{{Short description|Nigerian footballer (born 1985)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Use Nigerian English|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Odafa Okolie | image = Odafa (cropped).jpg | caption = Okolie with Churchill Brothers in 2011 | fullname = Odafa Onyeka Okolie | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|6|6|df=y}} | birth_place = Nigeria | height = 1.83 m | position = Striker | youthyears1 = 2002–2003 | youthclubs1 = Peerless | years1 = 2003–2004 | clubs1 = Mohammedan | caps1 = ? | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 2004–2005 | clubs2 = Muktijoddha | caps2 = 28 | goals2 = 34 | years3 = 2005–2011 | clubs3 = Churchill Brothers | caps3 = 116 | goals3 = 117 | years4 = 2011–2014 | clubs4 = Mohun Bagan | caps4 = 60 | goals4 = 51 | years5 = 2014–2016 | clubs5 = Churchill Brothers | caps5 = 0 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2014–2016 | clubs6 = → Sporting Goa (loan) | caps6 = 23 | goals6 = 14 | years7 = 2017 | clubs7 = Southern Samity | caps7 = 9 | goals7 = 9 | years8 = 2018 | clubs8 = Gokulam Kerala | caps8 = 3 | goals8 = 0 | totalcaps = 239 | totalgoals = 226 | pcupdate = | ntupdate = }}
'''Odafa Onyeka Okolie'''{{Audio|LL-Q33578_(ibo)-Goodymeraj-Odafa_Onyeka_Okolie.wav|Listen|help=no}}]}€ (born 6 June 1985) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who spent most of his career in India.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=6148|title=From the history book, roll of honour|date=10 January 2015|access-date=12 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109234522/https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=6148|archive-date=9 January 2015|website=the-aiff.com|publisher=All India Football Federation|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sengupta|first=Somnath|title=Tactical Evolution Of Indian Football: Part Four – Modern Era (1999—2011)|url=http://www.thehardtackle.com/2011/tactical-evolution-of-indian-football-part-four-modern-era/|location=Kolkata|date=13 July 2011|access-date=11 October 2022|website=thehardtackle.com|publisher=The Hard Tackle|language=en-US|archive-date=18 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918041621/http://www.thehardtackle.com/2011/tactical-evolution-of-indian-football-part-four-modern-era/}}</ref> He last played for Gokulam Kerala in the I-League.<ref name=goal.com>{{cite web|title=Player profile of Odafe|url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/people/nigeria/21142/odafa-onyeka-okolie|publisher=Goal.com|access-date=27 April 2012|archive-date=2 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502134945/http://www.goal.com/en-india/people/nigeria/21142/odafa-onyeka-okolie|url-status=live}}</ref> He was once the highest paid footballer in I-league history, earning approximately ₹16 million per year in 2011 while playing for Mohun Bagan.<ref name="ToI01Jun">[https://web.archive.org/web/20140115033007/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-01/top-stories/29607824_1_odafe-onyeka-okolie-mohun-bagan-mohammedan-sporting Mohun Bagan sign Odafe for record Rs 3 crore one-year deal]</ref> Odafa is second in the list of all-time leading goalscorer in the I-League and National Football League history with 179 goals,<ref name=NFL>[http://www.espn.in/football/india/story/3327725/by-the-numbers-mohun-bagan-soar-past-600-goals-in-national-league By the numbers: Mohun Bagan soar past 600 goals in national league] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127083945/http://www.espn.in/football/india/story/3327725/by-the-numbers-mohun-bagan-soar-past-600-goals-in-national-league |date=27 January 2018 }} ESPN.in</ref> and has been the top goal scorer on three consecutive seasons.<ref name="ndtv02Jun11">[https://archive.today/20140901023839/http://sports.ndtv.com/football/news/item/174240-mohun-bagan-signs-odafe-for-record-rs-3-crore-one-year-deal Mohun Bagan signs Odafe for record Rs. 3 crore one-year deal]</ref>
He also holds the record for scoring the most hat-tricks in I-League and National Football League combined, with 14 hat-tricks across all seasons, including 13 of those in the I-League.<ref name="From the History Book">{{cite web |title= From the History Book|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=1965 |website=All India Football Federation |publisher=the-aiff.com |access-date=19 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717033518/https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=1965 |archive-date=17 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="rediff">{{cite web |title=NFL Champions and Goalscorers |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/nflroll.htm |website=Rediff |access-date=16 July 2021 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220719/http://www.rediff.com/sports/nflroll.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Career== ===Early career=== Okolie started his career in 2002 as a defender with Kolkata based clubs Peerless SC and Mohammedan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/from-defence-to-attack-odafa-is-the-man-for-all-seasons/ |title=From defence to attack: Odafa is the man for all seasons |website=indianexpress.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912110556/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/from-defence-to-attack-odafa-is-the-man-for-all-seasons/ |archive-date=12 September 2014 }}</ref>
===Churchill Brothers=== After a lackluster start to his career which saw him play for Indian club Mohammedan,<ref name="Leading Goal Scorers">{{cite web |title=Leading Goal Scorers |url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/nflsco04.htm |work=Rediff.com |access-date=24 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040828213707/http://www.rediff.com/sports/nflsco04.htm |archive-date=28 August 2004 |date=14 May 2004}}</ref> and Bangladeshi club Muktijoddha SKC where he scored 34 goals from 28 appearances. In 2005, Okolie went back to India and signed for Churchill Brothers as a striker. He debuted for the club in 2005–06 National Football League Second Division and scored 4 goals, which helped the club getting promoted to the National Football League. 2006–07 National Football League was break out season for him, as he scored 18 goals and became the top scorer of the league. Okolie was the top scorer in newly formed I-League in two consecutive seasons and won the league in 2008–09. He scored record 113 top division league goals for the club.<ref>[https://www.worldfootball.net/competition/ro5078/md22/results-and-standings/ I-League 2008-2009 points table and statistics] ''worldfootball.net''. Retrieved 22 July 2021</ref>
===Mohun Bagan=== On 1 June 2011, he signed a then record one-year deal with Mohun Bagan for approximately $600,000.<ref name= "ToI01Jun"/> On 23 October 2011, Odafa scored a hat-trick in his debut for Bagan in a 3–1 victory over Pailan Arrows.<ref name="goalmbpa">{{Cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/69203/pailan-arrows-vs-mohun-bagan/lineup-stats |title=Goal.com, Match statistics between Mohun Bagan and Pailan Arrows |access-date=23 October 2011 |archive-date=27 December 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121227173713/http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/69203/pailan-arrows-vs-mohun-bagan/lineup-stats |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Return to Churchill Brothers and loan to Sporting Goa=== On 13 May 2014, Okolie re-joined Churchill Brothers, but later in March 2015, he joined Sporting Goa on a loan deal after Churchill brothers were excluded from the I-League. He helped the club narrowly avoid relegation and was subsequently retained for another season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sporting Clube de Goa seek Odafa's scoring touch|url=http://www.sportingclubedegoa.com/news.php?nid=1418|publisher=Sportingclubedegoa|access-date=17 March 2015|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402091014/http://www.sportingclubedegoa.com/news.php?nid=1418|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Southern Samity=== In March 2017, Okolie Joined I-League 2nd Division club Southern Samity. He scored 9 goals in the 2016–17 I-League 2nd Division and became the top scorer.
===Gokulam Kerala=== In January 2018, Okolie joined I-League club Gokulam Kerala.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mykhel.com/football/debutants-gokulam-kerala-fc-set-sign-ex-mohun-bagan-star-odafa-okolie-077610.html?story=1 |title=Debutants Gokulam Kerala FC set to sign ex-Mohun Bagan star Odafa Okolie |website=mykhel.com |date=2 January 2018 |access-date=31 December 2022 |archive-date=31 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231123817/https://www.mykhel.com/football/debutants-gokulam-kerala-fc-set-sign-ex-mohun-bagan-star-odafa-okolie-077610.html?story=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 15 January 2018}}<ref>{{Soccerway|64514}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Federation Cup !colspan="2"|Durand Cup !colspan="2"|AFC !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Mohammedan |{{nowrap|2003–04}}<ref name="Leading Goal Scorers"/> |NFL |||1||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||||1 |- |rowspan="7"|Churchill Brothers |{{nowrap|2005–06}}<ref name="CBFC2005/06">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/india06.html |title=India 2005/06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014015944/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/india06.html |archive-date=14 October 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> |NFL 2 |10||4||3||0||colspan=2|— ||colspan=2|— ||13||4 |- |2006–07 |NFL |18||18||2||1||1||2||colspan=2|— ||21||21 |- |2007–08 |I-League |16||22||1||1||4||11||colspan=2|— ||21||34 |- |2008–09 |I-League |22||26||3||7||0||0||colspan=2|— ||25||33 |- |2009–10 |I-League |24||22||3||2||2||4||5{{efn|One appearance in AFC Champions League qualifying play-off, Four appearance and three goals AFC Cup}}||3||34||31 |- |2010–11 |I-League |26||25||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|— ||26||25 |- !colspan="2"|Total !116!!117!!12!!11!!7!!17!!5!!3!!164!!148 |- |rowspan="5"|Mohun Bagan |- |2011–12 |I-League |26||26||3||1||0||0||colspan=2|—||29||27 |- |2012–13 |I-League |22||19||4||4||0||0||colspan=2|—||26||23 |- |2013–14 |I-League |12||6||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||12||26 |- !colspan="2"|Total !60!!51!!7!!5!!0!!0!!colspan=2|—!!67!!56 |- |rowspan="3"|Sporting Goa (loan) |2014–15 |I-League |11||8||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||11||8 |- |2015–16 |I-League |12||6||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||12||6 |- !colspan="2"|Total !23!!14!!0!!0!!0!!0!!colspan=2|—!!23!!14 |- |Southern Samity |2016–17 |I-League 2 |9||9||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||9||9 |- |Gokulam Kerala |2017–18 |I-League |3||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||3||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !211!!192!!19!!16!!7!!17!!5!!3!!242!!227 |}
{{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Churchill Brothers''' *I-League: 2008–09; runner-up 2007–08<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2007-08il.html| work = IndianFootball.de| first1=Arunava |last1=Chaudhuri| title = 1st "ONGC" I-League — Division 1 2007/08: from 24.November 2007 upto 23.February 2008 all over the country| date = 24 November 2011| accessdate = 24 November 2011| archive-date = 16 March 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140316152349/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2007-08il.html| url-status = dead}}</ref> *Durand Cup: 2007, 2009 *IFA Shield: 2009
'''Muktijoddha SKC''' *Federation Cup (Bangladesh) runner-up: 2005
'''Individual''' * National Football League (India) Golden Boot: 2006–07 (18 goals)<ref name="From the History Book"/><ref name="Leading Goal Scorers"/> *I-League top scorer: 2007–08,<ref>{{Cite web|title=ONGC I - LEAGUE 2007 - 2008 :Kolkatafootball.com|url=https://www.kolkatafootball.com/i-league_teams.html|access-date=2021-01-12|website=www.kolkatafootball.com|archive-date=5 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305013342/http://www.kolkatafootball.com/i-league_teams.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=IL0708>{{cite news| url = http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2007-08il.html| work = Indian Football| title = I-League 2007–08| date = 24 November 2011| accessdate = 24 November 2011| archive-date = 16 March 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140316152349/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2007-08il.html| url-status = dead}}</ref> 2008–09,<ref>{{cite web |title=I-League 2008–09 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/india/i-league/2008-2009/regular-season/r7539/ |website=Soccerway |access-date=7 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922000356/http://int.soccerway.com/national/india/i-league/2008-2009/regular-season/r7539/ |archive-date=22 September 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> 2009–10
==References== {{reflist}}
==Bibliography== * {{cite book |last1=Kapadia |first1=Novy |year=2017|title=Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football |publisher=Penguin Random House |isbn=978-0-143-42641-7 }} * {{cite book |last=Mukhopadhay |first=Subir |title= সোনায় লেখা ইতিহাসে মোহনবাগান ({{Translation|Mohun Bagan in the history written in gold}})|year=2018 |isbn=978-93-850172-0-9}} * {{cite book |last1=Banerjee |first1=Argha |last2=Basu |first2=Rupak |title=মোহনবাগান: সবুজ ঘাসের মেরুন গল্প ({{Translation|Mohun Bagan: Green fields' Maroon stories}})|year=2022|publisher=Shalidhan |isbn=978-81-954667-0-2}} * {{cite book|title=Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora|year=2001|publisher=Frank Cass Publishers|location=London, United Kingdom|isbn=978-0-7146-8170-2|page=33|last1=Dineo|first1=Paul|last2=Mills|first2=James|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=71JHZiiP3hoC|archive-date=25 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725072732/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Soccer_in_South_Asia.html?id=71JHZiiP3hoC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y}} *{{cite book |last1=Martinez| first=Dolores |last2=Mukharji |first2=Projit B|year=2009|title=Football: From England to the World: The Many Lives of Indian Football |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nbzhAQAAQBAJ&q=kerala+footballer+in+Burma |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-138-88353-6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702174505/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=nbzhAQAAQBAJ&dq=kerala+footballer+in+Burma&source=gbs_navlinks_s |archive-date=2 July 2022 }} *{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QbUFaAEACAAJ|title=History of Indian Football: Upto 2009–10|first=Nirmal|last=Nath|year=2011|publisher=Readers Service|isbn=9788187891963|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722172604/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/History_of_Indian_Football.html?id=QbUFaAEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y|archive-date=22 July 2022}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150117/jsp/sports/story_19347595.jsp#.VxdCgvl97IV|title=Time to regain lost glory|date=17 January 2015|first=Hariprasad|last=Chattopadhyay|website=telegraphindia.com|publisher=The Telegraph India|location=Kolkata|access-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505102054/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150117/jsp/sports/story_19347595.jsp#.VxdCgvl97IV|archive-date=5 May 2016}} *{{Cite web |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110602/jsp/sports/story_14061029.jsp |title=''The Telegraph'' Calcutta — Odafe comes to Bagan with hope and promise |access-date=2 June 2011 |archive-date=26 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026074636/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110602/jsp/sports/story_14061029.jsp |url-status=dead |date=2 June 2012 |website=telegraphindia.com |location=Kolkata }}
==External links== *{{FBref|0a522bc5/Odafa-Onyeka-Okolie}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20220726161316/https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/odafe-onyeka-okolie/99746/ Odafa Onyeka Okolie] at GSA (archived)
{{2011–12 I-League FPAI Team of the Year}} {{I-League Golden Boot}} {{Sporting Clube de Goa squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okolie, Odafe Onyeka}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Nigerian men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in India Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in India Category:Churchill Brothers FC players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bangladesh Category:I-League players Category:Mohun Bagan Super Giant players Category:SC de Goa players Category:Muktijoddha Sangsad KC players Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Calcutta Football League players Category:21st-century Nigerian sportsmen