Peter Odemwingie

Lore & Background

Odemwingie was born in Tashkent to a Nigerian father and a Russian Tatar mother. He moved to Nigeria at age two, completed secondary education in Russia, and played youth football for KAMAZ and CSKA Moscow. He scored 19 goals in 53 league appearances for Bendel Insurance from 2000 to 2002. He helped La Louvière win the Belgian Cup in his first season and scored in a UEFA Cup draw against Benfica. At Lille, he scored nine goals in 44 appearances and netted against AC Milan at the San Siro. He joined Lokomotiv Moscow for a reported US$14 million in July 2007, scoring 21 goals in 75 Russian Premier League games. At West Bromwich Albion, he scored 30 Premier League goals, won two Premier League Player of the Month awards, and scored a hat-trick against Yeovil Town in the League Cup in 2011.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed over the Amex Stadium as Odemwingie received the ball near the halfway line. With a defender closing in, he didn't panic; instead, he accelerated, leaving the marker trailing in his wake. The crowd roared in anticipation of a cross or a shot, but with characteristic guile, he cut inside, drawing two more defenders before sliding a perfect through-ball to the striker. It was a moment of pure magic that defined his Brighton years.

Reader's Guide

Odemwingie is a former forward known for his technique and pace. He made his Nigeria debut in a friendly against Kenya in May 2002 and earned over 60 caps, playing at two World Cups and four Africa Cup of Nations, and winning silver at the 2008 Olympics. His club career spanned Nigeria, Belgium, France, Russia, and England, with notable spells at West Bromwich Albion where he became the club's top Premier League scorer in a season with 15 goals in 2010–11.

Did You Know?

• Odemwingie was born in Tashkent, now in Uzbekistan, to a Nigerian father and a Russian Tatar mother.
• He scored his first Premier League goal for West Bromwich Albion in his third league appearance.
• He won the Belgian Cup with La Louvière in his first season at the club.
• He scored a hat-trick for West Brom against Yeovil Town in the League Cup in 2011.