Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Chiedozie Somkelechukwu Ogbene [1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 1 May 1997||
Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria | ||
Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) [2] | ||
Position(s) | Winger | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Luton Town | ||
Number | 7 | ||
Youth career | |||
Tramore Athletic | |||
College Corinthians | |||
Kilreen Celtic | |||
Everton | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2015–2016 | Cork City | 9 | (3) |
2017 | Limerick | 32 | (8) |
2018–2019 | Brentford | 6 | (0) |
2018–2019 | → Exeter City (loan) | 14 | (0) |
2019–2023 | Rotherham United | 120 | (12) |
2023– | Luton Town | 30 | (4) |
International career‡ | |||
2021– | Republic of Ireland | 20 | (4) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:11, 19 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:57, 23 March 2024 (UTC) |
Chiedozie Somkelechukwu Ogbene (born 1 May 1997) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Luton Town and the Republic of Ireland national team.
Ogbene began his career in Ireland with Cork City and Limerick, before transferring to Brentford in 2018. After a loan spell with Exeter City he moved to Rotherham United in 2019, and then to Luton Town in 2023.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, [2] Ogbene moved with his family (including two brothers and two sisters) to Ireland in 2005, [3] [4] after his father got a job in the country, [5] rejecting an offer of a job in Florida in the process. [6] He grew up in the Grange area of Cork. [7] He attended Bunscoil Chríost Rí as his primary school and Coláiste Chríost Rí as his secondary school. [4] He is a supporter of Liverpool. [4]
Ogbene played Gaelic football for Nemo Rangers and association football for Munster Senior League clubs Tramore Athletic, College Corinthians, Kilreen Celtic and Everton. [3] [4] He scored 1–2 and was awarded man of the match in an under-21 final for Nemo Rangers in 2015, his last appearance for the club. [8] He quit Gaelic football to pursue his dream of playing Premier League football. [9]
He signed for Cork City in August 2015. [4] He won the Enda McGuill Cup with their under-19 youth team, and the 2016 FAI Cup with their senior team. [4]
He signed for fellow League of Ireland club Limerick in January 2017. [10] He was nominated three times for the League of Ireland Player of the Month award. [11]
In November 2017 he was linked with a transfer to English club Aston Villa. [12]
On 30 January 2018, Ogbene signed for English club Brentford on a three-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee. [13] He made his league debut on 10 April 2018, making one further appearance that season. [14] He moved on loan to Exeter City in August 2018. [15]
On 29 August 2019, Ogbene joined League One club Rotherham United for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract. [16] [17] In 2019–20, he played a central role in Rotherham's promotion-winning season, being described by manager Paul Warne as "unplayable" after he helped Rotherham beat Bristol Rovers by 3–0. [7] He was injured between October 2020 and April 2021. [18]
On 3 April 2022 he scored a goal as Rotherham won the EFL Trophy in a 4–2 victory over Sutton United. [19]
On 27 June 2023, it was announced that Ogbene would join newly promoted Premier League side Luton Town on 1 July 2023 when his contract with Rotherham United came to an end. [20] [21]
He was eligible to represent both Republic of Ireland and Nigeria at international level. [4] In July 2020, Ogbene approached Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny to declare his wish to play for the national team. [7] On 24 May 2021, Ogbene received his first call up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the summer friendlies against Andorra and Hungary. [22] [23] [24] He said he hoped to be a role model for other Irish players from a similar background. [25] He made his debut on 8 June 2021 against Hungary, becoming the first African-born player to represent the Republic of Ireland. [26] The Irish players had been booed by Hungarian fans prior to kick-off for taking the knee in a symbolic gesture against racism in the sport, which Ogbene asked UEFA to investigate. [27]
Ogbene scored his first international goal on 9 October 2021 in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan with a 90th minute header in a 3–0 win at Baku Olympic Stadium. [28]
Club | Season | League | National cup [lower-alpha 1] | League cup [lower-alpha 2] | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Cork City | 2015 [2] | LOI Premier Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2016 [2] | LOI Premier Division | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | |
Total | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | ||
Limerick | 2017 [2] | LOI Premier Division | 32 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 8 |
Brentford | 2017–18 [14] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
2018–19 [29] | Championship | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
Total | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
Exeter City (loan) | 2018–19 [29] | League Two | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 17 | 0 |
Rotherham United | 2019–20 [30] | League One | 25 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 29 | 1 |
2020–21 [31] | Championship | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
2021–22 [32] | League One | 45 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 [lower-alpha 3] | 1 | 53 | 4 | |
2022–23 [33] | Championship | 39 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 42 | 9 | ||
Total | 120 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 136 | 14 | ||
Luton Town | 2023–24 [34] | Premier League | 30 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 36 | 5 | |
Career total | 210 | 27 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 242 | 30 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Republic of Ireland | 2021 | 5 | 2 |
2022 | 8 | 1 | |
2023 | 6 | 1 | |
2024 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 20 | 4 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 October 2021 | Bakı Olimpiya Stadionu, Baku, Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification [28] |
2 | 14 November 2021 | Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
3 | 26 March 2022 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | Belgium | 1–1 | 2–2 | Friendly [35] |
4 | 22 March 2023 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | Latvia | 3–2 | 3–2 | Friendly |
Cork City
Rotherham United
Kevin Patrick Foley is a professional football coach and former player who is currently a transition coach for Luton Town.
Alan McCormack is an Irish football coach and former professional player who played as a right-back or midfielder. He is an academy coach at Premier League club Luton Town.
Alan John Bennett is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a defender. He has represented the Republic of Ireland national team.
Daniel Thomas Hylton is an English professional footballer who most recently played as a striker for EFL League One club Northampton Town.
Patrick Stephen Madden is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for EFL League Two club Stockport County. He will join Chesterfield on 1 July 2024. He represented the Republic of Ireland national team at various levels, playing once for the senior team in 2013.
Daniel Anthony Kearns is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for NIFL Premiership club Larne. Kearns joined Peterborough United from Dundalk in 2011 and had three separate loan spells with clubs across Northern England. He permanently joined Carlisle United after leaving Peterborough, and spent a year there before returning to Ireland, spending his later career at various clubs in the Irish Premiership and League of Ireland.
Richard Patrick Towell is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers.
Conor Geraroid Hourihane is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for EFL League One club Derby County and the Republic of Ireland national team. Hourihane will leave Derby after the expiry of his contract on 30 June 2024.
Anthony Michael Forde is an Irish professional footballer who plays for EFL League Two club Wrexham. He has represented the Republic of Ireland at numerous youth levels.
Wilfred Oluwafemi Onyedinma is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Luton Town. A versatile player, he can be deployed as a wing-back, defensive midfielder, wide midfielder or winger.
Carlton John Morris is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Luton Town.
Kieran Paul Sadlier is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Wycombe Wanderers. He can also play at wing-back. Sadlier previously won both the League of Ireland Premier Division and FAI Cup in his first season with Cork City. Born in England, he has represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level.
Harry Charles Frederick Cornick is an English professional footballer who plays as a right winger or centre-forward for EFL Championship club Bristol City.
Jacob Samuel Brown is a professional footballer who plays as a forward, winger or wing-back for Premier League club Luton Town and the Scotland national team.
Aaron John Drinan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Swindon Town.
Ronan Curtis is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a left-winger for EFL League Two club AFC Wimbledon and the Republic of Ireland national team.
Joshua Myles Abraham Key is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL Championship club Swansea City.
William Anthony Patrick Smallbone is a professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for EFL Championship club Southampton and the Republic of Ireland national team.
The 2020–21 season is Rotherham United's 96th season in their existence and the first back in the Championship following promotion last season. The club also participated in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
Connor Patrick O'Riordan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Championship club Blackburn Rovers and has also been capped for the Republic of Ireland U20 and U21 teams. He began his career at Crewe Alexandra and also had a loan spell in Scotland at Raith Rovers.