Femi Opabunmi
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Femi Opabunmi | ||
| Date of birth | 3 March 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left-winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001 | Shooting Stars | ||
| 2001–2004 | Grasshopper | 14 | (0) |
| 2004 | Hapoel Be'er Sheva | 11 | (1) |
| 2004–2006 | Niort | 7 | (0) |
| 2006 | Shooting Stars | ||
| National team | |||
| 2001 | Nigeria U17 | 6 | (6) |
| 2001–2002 | Nigeria | 3 | (1) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 February 2012 (UTC). | |||
Femi Opabunmi (born 3 March 1985) is a former Nigerian football player, who last played for Shooting Stars FC. In 2008, he went on an eye surgery and has not played professional football since then.[1]
Career
He played for a few clubs, including Shooting Stars FC, Grasshoppers Zürich (Switzerland) and Chamois Niortais in France.[2] He studied at Methodist High School Ibadan and played for the Methodist High School Ibadan Old Boys.[3] Serious eyes problems stopped his career since 2006.[4]
International career
Opabunmi scored a goal to help Nigeria win the African U-17 Championships in 2001. With Collins Osunwa out with injury he became Nigeria's key player at 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship where he scored a hat-trick against Australia and won him the Silver Shoe as second highest goalscorer and also the Bronze Ball as third best player in the tournament, helping Nigeria to reach the final where they lost to France. He attracted attention from clubs such as Manchester United, Lyon and Celta Vigo.
He played for Nigeria[5] and made his debut in 2002 against Kenya scoring the second goal in a 3-0 win.[6] He was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup playing against England in the last group stage match becoming the 3rd youngest player to ever play in the World Cup finals after Norman Whiteside and Samuel Eto'o.[7] Thereafter, he has not been called again for the national team.
References
- ↑ http://www.impactsoccerlink.com/2011/04/femi-opabunmi.html
- ↑ "Stats Centre: Femi Opabunmi Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
- ↑ Methodist High School Ibadan Old Boys Association. Retrieved 2011-03-16.
- ↑ http://waleandnews.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/femi-opabunmi-losing-sight/
- ↑ "Opabumi Femi". National Football Teams. Retrieved 2011-03-16.
- ↑ "Femi Opabunmi". BBC News. 21 May 2002.
- ↑ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2002-06/12/content_437222.htm
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