Gift Orban
Gift Emmanuel Orban (born 17 July 2002) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Belgian club Gent.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Gift Emmanuel Orban | ||
Date of birth | 17 July 2002 | ||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Gent | ||
Number | 20 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2021 | Bison FC | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2021–2022 | Bison FC | 0 | (0) |
2022 | → Stabæk 2 (loan) | 4 | (4) |
2022 | Stabæk | 22 | (16) |
2023– | KAA Gent | 13 | (14) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 May 2023 (UTC) |
Career
Stabæk
In November 2021, he was scouted by Stabæk's Torgeir Bjarmann and Thomas Finstad in Nigeria during a showcase tournament.[1] He trained with Stabæk during the winter of 2021/2022 before returning after his visa expired.[2] Returning to Norway, he signed for Stabæk in late May 2022. The transfer from Nigerian club Bison FC was a loan with an option to buy.[3]
He scored his first goals in cup matches against semi-professional teams Notodden and Gjøvik-Lyn (twice).[4] After this he became a starting player for Stabæk. His goal against SK Brann was compared to Alanzinho's time at Stabæk.[5] VG also called him a "striker jewel".[6]
When Stabæk sold Oliver Valaker Edvardsen in July, the club announced they would spend the money on Orban's buyout option.[7] The contract tying Orban to Stabæk until the end of 2026 was announced on 3 August.[8] He became the top scorer in the 2022 Norwegian First Division with 16 goals, alongside Bård Finne.[9] Helping Stabæk win promotion to 2023 Eliteserien, Orban was also named Young Player of the Year in the First Division.[10]
Gent
On 31 January 2023, Orban joined Belgian Pro League side Gent on a permanent deal.[11] On 11 February, Orban scored two goals on his Pro League debut in a 3–3 draw with Westerlo.[12] On 12 March, Orban managed to score four goals in a 6–2 away win over Zulte Waregem, which made him the first player of Gent to do so in the 21st century. All the goals came in the second-half.[13][14] In his very next game on 15 March, he scored a first-half hat-trick in 4–1 away win over İstanbul Başakşehir in the UEFA Europa Conference League round 16. The hat-trick was scored within three minutes and 25 seconds, setting a new record for the fastest hat-trick in UEFA club competitions, breaking the previous record of six minutes and 12 seconds held by Mohammed Salah in the Champions League.[15][16][17]
Personal life
Born in Nigeria, Orban is of Togolese descent through his mother.[18]
Career statistics
- As of matches played 13 May 2023[19]
Club | Season | League | National cup[lower-alpha 1] | Europe | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Stabæk | 2022 | Norwegian First Division | 22 | 16 | 2 | 3 | – | 24 | 19 | |
Gent | 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 13 | 14 | – | 6[lower-alpha 2] | 5 | 19 | 19 | |
Career total | 35 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 43 | 38 |
- Includes Norwegian Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
Honours
Individual
- Norwegian First Division top scorer: 2022[9]
- Norwegian First Division Young Player of the Year: 2022[10]
References
- "'Special Gift' - striker Orban's Premier League dream" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- "Stabæk-spiller Gift (19): – Fotballen er min mulighet". Budstikka (in Norwegian). 7 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- Stormoen, Stein-Erik (20 May 2022). "Stabæks spissgave til fansen: Gift på plass" (in Norwegian). Eurosport. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- Strømnes, André (29 June 2022). "Denne spissen bøtter innpå med mål". Budstikka (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- Korsnes, Oscar (10 July 2022). "Stabæks nye juvel scoret igjen: – Han er en gave" (in Norwegian). Eurosport. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- Brandsnes, Håkon (10 July 2022). "Stabæks nye spissjuvel stjal showet da Branns rekordrekke ble brutt". VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- Aspelund, Anders Rødaas (17 July 2022). "Selger Edvardsen – erstatteren er allerede i klubben". Budstikka (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- Boge-Fredriksen, Hans Christian (3 August 2022). "Gift Orban forlenger med Stabæk". VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- "OBOS-ligaen 2022 - Toppscorer, gule og røde kort" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Football Federation. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- Steien, Vegard Kjøllmoen (29 October 2022). "Toppscoreren kåret til årets unge spiller: – Han har vært redningen" (in Norwegian). Eurosport. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
- "WELCOMEGIFT!" (in Dutch). K.A.A. Gent. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- "VIDEO: Gift Orban scores two on his debut including an iconic goal to help Gent draw at Westerlo". SportsRation. 11 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ""Een killer die uit het niets kan scoren": Gift Orban kent strafste start in België sinds eeuwwisseling". sporza.be (in Dutch). 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- "Gift Orban scores Four as Gent record 6-2 win over Zulte Waregem". brila.net. 13 March 2023.
- @europacnfleague (15 March 2023). "3 minutes & 25 seconds. Gift Orban has scored the fastest hat-trick in UEFA club competitions" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- "Nigerian Striker Orban Delivers Gift For Grateful Gent". Nigeria Sports News. 15 March 2023.
- UEFA.com (16 March 2023). "Orban scores fastest ever UEFA club competition hat-trick | UEFA Europa Conference League". UEFA.com. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- "Olympic Eagles coach insists it's not the end of the world, reacts to Gift Orban no-show:: All Nigeria Soccer - The Complete Nigerian Football Portal". www.allnigeriasoccer.com.
- "Gift Orban". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 March 2023.