stringtranslate.com

Wilson Oruma

Wilson Oruma (born 30 December 1976) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent most of his career in France.[1]

Club career

Oruma was born in Warri, Nigeria. He arrived at RC Lens from Bendel Insurance in 1994.[2] A season after being loaned to Nancy,[2] he returned to Lens and played seven matches during their 1997–98 Ligue 1 title campaign.[2][3] After representing Nigeria at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he moved to Turkish side Samsunspor,[2] returning to France one year later to play for Nîmes.[2]

In 2000, Oruma was transferred to Swiss side Servette,[2] playing two season before coming back to France again, where he played until 2009 for Sochaux,[2] Marseille[2] and Guingamp,[2] winning the 2003–04 Coupe de la Ligue with Sochaux[4] and the 2008–09 Coupe de France with Guingamp, despite them being a Ligue 2 club at the time.[5] He was handed a trial by Cardiff City - a club based in Wales but who play in the English football league system – in the summer of 2008[6] and scored in a 2–2 pre-season friendly at Chasetown,[7][8] but was not awarded a contract due to a lack of fitness.[8]

He retired from professional football in 2010[9] after a season with Greek club AO Kavala.[10][11]

International career

Oruma was part of the Nigeria under-17 team which won the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championships,[12] captaining his side[12] and becoming the tournament's top goalscorer with 6 goals.[12] He played 19 times international matches over 11 years for Nigeria[13] and was part of the team that participated in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he scored in the only appearance he made in the tournament against Paraguay.[14] He also was part of the squad that won the Olympic gold medal in 1996,[8][12] a year after he debuted for Nigeria, and also a member of the Nigerian squad at the 2002 and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, finishing both competitions at third place. After a club career in Europe, where he played for the likes of french Ligue 1 sides Lens, Marseille, Sochaux, Guingamp, as well as a stint at Swiss side Servette, winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup, Ligue 1 and French Cup, and earning pay to sustain himself and family after life away from football.[15]

Personal life

In 2018, Oruma suffered emotional disorder as a result of how he was reportedly duped by an unknown pastor. He was broke and in a status of mental disorder six years after he was reportedly defrauded by a clergyman and some fake oil businessmen. It was learnt that Oruma eventually lost a whopping sum, close to N2 billion to an investment.[16]

Oruma holds Nigerian and French nationalities.[17]

Honours

Club

Lens

Sochaux

Marseille

Guingamp

International

Nigeria[19]

External links

References

  1. ^ "1996 Olympics Heroes: Celebrating Nigeria's Gold-Winning U-23 Eagles". Complete Sports. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Oruma - Effectif pro" (in French). Olympique Marseille. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  3. ^ "1997/98 Ligue 1 table" (in French). ligue1.com. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Nantes 1-1 Sochaux , Coupe de la Ligue - Finale , Football" (in French). L'Equipe. 17 April 2004. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  5. ^ Gildas Devos, Par (9 May 2009). "Guingamp vainqueur de la Coupe de France de football". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Bluebirds look at Oruma". Sky Sports. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  7. ^ "Report: Chasetown 2-2 Cardiff". Cardiff City F.C. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  8. ^ a b c Philips, Terry (8 August 2008). "Boss Jones explains Oruma's Cardiff departure". Wales Online. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Nigeria's Oruma retires from football". FIFA. 26 November 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Wilson Oruma Makes U-Turn To Sign For Greek Club Kavala". goal.com. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  11. ^ "WILSON ORUMA to leave Kavala". All Nigerian Soccer. 15 May 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  12. ^ a b c d "Top five African 'lost boys' - WILSON ORUMA – Japan 1993". goal.com. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Wilson Oruma biography, net worth, age, family, contact & picture". www.manpower.com.ng. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  14. ^ "1998 FIFA World Cup France ™". FIFA. 24 June 1998. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  15. ^ Edward, Johnny (29 April 2023). "Oruma: The travails of an Olympic medalist". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  16. ^ Silas, Don. "Ex-Super Eagle star, Wilson Oruma suffers mental disorder after been[sic] duped by pastor". Daily Post. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  17. ^ https://www.ligue1.fr/joueur?id=herve-arsene
  18. ^ "Marseille 5-1 Deportivo (Aggregate: 5 - 3)". uefa.com. Archived from the original on 31 May 2006. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Nwankwo Kanu - Career Honours". Soccerway.