Raphael Onyedika

Raphael Onyedika

Onyedika in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Raphael Onyedika Nwadike
Date of birth	(2001-04-19) 19 April 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Imo State, Nigeria
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Club Brugge
Number	15
Youth career
2016–2019	Ebedei
2019–2020	Midtjylland
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2022	Midtjylland	37	(2)
2020–2021	→ Fredericia (loan)	28	(3)
2022–	Club Brugge	80	(4)
International career^‡
2022–	Nigeria	12	(1)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations Runner-up 2023 Ivory Coast
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:08, 25 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:18, 11 October 2024 (UTC)

Raphael Onyedika Nwadike MON (// ^ⓘ; born 19 April 2001) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Belgian club Club Brugge and the Nigeria national team.

Club career

Midtjylland

Onyedika used to play street football before joining Nigerian club F.C. Ebedei's academy at the age of 15.[1] After three years in Ebedei, Onyedika joined the academy of FC Midtjylland in Denmark, an affiliate club to FC Ebedei, shortly after his 18th birthday.

In his first full season in FC Midtjylland, he impressed in the U19 League and in the UEFA Youth League with his physique, speed and playing style. On 1 July 2020, he signed his first five-year professional contract with the club until June 2025.[2] To gain more experience, Onyedika was loaned out to Midtjylland's affiliate club, Danish 1st Division-side FC Fredericia, on 19 August 2020 for the whole 2020–21 season.[3] Onyedika did well on his loan spell, playing 28 games and scoring three goals. The season went well enough for the Nigerian to be named in TV3 Sport's team of the year in the Danish 1st Division.

Onyedika returned to Midtjylland in the summer 2021 and was promoted to the first team squad.[4] He got his official debut for Midtjylland on 16 July 2021 against Odense Boldklub, the first game of the 2021–22 Danish Superliga, where he was in the starting line-up and played the whole game.[5]

Club Brugge

On 28 August 2022, Onyedika signed a five-year contract with Club Brugge in Belgium.[6]

International career

In September 2022, Raphael Onedika was first called up with the Nigeria national team by coach José Peseiro.[7] He honours his first selection at this gathering on 27 September 2022 in a friendly match against Algeria. He came into play in place of Frank Onyeka in this match lost by the Nigerians (2-1 final score).

On 29 December 2023, he was selected in the list of 25 Nigerian players selected by José Peseiro to compete in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 29 January 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Midtjylland	2020–21	Danish Superliga	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2021–22	Danish Superliga	31	2	6	1	11[b]	1	—		48	4
	2022–23	Danish Superliga	6	0	0	0	3[c]	0	—		9	0
	Total		37	2	6	1	14	1	0	0	57	4
Fredericia (loan)	2020–21	Danish 1st Division	28	3	0	0	—		—		28	3
Club Brugge	2022–23	Belgian Pro League	31	0	2	0	7[c]	0	—		40	0
	2023–24	Belgian Pro League	30	3	2	0	17[d]	1	—		49	4
	2024–25	Belgian Pro League	19	1	3	0	7[c]	1	1[e]	0	30	2
	Total		80	4	7	0	31	2	1	0	119	6
Career total			145	9	13	1	45	3	1	0	204	13

1. Includes Danish Cup, Belgian Cup
2. Four appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, five appearances in UEFA Europa League, two appearances in UEFA Conference League
3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
4. Appearances in UEFA Conference League
5. Appearance in Belgian Super Cup

International

As of match played 11 October 2024

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Nigeria	2022	1	0
	2023	2	0
	2024	9	1
Total		12	1

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

List of international goals scored by Andreas Raphael Onyedika

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	10 June 2024	Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Nigeria	1	Benin	0–1	1–2	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club Brugge

• Belgian Pro League: 2023–24

Nigeria

• Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2023[8]

Individual

• EaglesTracker Midfielder of the Season: 2023-24

Orders

• Member of the Order of the Niger[9]

References

1. RAPHAEL ONYEDIKA OM DANMARK OG OVERGANGEN TIL SENIORFODBOLD, fcm.dk, 6 July 2021
2. FCM binder talentfuld nigerianer til 2025, bold.dk, 1 July 2020
3. FC Fredericia tilknytter endnu en spiller fra FC Midtjylland, frdb.dk, 19 August 2020
4. FCM rykker seks talenter op på førsteholdet, bold.dk, 18 June 2021
5. MIDTJYLLAND VS. OB 1 – 2, Soccerway, 16 July 2021
6. "CLUB BRUGGE LANDS RAPHAEL ONYEDIKA". Club Brugge. 28 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
7. "Club Brugge Celebrate Onyedika's First Call-up To Super Eagles". www.completesports.com. 18 September 2022.
8. Stevens, Rob (11 February 2024). "Nigeria 1–2 Ivory Coast". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
9. "Afcon: Ivory Coast and Nigeria players get cash, villas and honours". BBC News. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.

External links

• Raphael Onyedika at the Club Brugge KN website
• Raphael Onyedika at Soccerway