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'{{Infobox football biography | name = John Utaka | image = John Utaka'13.JPG | image_size = 220px | caption = Utaka with [[Sivasspor]] in 2013 | fullname = John Chukwudi Utaka | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|1|8|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Enugu]], [[Nigeria]] | height = {{height|m=1.79}} | currentclub = | clubnumber = | position = [[Striker (association football)|Striker]] / [[Midfielder|Winger]] | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1997–1998 | years2 = 1998–2000 | years3 = 2000–2001 | years4 = 2001–2002 | years5 = 2002–2005 | years6 = 2005–2007 | years7 = 2007–2011 | years8 = 2011–2013 | years9 = 2013–2015 | clubs1 = [[Enugu Rangers]] | clubs2 = [[El Mokawloon SC|El Mokawloon]] | clubs3 = [[Ismaily SC|Ismaily]] | clubs4 = [[Sadd Sports Club|Al-Sadd]] | clubs5 = [[RC Lens|Lens]] | clubs6 = [[Stade Rennais F.C.|Rennes]] | clubs7 = [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] | clubs8 = [[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]] | clubs9 = [[Sivasspor]] | caps1 = 6 | goals1 = 2 | caps2 = 45 | goals2 = 11 | caps3 = 21 | goals3 = 17 | caps4 = 27 | goals4 = 14 | caps5 = 102 | goals5 = 24 | caps6 = 63 | goals6 = 22 | caps7 = 90 | goals7 = 10 | caps8 = 68 | goals8 = 12 | caps9 = 47 | goals9 = 12 | nationalyears1 = 2002–2014 | nationalteam1 = [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]] | nationalcaps1 = 43 | nationalgoals1 = 6 | pcupdate = 1 October 2015 | ntupdate = 14 May 2014 }} '''John Chukwudi Utaka''' (born 8 January 1982 in [[Enugu]]) is a Nigerian [[Association football|footballer]] who last played as a [[Forward (association football)|striker]] for Turkish side [[Sivasspor]] of the [[Süper Lig]]. He is the older brother of [[Peter Utaka]], who plays for [[Shimizu S-Pulse]] in [[Japan]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1656/nigeria/2009/06/05/1306355/john-utaka-to-stay-at-premier-league-outfit-portsmouth|title=John Utaka To Stay At Premier League Outfit Portsmouth, Explains Brother|date=5 June 2009|accessdate=5 June 2009|publisher=goal.com}}</ref> Utaka has played at two World Cups and three Africa Cup of Nations for [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]] since his debut in 2002. == Club career == Utaka has played for several clubs across three continents, first for [[Al-Mokawloon Al-Arab|Arab Contractors]] and subsequently [[Ismaily]] of [[Egypt]], then spending a season playing for [[Al-Sadd]] of [[Qatar]], before joining [[Racing Lens]] and later [[Stade Rennais FC|Rennes]] in [[France]]. During his career he has mainly been utilised as a pacy winger making him a very effective element in a team's counter-attacking style of play. Utaka struggled to make an impact at the start of his Rennes stint. However, he took advantage of the absence of fellow striker [[Alexander Frei]] through injury to make his breakthrough. In February 2006, he scored two consecutive [[hat-trick]]s, against [[RC Lens|Lens]] and [[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]], and as a result received [[L'Equipe]]'s player of the month award. In Egypt, while with Ismaily, Utaka earned cult status with the local fans. They used to chant "Oh Oh Oh Utaka, Oh Oh Oh Utaka" during the matches.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}} He played alongside the likes of [[Mohammed Barakat]], [[Islam El-Shater]], and captain [[Mohamed Salah Abo Greisha]] under the guidance of [[Mohsen Saleh]], later appointed coach of [[Egypt national football team|Egypt]]. He joined Al Sadd in 2001 for a fee of $1,000,000. This was then a record transfer fee in Qatar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://daharchives.alhayat.com/issue_archive/Hayat%20INT/2001/7/14/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%AF-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%94%D8%BA%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%82%D8%A9-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%87%D9%85%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B5%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7.html|title=النيجيري اوتاكا الى السد في أغلى صفقة قطرية|publisher=daharchives.alhayat.com|date=14 July 2001|accessdate=30 June 2014}}</ref> === Portsmouth === Utaka joined [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] on a four-year deal in July 2007, for a fee of around £7 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/6292088.stm|title=Portsmouth bring in striker Utaka|date=11 July 2007|accessdate=11 July 2007|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> He scored his first goal on 11 August 2007 in a game against newly promoted [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]]. Some sources claim he became the club's record signing.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article2758772.ece | work=The Independent | title=Portsmouth splash out again to seal Utaka deal | first=Jason | last=Burt | date=12 July 2007 | accessdate=7 May 2010 | location=London}}</ref> On 17 May 2008, Portsmouth won the [[FA Cup]] with a 1–0 victory over [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]]. Utaka provided the cross for the winning goal which was scored by [[Nwankwo Kanu]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2008/05/FACFinal2008_RedknappReaction.htm|title='A dream come true'|date=17 May 2008|accessdate=1 February 2011|publisher=The FA}}</ref> He went on to have a poor 2008–09 season but on 27 June 2009 he confirmed he would be staying at the club for at least another season. The salary being paid to Utaka become a talking point in light of Portsmouth's financial issues, with news agencies reporting an alleged £80,000 per week salary for Utaka as a reflection of their financial mismanagement. Utaka has since hit out at these reports, claiming that he earns one third of that figure.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/8519800.stm|title=Portsmouth striker John Utaka hits out at wages reports|date=17 February 2010|accessdate=17 February 2010|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> On 23 January 2010, Utaka scored both goals in Portsmouth's 2–1 win over [[Sunderland A.F.C|Sunderland]] in the FA Cup 4th Round.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/8468621.stm | work=BBC News | title=Portsmouth 2–1 Sunderland | date=23 January 2010 | accessdate=7 May 2010}}</ref> ===Montpellier=== On 29 January 2011, Utaka signed for French first division side [[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]], agreeing a two-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/9381195.stm | work=BBC News | title=Striker John Utaka leaves Portsmouth for Montpellier | date=29 January 2011 | accessdate=2 February 2011}}</ref> Utaka made his debut for the new club on 26 February coming on as a 70th-minute substitute for [[Olivier Giroud]] in a 0–0 draw with [[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]].<ref>http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=295003&cc=5901</ref> Utaka scored his first goal of the new Ligue 1 season, and his first for the club, against [[AC Ajaccio|Ajaccio]] on 21 September 2011, and also provided an assist as Montpellier defeated Ajaccio 3–1 in Corsica.<ref>http://www.goal.com/en-us/match/60756/ac-ajaccio-vs-montpellier-hsc/preview</ref> On 19 February 2012, Montpellier travelled to the [[Parc des Princes]] to face league leaders PSG; Utaka headed in an 81st-minute goal from a Giroud cross but a late tap in from [[Guillaume Hoarau]] levelled the game at 2–2 and earned the sides a share of the points.<ref>http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=320162&cc=5901</ref> Montpellier played host to [[Girondins de Bordeaux|Bordeaux]] six days later and Utaka headed home the only goal of the game in the 80th minute to keep up the pressure on league leaders PSG.<ref>http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=320148&cc=5901</ref> On 20 May 2012 in a game marred by stoppages for crowd violence, Utaka scored a brace, his sixth and seventh league goals of the campaign, to secure a 2–1 victory over [[AJ Auxerre|Auxerre]] and win the [[2011-12 Ligue 1|Ligue 1]] title for Montpellier over [[Paris Saint-Germain|PSG]], for the first time in the club's history.<ref>http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/20052012/58/ligue-1-montpellier-win-title-chaotic-finish.html</ref> ===Sivasspor=== On 1 August 2013, Utaka joined the Turkish club [[Sivasspor]] on a two-year contract.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23532592 | publisher=BBC News | work=Oluwashina Okeleji | title=Nigerian striker John Utaka joins Sivasspor | date=1 August 2013 | accessdate=8 August 2013}}</ref> == International career== Utaka played for [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]] until 2014 and was a participant at the [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002 World Cup]].<ref>http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=183498/index.html</ref> He started four of Nigeria's six games in the [[2006 African Cup of Nations]], in which [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]] finished in third place. He was also part of the [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]] squad that participated in the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8672850.stm | work=BBC News | title=Uche misses out for Super Eagles | date=31 May 2010}}</ref> ==Honours== ;Ismaily SC: * [[Egyptian League]]: 2000–01 * [[Egypt Cup]]: 1999–2000 ;Portsmouth: * [[FA Cup]]: [[FA Cup 2007-08|2008]] ;Montpellier: * [[Ligue 1]]: [[2011-12 Ligue 1|2011–12]] ;Individual: * [[Egyptian League]]: Top scorer 1999–2000 ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.johnutaka.com Official website] * {{soccerbase|id=30812|name=John Utaka}} * {{LFP.fr|id=utaka-john-chukwudi|name=John Utaka}} * [http://www.stade-rennais-online.com/John-Utaka.html John Utaka's profile, stats and pics] – Stade Rennais {{fr icon}} *[http://www.sitercl.com/Fichejo/U/utakajoh.htm Player profile and pictures] – Racing Club de Lens {{fr icon}} {{Navboxes colour | title = Nigeria Squads | bg = #008751 | fg = White | bordercolor = | list1 = {{Nigeria Squad 2002 World Cup}} {{Nigeria Squad 2004 Africa Cup of Nations}} {{Nigeria Squad 2006 Africa Cup of Nations}} {{Nigeria Squad 2008 Africa Cup of Nations}} {{Nigeria Squad 2010 World Cup}} }} {{Egyptian Premier League top scorers}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2012}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Utaka, John}} [[Category:1982 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Association football forwards]] [[Category:Nigerian footballers]] [[Category:Nigeria international footballers]] [[Category:Nigerian expatriate footballers]] [[Category:Expatriate footballers in France]] [[Category:Expatriate footballers in England]] [[Category:Expatriate footballers in Turkey]] [[Category:RC Lens players]] [[Category:Stade Rennais F.C. players]] [[Category:Portsmouth F.C. players]] [[Category:Al Sadd SC players]] [[Category:Montpellier HSC players]] [[Category:Sivasspor footballers]] [[Category:Ligue 1 players]] [[Category:Premier League players]] [[Category:The Football League players]] [[Category:Enugu Rangers players]] [[Category:Expatriate footballers in Qatar]] [[Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players]] [[Category:2004 African Cup of Nations players]] [[Category:2006 Africa Cup of Nations players]] [[Category:2008 Africa Cup of Nations players]] [[Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players]] [[Category:Expatriate footballers in Egypt]] [[Category:Al-Mokawloon al-Arab players]] [[Category:Qatar Stars League players]] [[Category:Süper Lig players]]'