russia-2018-rohr-invite-german-born-goalkeeper-maduka-okoye|title=Super Eagles boss Rohr to invite German-born goalkeeper Maduka Okoye|date=30 November 2017|accessdate=23 August 2019|website=Brila FM News}}
On 20 February 2019, during an interview conducted by German based Nigerian sports journalist, Oma Akatugba, Maduka hinted that he's open to invitation by the Nigerian National Team, and ever willing to wear the green and white.{{cite web|url=https://thepoise.ng/german-born-goalkeeper-maduka-okoye-says-he-wants-to-play-for-nigeria|title=German-born goalkeeper Maduka Okoye says he wants to play for Nigeria|date=21 February 2019|accessdate=23 August 2019|website=The Poise News}}
On 22 February 2019, he was invited to the Nigerian U23 Team for the 2019 African U-23 Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya U-23 by Imama Amapakabo, the coach of the Nigeria U23 Team, but failed to make a debut, due to club engagement.{{cite web|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/nigeria-u-23-amapakabo-opens-contact-with-fortuna-dusseldorf-goalkeeper|title=Nigeria U-23: Amapakabo opens contact with Fortuna Dusseldorf goalkeeper|date=22 February 2019|accessdate=23 August 2019|website=The Vanguard News}}
On 9 May 2019, Maduka was again invited to the Nigerian U23 Team for the 2019 African U-23 Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan U-23.{{cite web|url=http://aoifootball.com/2019/05/09/afcon-u-23-finally-maduka-okoye-gets-dream-team-call-up|title=AFCON U-23: Finally, Maduka Okoye gets Dream Team call-up|date=9 May 2019|accessdate=23 August 2019|website=AOI Football News}} The football match was originally scheduled to take place between 3 and 11 June 2019, but was moved to September 2–10 2019 by CAF, the postponement was motivated by the closeness of the qualifying games to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations which held from 21 June to 19 July 2019, in Egypt.{{cite web|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/05/caf-shifts-sudan-nigeria-u23-fixtures|title=CAF shifts Sudan-Nigeria U23 fixtures|date=15 May 2019|accessdate=23 August 2019|website=The Vanguard News}}
On 26 July 2019, the coach of the
Nigerian National Team, Gernot Rohr, hinted that he is shifting his focus to Maduka as he looks to solve the goalkeeping crisis that has rocked his team since Carl Ikeme quit due to illness.{{cite web|url=https://punchng.com/rohr-banks-on-okoye-to-solve-eagles-keeper-crisis|title=Rohr banks on Okoye to solve Eagles' keeper crisis|date=26 July 2019|accessdate=23 August 2019|website=The Punch News}}
On 14 August 2019, Rohr invited Maduka for a friendly against Ukraine, that will be played on 10 September 2019 in Dnipro-Arena.{{cite web|url=https://guardian.ng/sport/rohr-invites-two-new-players-for-ukraine-friendly|title=Rohr invites two new players for Ukraine friendly|date=14 August 2019|accessdate=23 August 2019|website=The Guardian Nigeria News}}
On 13 October 2019, he made his international debut as a substitute in a friendly match against Brazil ending 1–1.{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/uzoho-stretchered-off-in-agony-after-suffering-injury/bhpnzlpvm3591cc4vahfs8w06|title=Uzoho stretchered off in agony after suffering injury against Brazil|date=13 October 2019|accessdate=13 October 2019|website=Goal.com}}
On 25 December 2021, He was shortlisted in 2021 AFCON Nations Cup by Caretaker Coach Eguavoen as part of the 28-Man Nigeria Squad.{{Cite web|last=Football|first=CAF-Confedération Africaine du|title=Eguavoen announces Nigeria final TotalEnergies AFCON squad|url=https://www.cafonline.com/total-africa-cup-of-nations/news/eguavoen-announces-nigeria-final-totalenergies-afcon-squad|access-date=2022-01-11|website=CAFOnline.com|language=en}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 25 May 2025}}{{Soccerway|453514|Maduka Okoye|access-date=12 November 2022}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|League cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals | |||||||||
| rowspan="5"|Fortuna Düsseldorf II
|2017–18 |13 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 13 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18
|rowspan="3"|Regionalliga West |5 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19
|15 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20
|14 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!34 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 34 | 0 | |||
| Jong Sparta
|2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="3"|Sparta Rotterdam
|rowspan="2"|Eredivisie |28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| 2021–22
|30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 31 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!58 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | 61 | 0 | |
| Watford
|0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | |
| rowspan="3"|Udinese
|rowspan="2"|Serie A |21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25
|25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 26 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 48 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!153 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 160 | 0 |
=International=
{{updated|23 January 2022}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"|Nigeria | |||
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 16 | 0 |
Honours
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{WorldFootball.net|maduka-okoye}}
- {{Soccerway|453514}}
{{Udinese Calcio squad}}
{{Nigeria squad 2021 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okoye, Maduka}}
Category:Footballers from Düsseldorf
Category:Nigerian men's footballers
Category:Nigeria men's international footballers
Category:German men's footballers
Category:Nigerian people of German descent
Category:German sportspeople of Nigerian descent
Category:Fortuna Düsseldorf II players
Category:Sparta Rotterdam players
Category:2021 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands
Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Category:Udinese Calcio players