Julius Aghahowa

Julius Aghahowa

Aghahowa with Shakhtar Donetsk in 2010
Personal information
Full name Julius Efosa Aghahowa
Date of birth (1982-02-12) 12 February 1982
Place of birth Benin City, Nigeria
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Striker
Youth career
Police Machines
Bendel Insurance
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 Bendel Insurance
1999–2000 Espérance
2000–2007 Shakhtar Donetsk 89 (32)
2007–2008 Wigan Athletic 20 (0)
2008–2009 Kayserispor 29 (6)
2009–2012 Shakhtar Donetsk 10 (1)
2010–2011 → Sevastopol (loan) 10 (1)
Total 158 (40)
National team
2000-2007 Nigeria 32 (14)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Julius Aghahowa (born 12 February 1982 in Benin City) is a retired Nigerian footballer. He was known for his pace and his back-flips when he scored goals. Aghahowa became the first foreign national outside of the former Soviet Union who was among the best scorers in the Ukrainian Premier League (2000-01).

Aghahowa played for Nigeria at four Africa Cup of Nations, the 2002 World Cup and the 2000 Olympics, as well as playing top-flight football in Tunisia, Ukraine, England and Turkey.

Club career

Early career

Aghahowa began his career with the Police Machines, a local police team, and went on to Bendel Insurance. He signed for Danish lower division team Herning Fremad before the 1999 African Youth Championship, but Aghahowa performed so well there that he wanted to play for a bigger club. He ended up with the Tunisian champions, Espérance, when he procured a contract with the Tunisians which predated the Herning Fremad contract.[1]

Shakhtar Donetsk

In the middle of the 2000–01 season, Aghahowa transferred to Shakhtar Donetsk, who soon won the Ukrainian league championship. Aghahowa won the game for Shakhtar in the 2006 Ukrainian Championship against Dynamo Kyiv, heading the winner in extra-time and being named man of the match. His performance in the final has been widely seen as the "saving grace" of his career at Shakhtar, with his future at the club looking bleak earlier in the season. After playing over six years for Shakhtar Donetsk, Aghahowa left for Wigan Athletic.

Wigan Athletic

His work permit was passed and on 30 January 2007, he signed for Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed fee,[2] playing his first Premiership match for them against Portsmouth on 3 February.[3] Aghahowa did not score for Wigan in one and half years and on 20 June 2008, he signed for Kayserispor.[4]

Return to Shakhtar Donetsk

On 4 July 2009, Shakhtar Donetsk signed Aghahowa on a free transfer after he was released by Kayserispor. He had already played for Shakhtar from 2000 to 2007[5] and declared a great desire to play for his old club. However, he could not find himself as a regular starter and was loaned out to PFC Sevastopol at the beginning of the 2010–11 season. He was released at the end of the 2011-12 season. Announcing his retirement from the game in April 2013.[6]

International career

Aghahowa played 32 matches and scored 14 goals for the Nigerian national team, including their only goal at the 2002 World Cup against Sweden. He became Nigeria's top goalscorer at the 2002 African Nations Cup. He also played at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Career statistics

Club

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ukraine League Cup Europe Total
2000-01ShakhtarPremier League872100108
2001-0217721622510
2002-031014131173
2003-0417662422710
2004-05158531353316
2005-061302150201
2006-079321070183
England League Cup Europe Total
2006-07Wigan AthleticPremier League60000060
2007-081400000140
Turkey League Cup Europe Total
2008-09KayserisporSüper Lig2960000296
Ukraine League Cup Europe Total
2009-10ShakhtarPremier League913150172
2010-1110000010
Ukraine League Cup Europe Total
2010-11SevastopolPremier League1010000101
Total Ukraine 109342611043817854
England 2000000200
Turkey 2960000296
Career total 158402611043822760
1Including 1 match in Ukrainian Super Cup

International

Nigeria national team
Year Apps Goals
2000 43
2001 52
2002 127
2003 --
2004 51
2005 21
2006 30
2007 10
Total 3214

Honours

Espérance
2000
Shakhtar Donetsk
2002, 2005, 2006, 2010
2002, 2004

References

  1. ↑ Lars Bøgeskov, "Jyder snydt for supertalent", Politiken, 27 August 1999.
  2. ↑ "Aghahowa close to Wigan deal". TeamTALK. 29 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-29.
  3. ↑ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved 8 February 2007.
  4. ↑ "Striker Aghahowa makes Wigan exit". BBC Sport. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  5. ↑ Julius Aghahowa came back to Shakhtar
  6. ↑ Агахова объявил о завершении карьеры. www.ua-football.com (in Ukrainian). ua-football. 14 April 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
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