# Emmanuel Emenike
**Emmanuel Emenike** (Emmanuel Chinenye Emenike, born 1987 in Otuocha, Nigeria) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a forward, most prominently for Fenerbahçe and Spartak Moscow, and who won the 2013 [Africa Cup of Nations](https://www.edgepedia.org/africa-cup-of-nations) with Nigeria.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Emmanuel Chinenye Emenike, 1987, Otuocha, Nigeria[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike) • [2](https://fixturepedia.com/emmanuel-emenike) |
| Position | Centre-forward, right-footed[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike) |
| Physical | 1.82 m, 90 kg[3](https://www.11v11.com/players/emmanuel-emenike-237887/) |
| Peak club spell | Spartak Moscow, July 2011 to August 2013: 21 goals in 42 Russian Premier League games[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/020c-0e85916f3cec-482206a10050-1000--spartak-s-emenike-set-for-fenerbahce-return/) |
| Record transfer | Fenerbahçe signed him from Spartak Moscow for US$17.4 million in August 2013[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23618392) |
| Major honors | Süper Lig title with Fenerbahçe, 2013–14; Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, 2013[6](https://worldfootballdatabase.com/players/emmanuel-emenike/) • [3](https://www.11v11.com/players/emmanuel-emenike-237887/) |
| Nigeria record | 23 caps and 9 goals, January 2011 to October 2015[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike) |
| Retirement | Career ended 14 November 2019, last club KVC Westerlo[7](https://www.transfermarkt.de/emmanuel-emenike/profil/spieler/120630) |
## Early career in South Africa and Turkey
Emenike began his senior career in South Africa, spending time with two clubs there, Black Aces from January 2008 and [Cape Town](https://www.edgepedia.org/cape-town) from May 2008 to July 2010, before moving to Turkey[3](https://www.11v11.com/players/emmanuel-emenike-237887/) • [8](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/emmanuel-emenike/). He joined Kardemir Karabükspor before the 2009–10 season, initially on loan, and stayed through June 2011, scoring 30 goals in 51 league appearances for the club[3](https://www.11v11.com/players/emmanuel-emenike-237887/) • [1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike).
His first move to Fenerbahçe, in May 2011 from Karabukspor, was brief: he left in July of the same year without playing a match for the club[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23618392). The Turkish Football Federation's record shows his Karabükspor registration ending with a mutual termination on 26 May 2011[9](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1253076&pageId=526).
## Spartak Moscow
Spartak Moscow signed him in July 2011, and he spent two seasons in the [Russian Premier League](https://www.edgepedia.org/russian-premier-league)[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/020c-0e85916f3cec-482206a10050-1000--spartak-s-emenike-set-for-fenerbahce-return/). He scored 21 goals in 42 league games in Russia, including three in his first four outings of the 2013–14 season[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/020c-0e85916f3cec-482206a10050-1000--spartak-s-emenike-set-for-fenerbahce-return/). FotMob's career table records 51 appearances and 24 goals in all competitions for the club[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike).
## Return to Fenerbahçe
In August 2013 Emenike returned to Fenerbahçe for a transfer fee of US$17.4 million[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23618392). "Deep down I always knew I would return to Turkey," he said at the time[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/020c-0e85916f3cec-482206a10050-1000--spartak-s-emenike-set-for-fenerbahce-return/). In his first season back he won the [Süper Lig](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-lig) title and scored 12 league goals[6](https://worldfootballdatabase.com/players/emmanuel-emenike/) • [8](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/emmanuel-emenike/). Across his two-year spell from August 2013 to July 2015 he made 66 league appearances and scored 17 goals[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike).
**Loans followed.** Fenerbahçe sent him on loan to Al-Ain in the [United Arab Emirates](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-arab-emirates) from July 2015, where he scored 9 goals in 15 league games, and to West Ham United in the Premier League from January to June 2016, where he made 16 league appearances and scored 2 goals[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike) • [3](https://www.11v11.com/players/emmanuel-emenike-237887/). He then had a further Fenerbahçe spell from June 2016 to July 2017 with 27 league appearances and 8 goals, followed by half a season at Olympiacos, a loan to [Las Palmas](https://www.edgepedia.org/las-palmas) in early 2018, and a final short spell at Westerlo in Belgium from September to November 2019[1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike) • [7](https://www.transfermarkt.de/emmanuel-emenike/profil/spieler/120630).
## Nigeria national team
Emenike debuted for the [Super Eagles](https://www.edgepedia.org/nigeria-national-football-team) in 2011 and was a regular through October 2015, finishing with 23 caps and 9 goals[8](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/emmanuel-emenike/) • [1](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike). His peak came at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, where he made 7 appearances and scored 4 goals as Nigeria won the tournament[3](https://www.11v11.com/players/emmanuel-emenike-237887/). Combined with World Cup qualifying, he scored seven goals in that period, which MLSsoccer.com described as making him Nigeria's most prolific goalscorer over the year[8](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/emmanuel-emenike/).
At the 2014 [FIFA World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-world-cup) in Brazil he was Nigeria's number 9 and played every minute of the team's four matches, 360 minutes in total, as Nigeria reached the round of 16 before losing 2–0 to France[10](https://wheecorea.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014report.pdf) • [3](https://www.11v11.com/players/emmanuel-emenike-237887/).
## Playing style and later recognition
Contemporary profiles emphasized his physical strength and goalscoring, and he was known as a powerful center-forward rather than a creator[2](https://fixturepedia.com/emmanuel-emenike). He has also appeared in exhibition football, scoring in a novelty game for former Super Eagles stars at an NNPC sports fiesta in 2024[11](https://cms1977.nnpcgroup.com/uploads/NNPC_Update_February_2024_441ef17772.pdf).
## References
1. [Emmanuel Emenike – stats, career and market value, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/183670/emmanuel-emenike)
2. [Emmanuel Emenike – Profile, Career & Stats, fixturepedia](https://fixturepedia.com/emmanuel-emenike)
3. [Emmanuel Emenike Football Player Statistics, 11v11.com](https://www.11v11.com/players/emmanuel-emenike-237887/)
4. [Spartak's Emenike set for Fenerbahçe return, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/020c-0e85916f3cec-482206a10050-1000--spartak-s-emenike-set-for-fenerbahce-return/)
5. [Nigerian Emmanuel Emenike completes move to Fenerbahce, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23618392)
6. [Emmanuel Emenike – Football Records & Seasons, World Football Database](https://worldfootballdatabase.com/players/emmanuel-emenike/)
7. [Emmanuel Emenike – Spielerprofil, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.de/emmanuel-emenike/profil/spieler/120630)
8. [Emmanuel Emenike, MLSsoccer.com](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/emmanuel-emenike/)
9. [EMMANUEL CHINENYE EMENIKE – Player Details, Turkish Football Federation](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1253076&pageId=526)
10. [2014 FIFA World Cup Technical Study Group report](https://wheecorea.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014report.pdf)
11. [NNPC Update, February 2024](https://cms1977.nnpcgroup.com/uploads/NNPC_Update_February_2024_441ef17772.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of Africa › West African footballers › Nigerian footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license