Chinedu Obasi
Scored 10 goals in his first 14 Bundesliga matches for 1899 Hoffenheim, propelling the village club to the top of the German league in 2008.
Born 1986 (age 40)·Nigerian footballer·Birthday: June 1·Millennials
Biography
Chinedu Obasi signed with 1899 Hoffenheim in January 2007 for a €5 million transfer from Lyn Oslo. His partnership with Vedad Ibišević produced 28 goals in the 2008-09 season, taking the club from the second division to first place in the Bundesliga by the winter break. A torn ankle ligament in 2009 required three surgeries and 14 months of rehabilitation, permanently reducing his acceleration. Obasi represented Nigeria at the 2008 Olympics, scoring against the Netherlands in the quarter-final, and at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, where the team finished third. Subsequent transfers to Schalke 04, AIK Stockholm, and Shenzhen FC were disrupted by muscular injuries; he started more than 15 league matches in a season only once after 2011. He retired in 2023 having played for 11 clubs across 8 countries. His early peak demonstrated the commercial potential of data-driven scouting, as Hoffenheim's use of video analysis to identify his talent became a Bundesliga case study.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Chinedu was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chinedu Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Chinedu's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2011 DFL-Supercup with Schalke 04, scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout against Borussia Dortmund.
- Named Bundesliga Player of the Month for October 2008 after scoring 5 goals in 4 matches.
- Represented Nigeria in 20 senior international matches between 2005 and 2011, scoring 4 goals.
Did You Know?
Speaks five languages: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, and Igbo.
Founded the Obasi 17 Academy in Abuja in 2015, focusing on athletic training and secondary education scholarships.
His transfer from Lyn Oslo to Hoffenheim was negotiated over 72 hours via fax machine while he was on international duty.
“The body keeps its own accounts, and one day it presents the bill.”
