Ikechukwu Uche – The Little Striker With a Big Heart

Ikechukwu Uche began is humble football career with local outfit- Amanze United F.C of Aba, before teaming up with division one outfit- Iwuanyanwu Nationale F.C of Owerri in Imo State eastern Nigeria. He is a natural striker with an eye for beautiful goals.

Born in 1984 in the industrial city of Aba, he grew up to love the round leather game as a youngster and the passion for soccer took him out of the shore of Nigeria in 2001, when he signed his first professional soccer contract with second division Spanish outfit-Racing de Ferrol at a tender age of 17.

His dribbling skills and clinical finish in front of goals earned him a move from the modest Racing de Ferrol to Recreativo de Huelva. He played some of his best football at Recreativo during the 2003-2007 football season appearing for them 133 times and scoring a whopping 50 goals in the process.

Uche later joined Getafe F.C at the end of the 2007 season after helping Recreativo into the Spanish top-flight league. It was however not an eventful beginning for the 1.7m tall Uche who was mostly used as a substitute during his time at Getafe.

His stay at Getafe soon ended in 2009 when Real Zaragoza offered the petite striker with a mouth-watering four years deal which saw him becoming one of their star-striker. It was a sad beginning for Uche at his new club when he sustained a horrifying knee injury while starring for his new club in his second game against Sevilla F.C.

He ended up on the side-line for 8 months recuperating and undergoing rehabilitation before suffering another knee injury in the 2010/11 season. It was a trying period for the Nigerian striker who was desperate to impress for both club and country. Uche who had before his injury woes formed a deadly strike-force with Kalu Uche (elder brother), missed the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted by South Africa as a result of injury concern.

Before his injury spell, he was a super-regular with the Super Eagles of Nigeria and had featured in 22 games of the senior national team netting a total of 5 goals in the process. He is one of the most talented strikers in the present Super Eagles fold with good dribbling skill, ball control and strong aerial strength. He can use both legs when going on the offensive, an added advantage considering the fact that some strikers are one-footed.

As Nigeria engages the Ethiopian National team in a crucial African Nations Cup encounter slated for the Abuja National stadium on the 27th of March 2011, there are already agitations from Nigerian soccer-loving fans for Coach Samson Siasia to include the dynamic striker in the squad to face the Ethiopians as he has gradually worked his way back to match-fitness.