- He is a Nigerian professional footballer
- He plays as a striker for club Gent and the Nigeria national team
- He missed the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations for Nigeria due to his citizenship
Gift Emmanuel Orban is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Belgium club Gent and the Nigeria national team.
Orban was born in Togo to a Nigerian father and a Togolese mother and has been identified as a Nigerian who has consistently represented the country in international tournaments.
His nationality has brought some confusion in the past as some say he is Togolese since he was born there while his parent’s stand is that he is Nigerian due to his father’s heritage.
He was to play for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations but was not included in the squad due to a dispute over his nationality.
Gift Orban. Photo/Cartilage Free Captain
The Togo Football Federation claimed that he was not eligible to play for Nigeria since he was born in Togo and his mother is Togolese though he holds a Nigerian passport.
Personal Life
Gift Orbaan was born in Togo on July 17, 2002, to a Nigerian father and a Togolese mother thus making him a dual citizen of both Nigeria and Togo.
He is more Nigerian than Togolese and has consistently represented Nigeria in international competitions, made his debut for Nigeria early this year and since then, he has been a regular call-up to the squad.
His dual heritage has brought some confusion about his nationality but he has always been clear about his allegiance to Nigeria.
Orban was to represent Nigeria in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations but was not included in the squad since there arose some disputes about his nationality.
Togo claimed that he should [play for them since he is their citizen and Nigeria as well. It was not easy to solve the problem and that saw him miss the AFCON.
Career
Gift Emmanuel Orban is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Belgian club Gent and the Nigeria national team.
He started his career with local side Akwa United, where he was the club’s top scorer in the 2021-22 Nigeria Professional Football League season.
Orban was scouted by Stabaek and joined them on a transfer from Nigerian club Bison where he was on a loan with a buying option.
Gift Orban. Photo/thewill news media
Early this year, he joined Belgian Pro League side Gent on a permanent deal and in his first season, he scored two goals in his Pro League which made him the first player of the club to do so in recent time.
In 2023, Orban was called up to the Nigeria national team for a pair of friendly matches against Mexico and Ecuador.
Orban made his debut coming on as a substitute in a draw with Mexico. He is a young promising player with a bright future ahead and is expected to play a major role for Gent and the Nigeria national team in future.
One of the greatest achievements that Orban has made in his career is that he scored an impressive four goals in Gent’s victory over Zulte Waregem.
The victory made Orban become the first player to achieve this feat for gent in the 21st century and his performance showcased his exceptional goal-scoring ability and his impact on the team’s success.
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