{{short description|Nigerian footballer}} {{about||the Nigerian actor|Stanley Okoro (actor)}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Stanley Okoro | fullname = Stanley Osaretin Okoro | image = Stanley Okoro.JPG | image_size = 200 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|12|08|df=yes}} | birth_place = Enugu, Nigeria | height = {{height|m=1.71}} | currentclub = | clubnumber = | position = Winger / Forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = National Grammar | youthyears2 = 2005–2008 | youthclubs2 = River Lane FC | youthyears3 = 2008–2009 | youthclubs3 = Heartland | youthyears4 = 2010–2011 | youthclubs4 = Almería | years1 = 2009–2010 | clubs1 = Heartland | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 2011–2015 | clubs2 = Almería B | caps2 = 50 | goals2 = 8 | years3 = 2013–2014 | clubs3 = → Cherno More (loan) | caps3 = 19 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 2016–2017 | clubs4 = Abia Warriors | caps4 = | goals4 = | years5 = 2017 | clubs5 = Plateau United | caps5 = | goals5 = | nationalyears1 = 2009 | nationalteam1 = Nigeria U-17 | nationalcaps1 = 7 | nationalgoals1 = 3 | nationalyears2 = 2011 | nationalteam2 = Nigeria U-20 | nationalcaps2 = 4 | nationalgoals2 = 2 | nationalyears3 = 2010– | nationalteam3 = Nigeria | nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | pcupdate = 1 December 2014 | ntupdate = 5 September 2010 }} '''Stanley Osaretin Okoro''' {{IPAc-en||audio=Ig-Stanley Osaretin Okoro.ogg}} (born 8 December 1992) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a winger or forward.
==Career== Born in Enugu, Okoro finished his graduation with Heartland FC, after spells with River Lane FC and National Grammar School. He made his senior debuts with the former in 2009.
On 14 April 2010, Okoro joined UD Almeria in Spain, signing a four-year contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201004160587.html|title=Nigeria: Okoro Joins Kalu in Almeria|publisher=AllAfrica|date=14 April 2010|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref> He was initially assigned to the ''Juvenil'' squad, being promoted to the reserves in the following year.
In July 2013, Okoro moved to Bulgarian A Professional Football Group side Cherno More Varna in a season-long loan deal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lavozdealmeria.es/vernoticia.asp?IdNoticia=46310&IdSeccion=8|title=Okoro se marcha cedido al Cherno More de Bulgaria|trans-title=Okoro goes on loan to Cherno More of Bulgaria|publisher=La Voz de Almería|language=es|date=11 August 2013|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref> He played his first match as a professional on 3 August, starting in a 0–0 draw at CSKA Sofia,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blitz.bg/sport/article/188823|title=ЦСКА – Черно море 0:0, мачът по минути|trans-title=CSKA – Cherno More 0:0, match report|publisher=Blitz|language=bg|date=3 August 2013|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref> and scored his first goal on 11 December, netting the first of a 2–0 win at Lokomotiv Sofia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bgonair.bg/sport/2013-12-11/-lokomotiv-sofiq-zagubi-s-0-2-ot-cherno-more|title="Локомотив" (София) загуби с 0:2 от "Черно море"|trans-title="Lokomotiv" (Sofia) lost 0:2 to "Cherno More"|publisher=Bulgaria on Air|language=bg|date=11 December 2013|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref>
On 29 May 2014, Okoro was promoted to the Andalusians' main squad for the pre-season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lavozdealmeria.es/vernoticia.asp?IdSeccion=8&IdNoticia=61444|title=Stanley Okoro hará la pretemporada con el primer equipo|trans-title=Stanley Okoro will make the pre season with the first-team|publisher=La Voz de Almería|language=es|date=29 May 2014|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref> but returned to the B-side in August. Released in the summer of 2015, he returned to his nation in 2016, signing for Abia Warriors FC.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://dailypost.ng/2016/04/09/why-i-signed-for-abia-warriors-stanley-okoro/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Why I signed for Abia Warriors - Stanley Okoro|date=9 April 2016|access-date=14 March 2018|newspaper=Daily Post}}</ref>
On 7 May 2017, Okoro joined fellow Nigerian Professional Football League side Plateau United FC,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4111/npfl/2017/05/07/35282012/plateau-united-sign-stanley-okoro-and-emmanuel-odafe|title=Plateau United sign Stanley Okoro and Emmanuel Odafe|publisher=Goal.com|date=7 May 2017|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref> but was released on 28 September.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/09/28/little-messi-stanley-okoro-7-others-fired-by-plateau-united/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928202207/http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/09/28/little-messi-stanley-okoro-7-others-fired-by-plateau-united/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=28 September 2017|title='Little Messi' Stanley Okoro, 7 others fired by Plateau United|publisher=Score Nigeria|date=28 September 2017|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref>
==International career== Okoro appeared with the under-17 team at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/89/africa/2009/10/07/1546546/heartland-stars-stanley-okoro-and-orji-kalu-rejoin-nigeria|title=Heartland Stars Stanley Okoro And Orji Kalu Rejoin Nigeria U17 Squad in Qatar|publisher=Goal.com|date=7 October 2009|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref> playing his first match in the tournament in a 3–3 draw against Germany and scoring his side's first goal through a penalty kick in the 54th minute.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/u17worldcup/nigeria2009/matches/round=253807/match=300102250/summary.html|title=Honours even in Abuja thriller|publisher=FIFA|date=24 October 2009|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref> He subsequently scored against New Zealand and Spain, and was a starter in the eventual 0–1 final loss to Switzerland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/u17worldcup/nigeria2009/matches/round=253821/match=300102253/summary.html|title=Steely Swiss claim first crown|publisher=FIFA.com|date=15 November 2009|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref>
On 29 August 2010, Okoro was called up to the main squad, replacing injured Joseph Akpala for a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Madagascar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=2546|title=Stanley Okoro replaces Akpala for Madagascar|publisher=All Nigeria Soccer|date=29 August 2010|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref> He made his debut on 5 September, coming on as a second-half substitute for Michael Eneramo in a 2–0 win at the ''U. J. Esuene Stadium''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/100905/Super_Eagles_too_strong_for_Madagascar|title=Super Eagles too strong for Madagascar|publisher=SuperSport|date=5 September 2010|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref>
==Personal life== Okoro's older brothers, Osas and Charles, are also footballers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nigerianbestforum.com/generaltopics/little-messi-tag-suits-me-%E2%80%93-okoro/|title=Little Messi tag suits me – Okoro|publisher=NBF Topics|date=30 April 2011|accessdate=1 June 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{BDFutbol|401475}} *{{FIFA player|315663|Stanley Okoro}} *{{NFT player|pid=39942}} *{{Soccerway|stanley-okoro/102550}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okoro, Stanley}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Enugu Category:Nigerian men's footballers Category:Men's association football wingers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Heartland F.C. players Category:Plateau United F.C. players Category:Segunda División B players Category:UD Almería B players Category:First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players Category:PFC Cherno More Varna players Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Bulgaria Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bulgaria Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain Category:Nigeria men's international footballers Category:Abia Warriors F.C. players Category:21st-century Nigerian sportsmen