Andrew Omobamidele

Andrew Omobamidele
Omobamidele with Ireland U19 in 2019
Personal information
Full name Andrew Abiola Omobamidele[1]
Date of birth (2002-06-23) 23 June 2002 (age 22)[2]
Place of birth Leixlip, County Kildare, Ireland
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Nottingham Forest
Number 12
Youth career
2014–2019 Leixlip United
2019–2021 Norwich City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Norwich City 50 (2)
2023– Nottingham Forest 11 (0)
International career‡
2019 Republic of Ireland U17 3 (1)
2019 Republic of Ireland U18 2 (0)
2019 Republic of Ireland U19 4 (2)
2021 Republic of Ireland U21 1 (0)
2021– Republic of Ireland 10 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:38, 28 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Andrew Abiola Omobamidele (born 23 June 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Nottingham Forest and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Early life

Omobamidele was born in Leixlip, County Kildare, to an Irish mother and a Nigerian father.[4] As a youth, he played for the Dublin District Schoolboys League representative side alongside fellow future Irish international Gavin Bazunu.[4]

Club career

Norwich City

On 23 December 2020, Omobamidele signed a new professional contract with Norwich City.[5]

He made his debut for Norwich on 16 January 2021 as a substitute in a 2–1 Championship league win against Cardiff City.[6][2] Omobamidele's first start for Norwich was on in a 1–1 draw to Preston North End on 2 April 2021, when he played the full 90 minutes and was awarded Man of the Match.[7] On 11 September 2021, he made his Premier League debut, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.[8] On 31 October 2021, Omobamidele scored his first Premier League goal, which was also his first goal in senior football, heading home the equaliser from a corner in an eventual 2–1 loss to Leeds United at Carrow Road.[9]

Nottingham Forest

On 1 September 2023, Omobamidele signed with Premier League club Nottingham Forest until 2028,[10] for a fee reported to be £11 million.[11][12][13][14] He scored a debut goal for Forest in an FA Cup 3rd round replay against Blackpool, which Forest won 3-2 after extra time.[15] He made his league debut for Forest on 20 January 2024, in a 3-2 defeat to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

International career

On 24 May 2021, Omobamidele received his first call up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the summer friendlies against Andorra and Hungary.[16]

He made his international debut on 1 September 2021, as a 36th minute substitute for the injured Dara O'Shea in a 2022 World Cup qualifier against Portugal at the Estádio Algarve in Faro.[17][18]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 28 August 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Norwich City U23 2019–20[19] — — — 2[a] 0 2 0
2020–21[20] — — — 3[a] 0 3 0
Total — — — 5 0 5 0
Norwich City 2020–21[20] Championship 9 0 0 0 0 0 — 9 0
2021–22[21] Premier League 5 1 0 0 2 0 — 7 1
2022–23[22] Championship 34 1 1 0 0 0 — 35 1
2023–24[23] Championship 2 0 — 2 0 — 4 0
Total 50 2 1 0 4 0 2 0 57 2
Nottingham Forest 2023–24[23] Premier League 11 0 3 1 — — 14 1
2024–25 Premier League 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
Total 11 0 3 1 1 0 — 15 1
Career total 61 2 4 1 5 0 5 0 77 3
  1. ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy

International

As of match played 10 September 2024[24]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Republic of Ireland 2021 5 0
2023 2 0
2024 3 0
Total 10 0

Honours

Norwich City

References

  1. ^ "UEFA Nations League 2025: Booking List before League phase Matchday 5" (PDF). UEFA. 6 November 2024. p. 6. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b Andrew Omobamidele at Soccerbase
  3. ^ "Andrew Omobamidele". Premier League. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b Cummiskey, Gavin (27 May 2021). "Rio Ferdinand comparisons swirl around Andrew Omobamidele". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Andrew Omobamidele signs new contract with the Canaries". www.canaries.co.uk.
  6. ^ "Cardiff City 1 2 Norwich City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Making his debut at the age of 18 and fully deserving of today's Man of the Match award. (02.04.21)". twitter.com.
  8. ^ "Omobamidele's Premier League debut ends in defeat". rte.ie. 11 September 2021.
  9. ^ West, Jon (31 October 2021). "Andrew Omobamidele nets 'bittersweet' first Norwich City goal in loss to Leeds United". Irish Examiner.
  10. ^ "Forest complete signing of Andrew Omobamidele". Nottingham Forest. 1 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Nottingham Forest transfer news: Steve Cooper's side bolstered by seven-player shopping spree on deadline day". Sky Sports.
  12. ^ Clapson, Sarah (2 September 2023). "Nottingham Forest confirm signing of defender Omobamidele". NottinghamshireLive.
  13. ^ Taylor, Paul. "Sangare, Origi, Hudson-Odoi and five more signings arrive in Forest's latest transfer spree". The Athletic.
  14. ^ "WOW! Forest complete SEVEN senior signings on transfer deadline day". Tribal Football. 1 September 2023.
  15. ^ Aarons, Ed (20 January 2024). "Maupay floors Nottingham Forest after Ivan Toney scores on Brentford return". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Kenny names 27-man squad for Andorra & Hungary | Football Association of Ireland". www.fai.ie. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Portugal 2 Republic of Ireland 1". BBC Sport. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  18. ^ "2002-Born Defender Of Nigerian Descent Makes Senior Debut For Norwich City :: All Nigeria Soccer - The Complete Nigerian Football Portal". www.allnigeriasoccer.com.
  19. ^ "Games played by Andrew Omobamidele in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  20. ^ a b "Games played by Andrew Omobamidele in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Games played by Andrew Omobamidele in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  22. ^ "Games played by Andrew Omobamidele in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  23. ^ a b "Games played by Andrew Omobamidele in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  24. ^ "Andrew Omobamidele". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
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