Bartholomew Ogbeche

Bartholomew Owogbalor Ogbeche (born 1 October 1984) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Indian club Kerala Blasters FC.

Bartholomew Ogbeche
Personal information
Full name Bartholomew Owogbalor Ogbeche
Date of birth (1984-10-01) 1 October 1984
Place of birth Ogoja, Nigeria
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Kerala Blasters
Number 10
Youth career
Lobi Stars
1999–2001 Paris Saint-Germain
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2005 Paris Saint-Germain 57 (6)
2004 → Bastia (loan) 15 (2)
2005 → Metz (loan) 12 (1)
2005–2006 Al-Jazira 16 (5)
2006–2007 Alavés 29 (5)
2007–2009 Valladolid 35 (3)
2009–2010 Cádiz 28 (9)
2010–2011 Kavala 19 (1)
2011–2012 Middlesbrough 17 (3)
2013 Xerez 8 (1)
2014–2016 Cambuur 57 (24)
2016–2018 Willem II 38 (12)
2018–2019 NorthEast United 18 (12)
2019– Kerala Blasters 16 (15)
National team
2002–2004 Nigeria 11 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 February 2020

Club career

Ogbeche was born in Ogoja. Still a youngster, he was signed by French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain FC, making his debut with the main squad during the 2001–02 season. However, he failed to settle, also suffering a thigh injury[1] and serving two six-month loans, to fellow league sides SC Bastia and FC Metz; for the former, he netted in a 4–1 home win against Olympique de Marseille on 7 March 2004[2]– the Corsicans secured their top-flight status, and he left PSG for good in June 2005.

After a brief time in the United Arab Emirates, Ogbeche moved to Spain, first with Deportivo Alavés in Segunda División. Although he posted good individual numbers, the Basque team failed to return to La Liga but he joined another club in the former tier, Real Valladolid,[3] making his debut on 26 August 2007 in a 1–0 away victory over RCD Espanyol (12 minutes played).[4]

In late August 2009, after two seasons of intermittent use, Ogbeche arranged a one-year deal with Andalusia's Cádiz CF of the second level. He finished the campaign as team top scorer, but they finished in 19th position and were relegated.[5]

After one year in Greece with Kavala FC, Ogbeche joined Football League Championship side Middlesbrough on 18 October 2011, signing until the end of the season.[6] He scored his first goal for his new club on 17 December, against Cardiff City in a 3–2 away win;[7] on 5 March 2012, he came on as a substitute towards the end of the home game against Barnsley, lobbing the ball over Luke Steele for the final 2–0.[8]

In January 2014, Ogbeche moved clubs and countries again, signing for SC Cambuur in the Netherlands after a very brief spell back in Spain with Xerez CD.[9] He scored once and provided an assist in his Eredivisie debut, helping to a 3–1 home defeat of SC Heerenveen.[10]

On 25 August 2018, Ogbeche joined NorthEast United FC.[11] He made his Indian Super League debut on 1 October, scoring once in the 2–2 draw against FC Goa.[12] During the same month, be became the player first to manage a hat-trick during the campaign after achieving the feat in ten minutes away to Chennaiyin FC.[13]

International career

A Nigeria international since 2002, aged 17, Ogbeche was picked for that year's FIFA World Cup, and appeared in two group stage matches in an eventual group stage exit.[14]

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References
  1. PSG lose forward pair; UEFA, 12 November 2002
  2. PSG suffer Sochaux setback; UEFA, 8 March 2004
  3. "Ogbeche se desvincula del Alavés y ficha por el Valladolid" [Ogbeche cuts ties with Alavés and signs for Valladolid] (in Spanish). Marca. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  4. Espanyol 0–1 Valladolid; ESPN Soccernet, 26 August 2007
  5. Ramírez, Álvaro (19 June 2010). "Centenario en Segunda B" [Century in Segunda B] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  6. Middlesbrough sign Nigeria striker Bartholomew Ogbeche; BBC Sport, 18 October 2011
  7. Middlesbrough ended Cardiff's 11-match unbeaten run thanks to Faris Haroun's worthy winner at the City Stadium.; BBC Sport, 17 December 2011
  8. Goals from Bart Ogbeche and Seb Hines moved Middlesbrough up to fourth in the Championship table as Barnsley's woes on the road continued.; BBC Sport, 5 March 2012
  9. El Xerez ficha al nigeriano Ogbeche (Xerez sign Nigerian Ogbeche); Mundo Deportivo, 18 January 2013 (in Spanish)
  10. Ogbeche scores on Cambuur debut Archived 25 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine; Kick Off, 27 January 2014
  11. "Zwarthoed naar NAC, Ogbeche vertrekt naar India" [Zwarthoed to NAC, Ogbeche leaves for India] (in Dutch). Brabants Dagblad. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  12. "ISL: NorthEast United hit back to salvage a point after FC Goa's Coro stretches scoring run". Scroll.in. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  13. Prasad, Aashin (18 October 2018). "Hat-trick hero Ogbeche powers NEUFC to 4–3 win over Chennaiyin". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  14. Bartholomew Ogbeche – FIFA competition record
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