21 Facts About Odion Ighalo

Odion Jude Ighalo was born on 16 June 1989 and is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Saudi Professional League club Al Hilal and the Nigeria national team.

Odion Ighalo made his debut for the Nigeria national team in March 2015 against Uganda.

Odion Ighalo represented the nation at the 2018 World Cup and was the highest goalscorer in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign.

Odion Ighalo eventually led Nigeria to a third place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where he finished in the competition's Team of the Tournament and was crowned top scorer.

Odion Ighalo scored six goals in 13 matches in his second year to help his team to the seventh position, and subsequently arose interest from other clubs in the country, with Brann reporting Lyn to the Norwegian Football Federation for unfairness in the negotiation process.

On 30 July 2008, Odion Ighalo signed for Udinese in Italy, moving alongside teammate Jo Inge Berget and agreeing to a five-year contract.

Odion Ighalo was loaned to Granada in summer 2009, as part of the partnership agreement between Udinese and the Spaniards.

Odion Ighalo scored 17 times in his first year and five in the second, as both seasons ended in promotion; this was interspersed with a brief loan stint back in Italy, with Cesena.

Odion Ighalo continued playing with Granada in the following years, still owned by the Udine club.

Odion Ighalo joined Watford on a season-long loan deal from Udinese, on 29 July 2014.

Odion Ighalo ranked second in the scoring charts in his second season at 21, but his team suffered relegation.

On 31 January 2020, Odion Ighalo returned to the Premier League, joining Manchester United on loan until the end of the season.

Odion Ighalo opted to wear the number 25 shirt, previously worn by United's first and longest-serving African player, Quinton Fortune of South Africa.

On 26 January 2021, Odion Ighalo posted a farewell message on social media, ahead of his imminent departure from United at the end of the month.

On 4 February 2021, Odion Ighalo joined Saudi Professional League club Al Shabab on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Odion Ighalo finished his first season as the league's top scorer with 24 goals.

Odion Ighalo was initially named as one of three overage players in Nigeria's squad for the 2016 Olympic tournament, but he eventually did not make the trip to Brazil.

Odion Ighalo scored seven goals in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, the most by any player, to help Nigeria qualify for the finals in Egypt later that year.

Odion Ighalo was included in Gernot Rohr's squad, taking part in all the matches and finding the net against Burundi in the group phase, Cameroon in the round of 16, Algeria in the semi-finals and Tunisia in the third-place playoff.

Odion Ighalo was recalled to the Nigeria team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations but his club, Al Shabab, blocked him from taking part.

Odion Ighalo is a devout Christian, who often dedicates part of his wages for Nigerian charitable organisations to help impoverished children, schools and widows below the poverty line.