Victor Nsofor Obinna Nigerian footballer Date of Birth: 25.03.1987 Country: Nigeria

1. Victor Obinna: Early Life and Career
2. European Journey
3. Near-Fatal Accident
4. International Debut and Success
5. Move to Moscow
6. Olympic Games

Victor Obinna: Early Life and Career

Victor Obinna was born on March 25, 1987, in Jos, Nigeria. The name "Obinna" means "Father's Heart" in Igbo. He played for Nigerian youth clubs Plateau United in 2003 and Kwara United in 2004, where he was scouted by FIFA agent Marcelo Houseman.

European Journey

Obinna trialled with Italian clubs Internazionale, Perugia Calcio, and Juventus before signing with Brazilian club Sport Club Internacional. However, due to transfer issues, the move was never finalized. He returned to Nigeria and played for Enyimba in 2005.

In July 2005, Obinna signed a five-year contract with Chievo Verona in the Italian Serie B. He was a regular starter in Serie A until the club's relegation in 2007. In total, he made 82 appearances and scored 19 goals.

Near-Fatal Accident

On October 4, 2007, Obinna was involved in a serious car accident on his way home from training. He narrowly avoided being hit by a car attempting to overtake him. His car flipped several times, causing significant damage. Obinna lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital. The accident occurred close to where Congolese Chievo player Jason Mayélé lost his life in a car crash in 2002.

International Debut and Success

Obinna made his international debut for Nigeria in 2006 at the African Cup of Nations. He scored once in three appearances before the Nigerian team exited in the semi-finals.

From 2008-2011, Obinna played for Internazionale Milano in Italy, making nine appearances and scoring once. He was also loaned to Málaga in Spain and West Ham United in England, where he made 51 appearances and scored seven goals combined.

Move to Moscow

In 2011, Obinna signed a four-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia.

Olympic Games

Obinna was part of the Nigerian football team that participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He scored the opening goal in Nigeria's 2-1 victory over Japan and the winning goal in the group stage match against the United States. He captained the team in their 4-1 semi-final win against Belgium, but they lost to Argentina in the final.