Victor Anichebe

Club

International

Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Anichebe goal.

Everton

Anichebe made his reserve-team debut for Everton as a 15-year-old and his first-team debut less than two years later on 28 January 2006, as a substitute in the 89th minute of Everton's FA Cup fourth round tie against Chelsea, replacing Simon Davies. He signed his first professional contract with Everton, a two-year deal, in April 2006. On 7 May 2006, he scored his first Premier League goal, against West Bromwich Albion. He was awarded Everton's Reserve Player of the Season for the 2005–06 season. Anichebe scored his first two Premier League goals of the 2006–07 campaign in a 3–0 win against Newcastle United on 30 December 2006. His contract was extended by four years towards the end of the season as Everton qualified for the UEFA Cup. In the UEFA Cup, Anichebe scored four times, against Metalist Kharkiv, AEL, 1. FC Nürnberg and Brann of Norway after coming on as a late second-half substitute in many of the matches. At the end of the season, he was voted by Everton fans as their Young Player of the Season. On 22 February 2009, in a match against Newcastle United, a tackle from Kevin Nolan left Anichebe and unable to play for 11 months. Nolan, who received a straight red card for the foul, later settled out of court when Anichebe sued for loss of earnings. He returned to first team action in January 2010 in a 2–0 victory over Sunderland. His first goal on rejoining the squad came two months later in a 2–2 draw with Birmingham City. In January 2011, he signed a…

Anichebe made his debut for Nigeria on 26 March 2008 in an Olympic games qualifying match against South Africa. Anichebe came off the substitutes' bench to score the final goal in a 3–0 victory for Nigeria. He made his first start for Nigeria alongside fellow Everton player Yakubu in a friendly against Austria on 27 May 2008 being replaced at half-time. Anichebe was selected to represent Nigeria at the 2008 Summer Olympics. On 10 August 2008, he scored Nigeria's second goal in their match against Japan. Nigeria eventually reached the final, which they lost 1–0 to Argentina, with Anichebe receiving a silver medal. Anichebe was not selected on the final 23-man roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa despite a good performance during a friendly against Saudi Arabia. He scored his first senior team goal in the March 2011 friendly against Kenya. Anichebe suffered a groin injury during a 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifying match against Madagascar in September 2011, with Nigeria head coach Samson Siasia blaming the poor pitch. The Super Eagles won the match 2–0 but would miss out on qualification for the tournament one month later, with the injured Anichebe unable to take part in the deciding group match against Guinea. In October 2012, Anichebe announced he was focusing on his form for club side Everton, rather than on earning a return to the Nigerian team. He was subsequently omitted from the squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, a tournament which Nigeria won.…

Anichebe was born in Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria but moved to Liverpool, Merseyside, England, aged one. His family originally lived in Toxteth before settling in Crosby. He is the cousin of former professional football player Iffy Onuora, Olympian Anyika Onuora and professional basketball player Chiz Onuora. He is also an Olympic silver medallist, competing for Nigeria in the 2008 Olympics. In March 2009, Anichebe received an apology from Cheshire Police when he was confronted for looking in a jeweller's window in Knutsford and his friend Lee Peltier of Liverpool handcuffed. Anichebe was on crutches due to injury at the time, and believed that the police took action because the pair are black.