Full name Elderson Uwa Echiejile 2001–2004 Wikki Tourists Weight 76 kg Number 21 Height 1.89 m | Playing position Role Footballer Name Elderson Echiejile Career start 2004 | |
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Date of birth (1988-01-20) 20 January 1988 (age 27) Current teams AS Monaco FC (#21 / Defender), Nigeria national football team (Defender) Similar People Efe Ambrose, Kenneth Omeruo, Stephen Keshi, Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama Profiles | ||
Place of birth Benin City, Nigeria | ||
Elderson Uwa Echiejile
Elderson Uwa Echiéjilé (born 20 January 1988) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Sporting de Gijón on loan from AS Monaco FC as a left back.
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He began his career at Bendel Insurance and moved to Europe in 2007, joining Rennes where he was mainly a reserve. He spent four seasons in Portugal's top flight with Braga before returning to France to join Monaco in 2014.
A full international for Nigeria since 2009, Echiéjilé played at two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, winning the 2013 edition, and also played at the 2010 World Cup.
Rennes
Born in Benin City, Echiéjilé began his senior career at Bendel Insurance FC. In August 2007 he was sold to Stade Rennais F.C. in France, playing his first Ligue 1 game on 23 December in a 0–0 draw at Toulouse FC.
During his spell with the club, however, he appeared mostly for the reserve team.
Braga
On 16 June 2010, Echiéjilé signed for S.C. Braga from Portugal for €2.5 million, on a four-year contract. He scored on his official debut for the club, netting from a corner kick in a 3–0 home win against Celtic for the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League (4–2 aggregate win).
Echiéjilé played his first game in the Primeira Liga on 13 August 2010, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 3–1 home success over Portimonense SC. He was an unused substitute in the 2011 UEFA Europa League Final, lost 0–1 to compatriots FC Porto at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin; additionally, he scored four goals in 26 matches in his second year, helping the Minho side finish in third position.
Monaco
On 17 January 2014, Echiéjilé returned to France and its top flight after penning a four-and-a-half-year deal with AS Monaco FC. He scored his first goal for the team on 31 October, opening a 1–1 home draw with Stade de Reims.
On 31 August 2016, Echiéjilé joined Belgian club Standard Liège on a season-long loan deal. Late into the following transfer window, he left for Spain with Sporting de Gijón also in a temporary deal.
International career
Echiéjilé was a member of the Nigerian under-20 team at the 2007 FIFA World Cup in Canada, playing five matches and scoring once. Having made his debuts for the senior side in 2009, he was picked for the following year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa, appearing in two group stage matches in an eventual group stage exit.
Echiéjilé was called up to Nigeria's 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring the first in a 4–1 semi-final win over Mali as the nation went on to win the tournament. Also that year he was selected for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, scoring in the group stage opener against Tahiti.
Echiéjilé was included in Stephen Keshi's list for the 2014 World Cup, but sustained an injury in a warm-up game against Greece and was replaced by Ejike Uzoenyi.
International goals
As of 17 June 2013Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first.