John Utaka

---

title: "John Utaka" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1982-births", "living-people", "men's-association-football-forwards", "nigerian-men's-footballers", "nigeria-men's-international-footballers", "nigerian-expatriate-men's-footballers", "expatriate-men's-footballers-in-france", "nigerian-expatriate-sportspeople-in-france", "expatriate-men's-footballers-in-england", "nigerian-expatriate-sportspeople-in-england", "expatriate-men's-footballers-in-turkey", "nigerian-expatriate-sportspeople-in-turkey", "al-mokawloon-al-arab-sc-players", "ismaily-sc-players", "rc-lens-players", "stade-rennais-fc-players", "portsmouth-f.c.-players", "al-sadd-sc-players", "montpellier-hsc-players", "sivasspor-footballers", "ligue-1-players", "premier-league-players", "english-football-league-players", "rangers-international-f.c.-players", "nogoom-fc-players", "aswan-sc-players", "expatriate-men's-footballers-in-qatar", "nigerian-expatriate-sportspeople-in-qatar", "2002-fifa-world-cup-players", "2004-african-cup-of-nations-players", "2006-africa-cup-of-nations-players", "2008-africa-cup-of-nations-players", "2010-fifa-world-cup-players", "expatriate-men's-footballers-in-egypt", "nigerian-expatriate-sportspeople-in-egypt", "qatar-stars-league-players", "süper-lig-players", "footballers-from-enugu", "21st-century-nigerian-sportsmen"] description: "Nigerian footballer (born 1982)" topic_path: "science/astronomy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Utaka" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Nigerian footballer (born 1982) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox football biography"]

Field	Value
name	John Utaka
image	Utaka 2024.png
caption	Utaka in 2024
fullname	John Chukwudi Utaka
birth_date
birth_place	Enugu, Nigeria
height	1.79 m
position	Striker, winger
years1	1997–1998
clubs1	Enugu Rangers
caps1	6
goals1	2
years2	1998–1999
clubs2	El Mokawloon
caps2	25
goals2	5
years3	1999–2001
clubs3	Ismaily
caps3	42
goals3	30
years4	2001–2002
clubs4	Al-Sadd
caps4	27
goals4	14
years5	2002–2005
clubs5	Lens
caps5	102
goals5	24
years6	2005–2007
clubs6	Rennes
caps6	63
goals6	22
years7	2007–2011
clubs7	Portsmouth
caps7	90
goals7	10
years8	2011–2013
clubs8	Montpellier
caps8	68
goals8	12
years9	2013–2016
clubs9	Sivasspor
caps9	47
goals9	12
years10	2016-2016
clubs10	Ismaily
caps10	0
goals10	0
years11	2016-2017
clubs11	Nogoom El Mostakbal
caps11	0
goals11	0
years12	2017-2017
clubs12	Aswan
caps12	12
goals12	2
years13	2017–2018
clubs13	Sedan
caps13	14
goals13	0
nationalyears1	2001–2012
nationalteam1	Nigeria
nationalcaps1	48
nationalgoals1	6
totalcaps	496
totalgoals	133
::

| name = John Utaka | image = Utaka 2024.png | caption = Utaka in 2024 | fullname = John Chukwudi Utaka | birth_date = | birth_place = Enugu, Nigeria | height = 1.79 m | position = Striker, winger | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1997–1998 | clubs1 = Enugu Rangers | caps1 = 6 | goals1 = 2 | years2 = 1998–1999 | clubs2 = El Mokawloon | caps2 = 25 | goals2 = 5 | years3 = 1999–2001 | clubs3 = Ismaily | caps3 = 42 | goals3 = 30 | years4 = 2001–2002 | clubs4 = Al-Sadd | caps4 = 27 | goals4 = 14 | years5 = 2002–2005 | clubs5 = Lens | caps5 = 102 | goals5 = 24 | years6 = 2005–2007 | clubs6 = Rennes | caps6 = 63 | goals6 = 22 | years7 = 2007–2011 | clubs7 = Portsmouth | caps7 = 90 | goals7 = 10 | years8 = 2011–2013 | clubs8 = Montpellier | caps8 = 68 | goals8 = 12 | years9 = 2013–2016 | clubs9 = Sivasspor | caps9 = 47 | goals9 = 12 | years10 = 2016-2016 | clubs10 = Ismaily | caps10 = 0 | goals10 = 0 | years11 = 2016-2017 | clubs11 = Nogoom El Mostakbal | caps11 = 0 | goals11 = 0 | years12 = 2017-2017 | clubs12 = Aswan | caps12 = 12 | goals12 = 2 | years13 = 2017–2018 | clubs13 = Sedan | caps13 = 14 | goals13 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2001–2012 | nationalteam1 = Nigeria | nationalcaps1 = 48 | nationalgoals1 = 6 | totalcaps = 496 | totalgoals = 133

John Chukwudi Utaka (born 8 January 1982) is a Nigerian former footballer who played as a striker and is currently a youth coach at Montpellier HSC. He is the older brother of fellow professional footballer Peter Utaka.

Utaka has played for several clubs across three continents, first for Arab Contractors, subsequently Ismaily of Egypt, and then spending a season playing for Al-Sadd of Qatar, before joining RC Lens and later Rennes in France. He has represented Nigeria at two World Cups and three Africa Cup of Nations since his debut in 2002.

During his career he has mainly been utilised as a pacy winger making him a very effective element in a team's counter-attacking style of play. He is the founder of the John Utaka Football Academy Minna, Niger state.

Club career

Utaka was born in Enugu, Nigeria. He first moved to Egypt in 1998, joining Arab Contractors and subsequently Ismaily. While with Ismaily, Utaka earned cult status with the local fans. They used to chant "Oh Oh Oh Utaka, Oh Oh Oh Utaka" during the matches. He played alongside the likes of Mohammed Barakat, Islam El-Shater, and captain Mohamed Salah Abo Greisha under the guidance of Mohsen Saleh, later appointed coach of Egypt.

He joined Al-Sadd of Qatar in 2001 for a fee of $1 million. This was then a record transfer fee in Qatar. where he spent one season.

In 2002, he joined French club RC Lens whom he left in 2005 for Rennes.

Utaka struggled to make an impact at the start of his Rennes stint. However, he took advantage of the absence of fellow striker Alexander Frei through injury to make his breakthrough. In February 2006, he scored two consecutive hat-tricks, against Lens and Lyon, and as a result received the L'Équipe's player of the month award.

Portsmouth

Utaka joined Portsmouth on a four-year deal in July 2007, for a fee of around £7 million. He scored his first goal on 11 August 2007 in a game against newly promoted Derby County. Some sources claim he became the club's record signing.

On 17 May 2008, Portsmouth won the FA Cup with a 1–0 victory over Cardiff City. Utaka provided the cross for the winning goal which was scored by Nwankwo Kanu.

He went on to have a poor 2008–09 season but on 27 June 2009 he confirmed he would be staying at the club for at least another season.

The salary being paid to Utaka became a talking point in light of Portsmouth's financial issues, with news agencies reporting an alleged £80,000 per week salary for Utaka as a reflection of their financial mismanagement. Utaka hit out at these reports, claiming that he earned only a third of that figure.

On 23 January 2010, he scored both goals in Portsmouth's 2–1 win over Sunderland in the FA Cup Fourth Round.

Montpellier

On 29 January 2011, Utaka signed for French first division side Montpellier, agreeing a two-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for the new club on 26 February coming on as a 70th-minute substitute for Olivier Giroud in a 0–0 draw with Sochaux.

Utaka scored his first goal of the new Ligue 1 season, and his first for the club, against Ajaccio on 21 September 2011, and also provided an assist as Montpellier defeated Ajaccio 3–1 in Corsica. On 19 February 2012, Montpellier travelled to the Parc des Princes to face league leaders PSG; he headed in an 81st-minute goal from a Giroud cross but a late tap in from Guillaume Hoarau levelled the game at 2–2 and earned the sides a share of the points. Montpellier played host to Bordeaux six days later and he headed home the only goal of the game in the 80th minute to keep up the pressure on league leaders PSG. On 20 May 2012, in a game marred by stoppages for crowd violence, Utaka scored a brace, his sixth and seventh league goals of the campaign, to secure a 2–1 victory over Auxerre and win the Ligue 1 title for Montpellier over PSG, for the first time in the club's history.

Sivasspor

On 1 August 2013, Utaka joined the Turkish club Sivasspor on a two-year contract.

CS Sedan

In July 2017, he signed with fourth-tier side CS Sedan.

International career

Utaka played for Nigeria until 2014 and was a participant at the 2002 World Cup. He started four of Nigeria's six games in the 2006 African Cup of Nations, in which Nigeria finished in third place. He was also part of the Nigeria squad that participated in the 2010 World Cup.

Career statistics

International

::data[format=table title="Appearances and goals by national team and year{{NFT player|4849|John Utaka|access-date=22 July 2024}}"]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals	Total	49	6
Nigeria	2001	3	0
2002	4	0
2003	5	1
2004	12	3
2005	2	1
2006	4	0
2007	6	1
2008	7	0
2009	2	0
2010	2	0
2012	2	0
::

:Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Utaka goal. ::data[format=table title="List of international goals scored by John Utaka"]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1		Kamuzu Stadium, Blantyre, Malawi		1-0	1-0	2004 African Cup of Nations qualification
2		Taieb Mhiri Stadium, Sfax, Tunisia		2-0	2-1	2004 African Cup of Nations
3		Mustapha Ben Jannet Stadium, Monastir, Tunisia		2-1	2-1	2004 African Cup of Nations
4		The Valley, London, England		1-0	2-0	Friendly
5		Ahmed Zabana Stadium, Oran, Algeria		2-0	5-2	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
6		Mandela National Stadium, Kira Town, Uganda		1-0	1-2	2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
::

Honours

Ismaily SC

• Egypt Cup: 1999–2000

Al Sadd SC

• Arab Club Champions Cup: 2001

Portsmouth

• FA Cup: 2007–08

Montpellier

• Ligue 1: 2011–12

Nigeria

• Africa Cup of Nations third place:2004

Individual

• Egyptian Premier League top scorer: 1999–2000

References

References

1. "John Chukwudi Utaka - International Appearances". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
2. (5 June 2009). "John Utaka To Stay at Premier League Outfit Portsmouth, Explains Brother". goal.com.
3. "John Utaka biography, net worth, age, family, contact & picture".
4. (14 July 2001). "النيجيري اوتاكا الى السد في أغلى صفقة قطرية". daharchives.alhayat.com.
5. (11 July 2007). "Portsmouth bring in striker Utaka". BBC Sport.
6. Burt, Jason. (12 July 2007). "Portsmouth splash out again to seal Utaka deal". The Independent.
7. (17 May 2008). "A dream come true". The FA.
8. (17 February 2010). "Portsmouth striker John Utaka hits out at wages reports". BBC Sport.
9. (23 January 2010). "Portsmouth 2–1 Sunderland". BBC News.
10. (29 January 2011). "Striker John Utaka leaves Portsmouth for Montpellier". BBC News.
11. "Sochaux vs. Montpellier - Football Match Report - February 26, 2011 - ESPN".
12. "Ajaccio 1 - 3 Montpellier Match preview - 9/21/11 Ligue 1 - Goal.com".
13. "Paris Saint-Germain vs. Montpellier - Football Match Report - February 19, 2012 - ESPN".
14. "Montpellier vs. Bordeaux - Football Match Report - February 25, 2012 - ESPN".
15. "Yahoo UK & Ireland - Sports News - Live Scores - Results".
16. (1 August 2013). "Nigerian striker John Utaka joins Sivasspor". BBC News.
17. (18 July 2017). "John Utaka renforce Sedan". L'Équipe.
18. "FIFA Tournaments – Players & Coaches – John UTAKA". FIFA.
19. (31 May 2010). "Uche misses out for Super Eagles". BBC News.
20. {{NFT player. 4849. John Utaka
21. "Malawi vs. Nigeria".
22. "Nigeria vs. Benin".
23. "Cameroon vs. Nigeria".
24. "Nigeria vs. Jamaica".
25. "Algeria vs. Nigeria".
26. "Uganda vs. Nigeria".
27. "Egyptian Cup Final 1999/2000". Egyptian Football Network.
28. "17th Arab Club Champions Cup 2001". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
29. (17 May 2008). "Portsmouth 1–0 Cardiff". BBC News.
30. (21 May 2012). "Utaka double lands Montpellier the French league title". BBC.
31. "African Nations Cup 2004".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::