Stephen Eze comes from a humble background and had to fight his way through poverty to chase his dream of playing football. Backed by his family, the tall and strong Nigerian. He spent his emerging years at Lobi Stars, a Nigerian soccer club based in Makurdi. After rising through the ranks, demonstrating his composure on the ball and solidity at defense, Eze earned a place in the senior team of the club.
In 2012-2017: Stephen Eze was handed his senior debut by his boyhood club Lobi Stars in 2017. He spent the next two years in the Nigerian Premier League for that club before joining another Nigerian club, Sunshine Stars, in 2016. He made an impact immediately after signing for them and made 68 appearances across all competitions, scoring 4 goals and making countless match-defining tackles in the process. However, Eze’s honeymoon period with the Stars came to an abrupt end in 2017, and he played for Ifeanyi Ubah and Kano Pillars in one calendar year. The center-back was a crucial part in the former’s Nigerian Super Cup glory.
In 2018-2020: Stephen Eze’s career hit the accelerator and took him to the Bulgarian League outfit Lokomotiv Plovdiv in 2018. The Nigerian didn’t get regular minutes there and had to make the most of his chances to earn the trust of the manager. After winning the Bulgarian Cup, Eze left Plovdiv to join Tobol, a renowned club in the Kazakhstan Premier League.
In 2020- 2024: From 2020 to 2024, Stephen Eze plied his trade with four clubs including the Indian Super League franchise, Jamshedpur FC. Motivated by his influence in the Nigerian football team, the center-back formed a strong defensive setup in the ISL team and became a regular in the entire season.
In 2024: Eze left Jamshedpur FC in 2021, just one year after he arrived from Tobol. But, three years later, the Nigerian has once again returned to Jamshedpur FC to reignite his loyalty and love towards the ISL outfit. He has been a pillar of defensive strength since rejoining them. Jamshedpur FC reached the ISL Cup semi-finals, riding their defensive strength mostly, and Stephen Eze was the architect of it.
Stephen Eze has always been a figure in the Nigerian Football Team that could have exploded in the international arena if utilised properly and justly. But, despite showing promise in the last decade, the center-back has failed to make the first team squad regularly. He received his maiden International call-up in the 2016 African Cup of Nations and displayed an average performance. Eze’s career peaked when his skills and talent were noticed, and he was drafted in Nigeria’s preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 World Cup. The Jamshedpur FC man has earned 13 international caps so far and is eager to add more to the tally.
Nigeria
