Mutiu Adepoju

Mutiu Adepoju (born 22 December 1970) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder.

Mutiu Adepoju
Adepoju playing with Real Madrid veterans
Personal information
Full name Mutiu Adepoju
Date of birth (1970-12-22) 22 December 1970
Place of birth Ibadan, Nigeria
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1986–1987 Femo Scorpions
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988 Shooting Stars
1989 Julius Berger
1989–1992 Real Madrid B 67 (27)
1992–1996 Racing Santander 124 (25)
1996–2000 Real Sociedad 88 (8)
2000–2001 Al-Ittihad 10 (2)
2001–2002 Salamanca 14 (0)
2002–2003 Samsunspor 8 (0)
2003–2004 AEL Limassol 5 (1)
2004–2005 Eldense
2005–2006 Cobeña
National team
1990–2002 Nigeria 48 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He spent most of his career in Spain, amassing La Liga totals of 175 games and 22 goals over the course of seven seasons and representing mainly Racing de Santander and Real Sociedad.

A Nigeria international for 12 years, Adepoju appeared for the country in three World Cups and as many Africa Cup of Nations.

Club career

Born in Ibadan, Adepoju (also called by his first name in Spain) left Nigeria in 1989 to join Real Madrid, but never made it past their reserves. The 1992–93 season was impressive as he scored 11 Segunda División goals to help Racing de Santander return to La Liga,[1][2] and he continued to feature regularly for the Cantabrians the next three years.

Mutiu left for Real Sociedad for 1996–97 but, after a solid first campaign, struggled heavily to hold down a regular place with the Basques. In 2001–02 he represented Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah), but quickly returned to Spain where he featured rarely for second division club UD Salamanca.

After two more weak years, in Turkey and Cyprus, Adepoju retired in 2006 in Spain's lower leagues. He subsequently returned to his first team Shooting Stars FC, as general manager.[3]

International career

Adepoju was a member of the Nigeria team that played in the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship. His brace against the United States (which featured Kasey Keller in goal) in the semi-finals ensured a final against Portugal, a 2–0 defeat.

Adepoju went on to collect 48 caps for the full side, with six goals. He made his debut against Togo in August 1990, but his breakthrough came during the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations,[4] and he helped his nation win the next continental edition.[5]

Adepoju was part of the squads for the FIFA World Cups in 1994, 1998 – where he scored in a 3–2 win against Spain[6]– and 2002, although he did not play in the latter tournament.

References
  1. HISTORIA / Cap. 12 Descenso a 2ªB y ascenso a Primera (HISTORY / Ch. 12 Relegation to 2ªB and promotion to Primera); at Racing Santander (in Spanish)
  2. Aquel ascenso inolvidable (That unforgettable promotion); El Diario Montañés, 29 June 2018 (in Spanish)
  3. Mutiu Adepoju: Shooting Stars will recruit only six players; Goal, 1 October 2012
  4. African Nations Cup 1992; at RSSSF
  5. African Nations Cup 1994; at RSSSF
  6. Nigeria rallies to stun Spain with late goal; The Washington Post, 13 June 1998
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