Nosa Igiebor

Nigerian midfielder Nosa Igiebor joined Maccabi Tel Aviv at the start of the 2014/15 season after two years at Spanish side Real Betis. The 23 year-old Igiebor began his professional career at the age of 15 when he joined the senior squad of Nigerian Premier League side Sharks F.C. After two years at the club he moved on for an additional two years to Lagos based outfit Warri Wolves F.C. In 2009 he first left his homeland to make the almost 4,000 mile trek to Norway, where he made his breakthrough at Lillestrom SK. In his third season at the Norwegian first tier Tippeligaen club, Igiebor made his name by scoring 8 goals in 17 appearances.


In 2011, at the age of 21, Igiebor chose to further his career in Israel but wound up spending just one season at municipal rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv. There he collected his first title after scoring the winning goal in the final of the Israel Football Association State Cup. From there he moved on to Spain and the then top tier La Liga side Real Betis. The highlight of his 16 appearances in his maiden season at the club was when he came off the bench in the last minute of the Seville derby against Sevilla FC and scored a dramatic equaliser. In his second season he made 12 appearances and scored one goal, a matchwinner against La Liga rivals Villarreal that could not prevent his club from being relegated at the end of the season.


Igiebor has made eight appearances for the Nigerian national team and scored two goals. One of those goals came in Nigeria's 2-0 victory over Liberia in the qualifiers for the 2013 African Cup of Nations, helping his side with a further two performances on their way to winning the competition. He scored his second international goal in a friendly against Venezuela in November 2012.