{{Short description|Nigerian footballer (born 1992)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Use Nigerian English|date=June 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Esther Sunday | image = EstherSunday (2).JPG | image_size = | caption = Esther Sunday playing for Trabzon İdmanocağı in the 2016–17 Turkish Women's First Football League | fullname = Ukpong Esther Sunday<ref name="FIFA 2015">{{cite news |url=http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWWC/2015/pdf/FWWC_2015_SquadLists.pdf |title= List of Players – 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup |work=FIFA |access-date=20 June 2015}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age |df=yes|1992|3|13}}<ref name="FIFA 2015" /> | birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria | height = {{height|cm=158}}<ref name="FIFA 2015" /> | position = Left wing | currentclub = Selangor | clubnumber = 29 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = {{0|0000}} | clubs1 = Sunshine Queens | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = {{0|0000}}–2014 | clubs2 = Pelican Stars | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 2014–2015 | clubs3 = FC Minsk | caps3 = 24<ref name="sw1"/> | goals3 = 27 | years4 = 2016 | clubs4 = Trabzon İdmanocağı | caps4 = 6 | goals4 = 8 | years5 = 2016–2018 | clubs5 = Konak Belediyespor | caps5 = 27 | goals5 = 20 | years6 = 2018 | clubs6 = Ataşehir Belediyespor | caps6 = 7 | goals6 = 4 | years7 = 2019–2020 | clubs7 = Konak Belediyespor | caps7 = 15 | goals7 = 4 | years8 = 2020–2021 | clubs8 = ALG Spor | caps8 = | goals8 = | years9 = 2021–2022 | clubs9 = Dijon | caps9 = 10 | goals9 = 0 | years10 = 2022–2023 | clubs10 = OKS Stomil Olsztyn | caps10 = | goals10 = | years11 = 2023–2024 | clubs11 = Rekord Bielsko-Biała | caps11 = 14 | goals11 = 9 | years12 = 2024–2025 | clubs12 = Sportowa Czwórka Radom | caps12 = | goals12 = | years13 = 2025– | clubs13 = Selangor | caps13 = | goals13 = | nationalyears1 = 2010– | nationalteam1 = Nigeria | nationalcaps1 = 24<ref name="fifa1"/> | nationalgoals1 = 5 | club-update = | nationalteam-update = }}
'''Ukpong Esther Sunday''' (born 13 March 1992) is a Nigerian professional women footballer who plays for Malaysia National Women's League club Selangor and the Nigeria national team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DPDPi7ZAWAg/ |title=Two new forces join the Selangor FC Women |publisher=selangorfcwomen |accessdate=25 October 2025}}</ref>
==Playing career== ===Club=== [[File:EstherSunday (19).jpg|thumb|Esther Sunday (red) playing for Konak Belediyespor against Beşiktaş J.K. in the 2017–18 season's away match]] Esther Sunday previously played for the Sunshine Queens and Pelican Stars, both in the Nigerian Women's Championship, before joining FC Minsk of the Belarusian Premier League.<ref name="s110"/><ref name="br"/> She was among three Nigerian internationals when the club won the Premier League, the Belarusian Women's Cup and the Belarusian Women's Super Cup.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4110/nigerians-abroad/2015/04/18/10879022/nigerian-trio-help-fk-minsk-win-belarus-women-super-cup |title= Nigerian trio help FK Minsk win Belarus Women Super Cup |publisher=Goal.com |access-date=29 June 2015}}</ref>
In January 2016, she moved to Turkey joining Trabzon İdmanocağı. She appeared in the Turkish Cosmetics 2016 Tournament.<ref name="ksn"/> In the beginning of the 2016–17 Women's First League's second half, she transferred to the İzmir-based club Konak Belediyespor.<ref name="tff0"/> She debuted at the UEFA Women's Champions League and took part in three matches of the 2017–18 qualifying round.<ref name="uefa1"/><ref name="uefa2"/><ref name="uefa3"/> In July 2018, Sunday signed a one-year contract with Istanbul-based club Ataşehir Belediyespor, with participation at the 2018–19 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying round.<ref name="sn1"/> She played in all three matches and scored one goal.<ref name="uefa4"/><ref name="uefa5"/><ref name="uefa6"/> In the 2019–20 First League season, she returned to her former club Konak Belediyespor.<ref name="tff0"/> By October 2020, she transferred to the Gazianyep-based club ALG Spor.<ref name="tff0"/>
===International=== Sunday has represented Nigeria women's national football team at junior levels, being in the squad of the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.<ref name="sn1"/> At senior level she was part of the African Women's Championship tournaments in 2010, 2012 and 2014, winning it twice. She was also a member of the team which took part in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, but did not progress past the group stage.<ref name="sn1"/><ref name="fifa2"/><ref name="g"/>
==Career statistics== {{updated|8 March 2020}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|National !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=2 |Trabzon İdmanocağı |2015–16 ||First League |6 ||8 || – || – || || ||6 ||8 |- !colspan=2 |Total !6 !!8 !! – !! – !! !! !!6 !!8 |- |rowspan=3 |Konak Belediyespor |2016–17 ||First League |16 ||13 || – || – || || ||16 ||13 |- |2017–18 ||First League |11 ||7 ||3 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||14 ||7 |- !colspan=2 |Total !27 !!20 !!3 !!0 !!0 !!0 !!30 !!20 |- |rowspan=2 |Ataşehir Belediyespor |2018–19 ||First League |7 ||4 ||3 ||1 || || ||10 ||5 |- !colspan=2 |Total !7 !!4 !!3 !!1 !!0 !!0 !!10 !!5 |- |rowspan=2 |Konak Belediyespor |2019–20 ||First League |15 ||4 || – || – || || ||15 ||4 |- !colspan=2 |Total !15 !!4 !! – !! – !!0 !!0 !!15 !!4 |}
==Honours== ===Club=== ; Belarusian Premier League :; FC Minsk :: ''Winners'' (1): 2014
; Belarusian Women's Cup :; FC Minsk :: ''Winners'' (1): 2014
; Belarusian Women's Super Cup :; FC Minsk :: ''Winners'' (1): 2015
; Turkish Women's First League :; Konak Belediyespor :: ''Winners'' (1): 2016–17
===International=== ; African Women's Championship :; Nigeria women's national football team :: ''Winners'' (3): 2010, 2014, 2016
==References== {{reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="tff0">{{cite web |url=http://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?pageId=30&kisiId=1877677 |publisher=Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu |title=Ukpong Esther Sunday |language=tr |access-date=2017-08-29}}</ref> <ref name="sw1">{{cite web | url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/uchechi-sunday/135307/ | title=Sunday profile on Soccerway.com | publisher=Soccerway.com Website | work=Official Website of Soccerway.com | access-date=11 October 2014}}</ref> <ref name="fifa1">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/players/player=302104/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610010720/http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/players/player=302104/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 June 2015 |title= Profile |publisher= FIFA.com |access-date=20 June 2015}}</ref> <ref name="uefa1">{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/match/2022867--konak-vs-martve/lineups/ |publisher=UEFA |title=Mikheil Meskhi-2 – Tbilisi 22/08/2017 Qualifying – Group 1 Konak-Martve |access-date=2017-08-22}}</ref> <ref name="uefa2">{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/match/2022885--partizan-bardejov-vs-konak/ |publisher=UEFA |title=David Petriashvili Stadium – Tbilisi 25/08/2017 Qualifying – Group 1 Partizan Bardejov 1–5 Konak |access-date=2017-08-25}}</ref> <ref name="uefa3">{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/match/2022902--konak-vs-gintra/ |publisher=UEFA |title=David Petriashvili Stadium – Tbilisi 25/08/2017 Qualifying – Group 1 Konak 1–3 Gintra |access-date=2017-08-28}}</ref> <ref name="uefa4">{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/match/2024749--slavia-praha-vs-atasehir/ |publisher=UEFA |title=III. Kerületi TVE – Budapest 07/08/2018 Qualifying – Group 4 Slavia Praha 7–2 Ataşehir |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref> <ref name="uefa5">{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/match/2024768--atasehir-vs-mtk/ |publisher=UEFA |title=Hidegkúti Nándor – Budapest 10/08/2018 Qualifying – Group 4 Ataşehir (TUR) 2–2 MTK Hungária (HUN) |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref> <ref name="uefa6">{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/match/2024786--mitrovica-vs-atasehir/ |publisher=UEFA |title=III. Kerületi TVE – Budapest 13/08/2018 Qualifying – Group 4 – KFF Mitrovica (KOS) 1–6 Ataşehir (TUR) |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref> <ref name="fifa2">{{cite web | url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=324248/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711005718/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=324248/index.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 July 2010 | title=Esther Sunday profile with FIFA | publisher=FIFA.com website | work=Official FIFA website | access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref> <ref name="s110">{{cite web | url=http://www.sl10.ng/news/articles/categories/nigeria-players-abroad/minsk-have-signed-nigeria-winger-esther-sunday/172162 | title=Minsk Sign Esther Sunday | publisher=Si10.ng Website | access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref> <ref name="br">{{cite web|url=http://fcnaija.com/esther-sunday-joins-minsk-fc |title=Esther Sunday joins Minsk FC |publisher=Naija FC Website |work=FCNaija.com |access-date=9 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814024412/http://fcnaija.com/esther-sunday-joins-minsk-fc |archive-date=14 August 2014}}</ref> <ref name="g">{{cite web | url=http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4093/nigeria/2014/09/29/5142661/minsk-release-esther-sunday-onome-ebi-for-awc | title=Minsk release Esther Sunday & Onome Ebi for AWC | publisher=Goal.com Website | work=Official Goal.com | access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref> <ref name="ksn">{{cite news |url=http://www.karadenizdesonnokta.com.tr/haber-detay/22436/idmanocagi-sampiyon |newspaper=Karadeniz'de Son Nokta |title=İdmanocağı şampiyon! |date=22 January 2016 |language=tr |access-date=9 February 2016 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408011927/https://www.karadenizdesonnokta.com.tr/haber-detay/22436/idmanocagi-sampiyon |url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name="sn1">{{cite news |url=http://www.savidnews.com/esther-sunday-joins-turkish-women-champions-atasehir-belediyespor/ |newspaper=Savid News |title=Falcons star Esther Sunday joins Turkish women champions Ataşehir Belediyespor |date=4 July 2018 |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref> }}
==External links== * {{FIFA player|302104}} * {{UEFA player|250073666}} * {{Soccerway|uchechi-sunday/135307}}
{{Navboxes | title = Nigeria squads | bg = #008751 | fg = white | list1 = {{Nigeria squad 2010 African Women's Championship}} {{Nigeria squad 2012 African Women's Championship}} {{Nigeria squad 2014 African Women's Championship}} {{Nigeria squad 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup}} {{Nigeria squad 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations}} }}
{{commons category|Esther Sunday}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sunday, Esther}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Lagos Category:Nigerian women's footballers Category:21st-century Nigerian sportswomen Category:Women's association football wingers Category:Nigeria women's international footballers Category:2015 FIFA Women's World Cup players Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Belarus Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Belarus Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Turkey Category:FC Minsk (women) players Category:Trabzon İdmanocağı women's players Category:Konak Belediyespor players Category:Ataşehir Belediyespor players Category:Pelican Stars F.C. players Category:Sunshine Queens F.C. players Category:ALG Spor players Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Malaysia Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia Category:Selangor F.C. Women players Category:2016 Women's Africa Cup of Nations players Category:2014 African Women's Championship players Category:2012 African Women's Championship players Category:2010 African Women's Championship players Category:Nigeria women's under-20 international footballers