Mobi Oparaku

{{Short description|Nigerian footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mobi Oparaku

| fullname = Mobi Patrick Oparaku

| image = Mobi Oparaku of Enyimba (2).jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|12|1}}

| birth_place = Owerri, Nigeria

| height = 1.78 m

| currentclub =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1993–1995

| clubs1 = Iwuanyanwo Nationale

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1995

| clubs2 = Anderlecht

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 1995–1997

| clubs3 = Turnhout

| caps3 = 30

| goals3 = 2

| years4 = 1997–1999

| clubs4 = Capellen

| caps4 = 25

| goals4 = 5

| years5 = 2000

| clubs5 = El Paso Patriots

| caps5 = 13

| goals5 = 3

| years6 = 2001

| clubs6 = Connecticut Wolves

| caps6 = 23

| goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2001–2005

| clubs7 = Rivoli United

| caps7 = 4

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2005–2008

| clubs8 = Gateway F.C.

| years9 = 2008–2010

| clubs9 = Enyimba International

| nationalyears1 = 1993

| nationalteam1 = Nigeria U-17

| nationalcaps1 = 6

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1996

| nationalteam2 = Nigeria U-23

| nationalcaps2 = 6

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1996–2003

| nationalteam3 = Nigeria

| nationalcaps3 = 8

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| medaltemplates = {{MedalTop}}

{{MedalCountry|{{NGA}}}}

{{MedalSport | Men's Football}}

{{MedalGold | 1996 Atlanta | Team Competition}}

{{MedalBottom}}

| image_size = 200px

}}

Mobi Patrick Oparaku {{IPAc-en||audio=Ig-Mobi Patrick Oparaku.ogg}} (born 1 December 1976) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

Oparaku was born in Owerri, Imo State. He played for several clubs in Belgium. In 2000, Oparaku spent one season with the El Paso Patriots in the USL A-League.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121103180128/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/aleague/stats/2000/stats.elpstax.html 2000 El Paso Patriots] In 2001, he played for the Connecticut Wolves.{{NFT player|id=14758|accessdate=}} In December 2005 he returned to Nigeria with teammate Rashidi Yekini to Gateway F.C.[http://odili.net/news/source/2005/dec/15/70.html Yekini, Oparaku head for United States] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051218050745/http://odili.net/news/source/2005/dec/15/70.html |date=18 December 2005 }}

International career

Oparaku played six matches at 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship.{{Cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200306110197.html|title=Nigeria Vs Brazil: When They Last Met...|last=Eze|first=Okechukwu|date=11 June 2003|work=Daily Trust (Abuja)|access-date=14 May 2018}}

For the Nigeria senior national team, he was a participant at the 1996 Olympic Games,{{FIFA player|156921|Mobi Oparaku}} where Nigeria won the gold medal and at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

References

{{reflist}}