{{short description|Cameroonian footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Marius Obekop | image = Obekop RBNYII.JPG | image_size = 200px | caption = Marius Obekop playing for New York Red Bulls II in 2015 | fullname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1994|12|19}} | birth_place = Yaoundé, Cameroon | height = {{height|m=1.78}} | currentclub = Bălți | clubnumber = 28 | position = Midfielder | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Arsenal de Yaounde | years1 = 2010–2012 | clubs1 = Renaissance | caps1 = 18 | goals1 = 5 | years2 = 2013–2015 | clubs2 = New York Red Bulls | caps2 = 8<!--STATS ACCOUNT FOR MLS LEAGUE MATCHES ONLY--> | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2013–2015 | clubs3 = New York Red Bulls Reserves (loan) | caps3 = 16 | goals3 = 6 | years4 = 2015 | clubs4 = → New York Red Bulls II (loan) | caps4 = 20 | goals4 = 6 | years5 = 2016 | clubs5 = Orlando City B | caps5 = 18 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2017 | clubs6 = Zaria Bălți | caps6 = 9 | goals6 = 4 | years7 = 2018 | clubs7 = Zimbru Chișinău | caps7 = 12 | goals7 = 4 | years8 = 2019–2020 | clubs8 = Nantong Zhiyun | caps8 = 18 | goals8 = 4 | years9 = 2021 | clubs9 = Masafi | caps9 = | goals9 = | years10 = 2021–2022 | clubs10 = Al-Diriyah | caps10 = | goals10 = | years11 = 2022–2024 | clubs11 = Masafi | caps11 = | goals11 = | years12 = 2024–2025 | clubs12 = Bălți | caps12 = 17 | goals12 = 4 | years13 = 2025–2026 | clubs13 = Al-Ahli Club | caps13 = | goals13 = | years14 = 2026– | clubs14 = Real Kashmir | caps14 = 1 | goals14 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2010–2011 | nationalteam1 = Cameroon U17 | nationalcaps1 = 30 | nationalgoals1 = 16 | nationalyears2 = 2012 | nationalteam2 = Cameroon U20 | nationalcaps2 = 2 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | club-update = 18 March 2026 | ntupdate = }}
'''Marius Obekop''' (born 19 December 1994) is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Indian Football League club Real Kashmir.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dailysports.net/news/marius-obekop-bounces-back-in-india/|title=Marius Obekop bounces back in India|date=16 March 2026|accessdate=18 March 2026}}</ref><ref name=soccerway/>
==Career==
===Early career=== Obekop spent the majority of his youth career with Arsenal de Yaounde before joining Renaissance FC de Ngoumou in the Elite One, Cameroon's top division.<ref name=NYRBSigning2013>{{cite web|title=Red Bulls Sign Midfielder Marius Obekop and Forward Rafhinha|url=http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2013/03/red-bulls-sign-midfielder-marius-obekop-and-forward-rafhinha|work=New York Red Bulls|accessdate=17 April 2013}}</ref> He made his debut with Renaissance on 19 December 2010 in a match against Caiman Douala scoring on a shot from outside the box.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://westafricanfootball.com/2011/01/14/marius-obekop-bedzigui/|title=Marius Obekop profile |date=14 January 2011 |publisher= westafricanfootall.com |accessdate=14 January 2011}}</ref> Upon joining the club Obekop forced his way into the starting lineup and was a key player in helping Renaissance maintain its top flight status. In the 2012 season Obekop played 18 games for Renaissance in the league while also scoring five goals.<ref name=NYRBSigning2013/>
===New York Red Bulls=== In November 2012 scouts from Major League Soccer in the United States went to observe the top young Cameroonian players as selected by the Cameroonian Football Federation. Obekop impressed the American talent evaluators and earned a trial with New York Red Bulls in January 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mboafootball.com/en-raccourci/transfert-marius-obekop-chez-les-red-bulls-de-new-york/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225094409/http://mboafootball.com/en-raccourci/transfert-marius-obekop-chez-les-red-bulls-de-new-york/|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 February 2013|title=Marius Obekop chez les Red Bulls de New York|date=28 January 2013|publisher=mboafootball.com|accessdate=28 January 2013|language=fr}}</ref> On 18 March 2013 the Red Bulls announced that they had agreed to terms with Obekop.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2013/03/red-bulls-sign-midfielder-marius-obekop-and-forward-rafhinha|title=Red Bulls sign Obekop and Rafhinha |date=18 March 2013 |publisher= newyorkredbulls.com |accessdate=18 March 2013}}</ref> Obekop then made his professional debut with the team on 17 April 2013 against Sporting Kansas City.
===New York Red Bulls II=== Obekop was loaned to affiliate side New York Red Bulls II during the 2015 season and made his debut as a starter for the side in its first ever match on 28 March 2015 in a 0–0 draw with Rochester Rhinos.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2015/03/match-recap-red-bulls-ii-0-rochester-rhinos-0 |title= Red Bulls II 0 Rochester Rhinos 0 |newspaper= newyorkredbulls.com|accessdate=28 March 2015}}</ref> On 4 April 2015 Obekop scored his first goal for New York Red Bulls II, converting from the penalty spot to help the club to a 4–1 victory over Toronto FC II, the first victory in club history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2015/04/match-recap-red-bulls-ii-4-toronto-fc-ii-1 |title= Red Bulls II earn first victory in team history|newspaper= newyorkredbulls.com|accessdate=4 April 2015}}</ref> On 27 June 2015 Obekop scored the opening goal for the club in a 4–1 victory over Saint Louis FC.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/post/2015/06/27/match-recap-saint-louis-fc-1-new-york-red-bulls-ii-4|title= MATCH RECAP: Saint Louis FC 1, New York Red Bulls II 4 |newspaper= newyorkredbulls.com|accessdate=27 June 2015}}</ref> On 2 August 2015 Obekop scored the first goal of the match for New York in a 2–1 victory against Saint Louis FC.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2015/04/match-recap-charleston-battery-1-new-york-red-bulls-ii-1 |title= MATCH RECAP: New York Red Bulls II 2, Saint Louis FC 1|newspaper= newyorkredbulls.com|accessdate=2 August 2015}}</ref> On 29 August 2015 Obekop scored his fifth goal of the season for NYRBII in a 2–0 victory over Wilmington Hammerheads FC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&ATCLID=210300752|title=NYRB II Secures Shutout Win Against Hammerheads|newspaper=uslsoccer.com|accessdate=29 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901012338/http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&ATCLID=210300752|archive-date=1 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Orlando City B=== On 13 January 2016, Obekop signed with United Soccer League's Orlando City B.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2016/01/13/orlando-city-b-deepens-squad-seven-acquisitions|title= Orlando City B Deepens Squad with Seven Acquisitions|newspaper= OrlandoCitySC.com|accessdate=13 January 2016}}</ref> In his one season in Orlando Obekop appeared in 19 matches for the side.
==International career== Obekop has represented Cameroon at the Under-17 and Under-20 levels. In 2010, he made his debut with the U-17s and scored 12 goals in 15 matches. The following year he appeared in 15 U-17 Cup of Nations qualifiers and scored 4 goals. In 2012, he appeared in 2 matches for the U-20s.
==Career statistics== {{updated|31 December 2019}}<ref name=soccerway>{{Soccerway|marius-obekop/289279}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=3|Renaissance |2010-11 |rowspan=2|Elite One |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||0||0 |- |2012 |18||5||0||0||colspan="2"|-||18||5 |- !colspan="2"|Total !18!!5!!0!!0!!0!!0!!18!!5 |- |rowspan="4"|New York Red Bulls |2013 |rowspan="3"|Major League Soccer |5||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||5||0 |- |2014 |2||0||0||0||3||0||5||0 |- |2015 |1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||1||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !8!!0!!0!!0!!3!!0!!11!!0 |- |rowspan=3|New York Red Bulls Reserves (loan) |2013 |rowspan="2"|MLS Reserve League |12||5||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||12||5 |- |2014 |4||1||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||4||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !16!!6!!0!!0!!0!!0!!16!!6 |- |New York Red Bulls II (loan) |2015 |rowspan="2"|United Soccer League |22||6||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||22||6 |- |Orlando City B |2016 |19||0||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||19||0 |- |Zaria Bălți |2017 |rowspan="2"|Moldovan National Division |9||4||0||0||0||0||9||4 |- |Zimbru Chișinău |2018 |12||4||2||1||colspan="2"|-||14||5 |- |Nantong Zhiyun |2019 |China League One |18||4||0||0||colspan="2"|-||18||4 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !122!!29!!2!!1!!3!!0!!127!!30 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{MLS player|marius-obekop}} *[http://westafricanfootball.com/2011/01/14/marius-obekop-bedzigui/ WestAfricanFootball.com profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obekop, Marius}} Category:1994 births Category:Living people Category:Cameroonian men's footballers Category:Cameroonian expatriate men's footballers Category:Renaissance FC de Ngoumou players Category:New York Red Bulls players Category:New York Red Bulls II players Category:Orlando City B players Category:FC Zimbru Chișinău players Category:Nantong Zhiyun F.C. players Category:China League One players Category:Masafi Club players Category:FC Bălți players Category:Diriyah Club players Category:Al Ahli Club (Manama) players Category:Real Kashmir FC players Category:Major League Soccer players Category:USL Championship players Category:Moldovan Super Liga players Category:UAE First Division League players Category:Saudi First Division League players Category:Bahraini Premier League players Category:I-League players Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Footballers from Yaoundé Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Moldova Category:Expatriate men's footballers in China Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bahrain Category:Expatriate men's footballers in India Category:Cameroon men's youth international footballers Category:21st-century Cameroonian sportsmen Category:Cameroon men's under-20 international footballers Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in China Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Bahrain Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in India Category:Long stubs with short prose
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