# Mercy Akide > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mercy_Akide > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mercy_Akide.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Akide > Source revision: 1346873856 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Nigerian footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Mercy Akide | image = | caption = | fullname = Mercy Joy Akide Udoh | birth_name = Mercy Joy Akide{{Olympedia}} | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|08|26|df=yes}} | birth_place = [Port Harcourt](/source/Port_Harcourt), [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria) | height = 1.81 m | position = [Midfielder](/source/Midfielder) | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | collegeyears1 = 1999 | college1 = [Milligan Buffaloes](/source/Milligan_Buffaloes_women's_soccer) | collegecaps1 = | collegegoals1 = 42 | years1 = 1988–1990 | clubs1 = Garden City Queens | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1991–1994 | clubs2 = Jegede Babes | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1995–1998 | clubs3 = Ufuoma Babes | caps3 = | goals3 = | years4 = 1998–1999 | clubs4 = Pelican Stars | caps4 = | goals4 = | years5 = 1999–2000 | clubs5 = [Hampton Roads Piranhas](/source/Hampton_Roads_Piranhas) | caps5 = | goals5 = | years6 = 2001–2002 | clubs6 = [San Diego Spirit](/source/San_Diego_Spirit) | caps6 = | goals6 = | years7 = 2003–2006 | clubs7 = [Hampton Roads Piranhas](/source/Hampton_Roads_Piranhas) | caps7 = | goals7 = | totalcaps = | totalgoals = | nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria_women's_national_football_team) | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | medaltemplates = }} '''Mercy Joy Akide Udoh''' ({{nee|'''Akide'''}}; born 26 August 1975) is a Nigerian former [footballer](/source/Association_football) who played as a [midfielder](/source/midfielder) for the [Nigeria women's national football team](/source/Nigeria_women's_national_football_team).{{cite web|title=Mercy Akide|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ak/mercy-akide-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418030155/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ak/mercy-akide-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|work=SR/Olympic sports|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=23 May 2012}} ==Early life== Mercy started playing football at the age of five with her oldest brother Seleipiri and younger brother Ipali in the sandy field of Bundu Waterside, near Port Harcourt Prisons in [Port Harcourt](/source/Port_Harcourt). Her speed was recognized from a young age, and when she was 12 years old, at Holy Rosary Secondary School in Port Harcourt, she took part in [long-distance races](/source/Long-distance_track_event), running the [400m](/source/400_metres), [800m](/source/800_metres) and [1500m](/source/1500_metres) races against older competitors. She was also a regional [table tennis](/source/table_tennis) champion, but [soccer](/source/Association_football) was the sport where she really stood out. Mercy earned the nickname "Ske", which in [local parlance](/source/Dialect) meant "skinny", while playing against boys at Mile 1 in Port Harcourt. Among her many [admirers](/source/Secret_admirer) then was a young kid called [Chidi Odiah](/source/Chidi_Odiah), who is now a full [Nigeria international](/source/Nigeria_national_football_team), playing club football with [CSKA Moscow](/source/CSKA_Moscow). In consideration of her skills in particular, a group of youth soccer organisers put together a girls' [tournament](/source/tournament) to select the girls who would become "the Garden City Queens". After two years of playing for the Queens, and turning down the overtures of the rival Port Harcourt-based Larry's Angels, Akide left Port Harcourt for [Lagos](/source/Lagos) to continue both education and soccer with Jegede Babes under the influence of Princess Bola Jegede. ==Career== ===Garden City Queens=== At that time, the Nigerian Women's league was in its formative years and Garden City Queens was not among the top teams such as Jegede Babes, Ufuoma Babes and Larry's Angels. The club played mostly [exhibition game](/source/exhibition_game)s around the state with Akide as the star attraction. She averaged nearly five [goals](/source/Goal_(sport)) per game during the two years she spent at the club. One of those friendly games was against elite team Jegede Babes, and although the Queens lost 6–1, Akide scored the only goal for her side. Club proprietor Princess Bola Jegede was so impressed by her that she promptly offered her a place in her club. ===Jegede Babes=== Akide joined Jegede Babes just as Nigeria were taking part in the inaugural [Women's World Cup](/source/FIFA_Women's_World_Cup) in China in 1991. With an already established [strike force](/source/Forward_(association_football)) in place, Akide was moved to [central midfield](/source/Central_midfielder) for the 1992 season where she took time to adjust. But by the 1993 season, she emerged highest goalscorer in both [league](/source/Nigerian_Women's_Championship) and Cup. She plundered 16 goals in the league and another 8 in the Challenge Cup. She took the form into the next [season](/source/Season_(sports)), scoring 15 goals in the 1994 league season and 10 in the Challenge Cup to earn herself a call-up to coach Ismaila Mabo's national camp. Unfortunately, her goals were not enough to help Jegede to either title. ===Ufuoma Babes=== After returning from the 1995 [FIFA Women's World Cup](/source/FIFA_Women's_World_Cup), Akide (who had by now earned the nickname of Marvelous) pitched tent with Warri-based club Ufuoma Babes, who had won the league and Cup double in the previous two years. It was to be a rewarding move. Her 17 goals in the league and 9 in the Challenge Cup helped Ufuoma to the double. It was the first of many titles. The next season, she hit 11 league goals and 10 Challenge Cup goals and Ufuoma Babes continued their [dominance](/source/Strategic_dominance) of the [domestic league](/source/Association_football). Akide still finished with the top goalscoring honours in 1997. She scored 14 league goals and 8 Challenge Cup goals as Ufuoma romped to their fourth consecutive double. Pelican Stars dethroned Ufuoma Babes in both the league and Cup in 1998 with Akide scoring a disappointing 10 league goals and 7 in the Challenge Cup. ===Pelican Stars=== Akide spent only one year with Pelican Stars, but it was a rewarding year, [trophy](/source/trophy) wise. Pelican again won the double even though Akide only managed 9 league goals and 6 Challenge Cup goals. By the time the season was over, Akide had earned a [scholarship](/source/scholarship) to [Milligan College](/source/Milligan_College) in [Tennessee](/source/Tennessee), United States, after a scintillating World Cup performance with the [Super Falcons](/source/Nigeria_women's_national_football_team).{{Cite news|title=Still Busy in Retirement|url=http://www.newswatchngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3618&Itemid=48|location=Lagos, Nigeria|accessdate=23 May 2012|author=Anthony Akaeze|date=27 October 2011|newspaper=[Newswatch](/source/Newswatch_(Nigeria))}} In her only season at the school, she recorded 42 goals and 15 assists, setting a record for goals and points (99) in a season.{{cite web |url=https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/6/v/mmcurnjmu3yzcx/Record_Book_-_SOCCER.pdf |title=Milligan Buffaloes 2022–23 Soccer Records |publisher=[Milligan Buffaloes](/source/Milligan_Buffaloes) |access-date=2 February 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202034134/https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/6/v/mmcurnjmu3yzcx/Record_Book_-_SOCCER.pdf |archive-date=2 February 2023}} ==International career== Her two seasons of consistency with Jegede Babes, where she scored a total of 49 goals in two seasons, caught the attention of national coach Ismaila Mabo and Mercy was called to camp in 1994. But another rush of goals, 17 in the league and 9 in the Challenge Cup earned her a recall. Her international debut came soon after, a World Cup qualifier against [Sierra Leone](/source/Sierra_Leone) in [Ibadan](/source/Ibadan) with Mercy playing as a [winger](/source/Winger_(association_football)). She marked it with two goals. She scored one more in the return leg to cement her place in the team. In 2001, she was named the first [African Women Footballer of the Year](/source/African_Women_Footballer_of_the_Year),{{cite web|title=Nigerian women battle barriers in elite sports|url=https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Naija-news/message/1770|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209203702/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Naija-news/message/1770|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 February 2013|work=Daily Independent|publisher=groups.yahoo.com|accessdate=22 December 2012|date=13 January 2002}} and was a 1999 and 2004 FIFA World All-Star.{{cite web|title=Meaning of name Mercy : Famous persons|url=http://www.quickbabynames.com/meaning-of-Mercy.html|work=Quick Baby Names|accessdate=23 May 2012}} She has played for Nigeria in three FIFA Women's World Cups and also helped Nigeria's Super Falcons to three African Women Championships (AWC) titles{{cite web|title=Akide-Udoh ready for comeback|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7644925.stm|publisher=BBC News|access-date=23 May 2012|author=Farayi Mungazi|page=English|date=30 September 2008}} in 1998, 2000 and 2002. In November 2004, she married football [journalist](/source/journalist) [Colin Udoh](/source/Colin_Udoh){{cite web|title=Q & A with Mercy Akide-Udoh|url=http://www.supersport.com/football/article.aspx?Id=393144|work=Super Sports|publisher=MultiChoice (PTY) LTD|accessdate=23 May 2012|author=Emeka Enyadike|date=18 January 2011}} in her home town of [Port Harcourt](/source/Port_Harcourt). In 2005, she was named by [FIFA](/source/FIFA) as one of its 15 Ambassadors for Women Football.{{cite web|title=Women's ambassadors : The Women's Game|url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/technicalsupport/women/ambassadors.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707195754/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/technicalsupport/women/ambassadors.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 July 2011|publisher=FIFA|accessdate=23 May 2012}} ==Coaching career== Between 2006 and 2008, Mercy was employed at Stars Soccer Club, where she was the [head coach](/source/head_coach) for Stars U-16 Athena C Gold Girls and worked within Youth Development (an [NGO](/source/Non-governmental_organization) also employing her friend Luke Concannon, a coach of the U-13 girls team.) From 2008 to 2013, Mercy worked as the co-director of Youth Development and for Beach FC in [Virginia Beach, Virginia](/source/Virginia_Beach%2C_Virginia).{{cite web|title=Staff Bios: Mercy Akide Udoh: Girls Co-Director of Youth Development (Junior Academy Program)|url=http://www.beachfc.com/staff.html#MU|publisher=Beach FC|accessdate=23 May 2012}} In 2013, Mercy joined the coaching staff of Virginia Rush Soccer Club, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.{{cite web|title=VA Rush Welcomes Mercy Akide-Udoh|url=http://varush.com/competitive/va-rush-welcomes-mercy-akide-udoh/|publisher=Virginia Rush|accessdate=5 May 2015}} == Honours == '''Individual''' * [IFFHS All-time Africa Women's Dream Team](/source/International_Federation_of_Football_History_%26_Statistics): 2021{{cite web |date=7 June 2021 |title=IFFHS All-time Africa Women's Dream Team |url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1138 |work=The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS)}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{African Women's Footballer of the Year}} {{Nigeria Squad 1995 Women's World Cup}} {{Nigeria Squad 1999 Women's World Cup}} {{Nigeria women's football squad 2000 Summer Olympics}} {{Nigeria squad 2002 African Women's Championship}} {{Nigeria Squad 2003 Women's World Cup}} {{Nigeria Squad 2004 Summer Olympics (Women's Football)}} {{Women's Africa Cup of Nations awards}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Akide, Mercy}} Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:Nigerian women's footballers Category:21st-century Nigerian sportswomen Category:Nigeria women's international footballers Category:Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic footballers for Nigeria Category:1995 FIFA Women's World Cup players Category:1999 FIFA Women's World Cup players Category:2003 FIFA Women's World Cup players Category:Women's United Soccer Association players Category:San Diego Spirit players Category:Footballers from Port Harcourt Category:Women's association football midfielders Category:Milligan University alumni Category:Nigerian expatriate women's footballers Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in the United States Category:African Women's Footballer of the Year winners Category:Hampton Roads Piranhas players Category:College women's soccer players in Tennessee Category:2000 African Women's Championship players Category:2002 African Women's Championship players --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mercy Akide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Akide) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Akide?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.