John Utata is a former Nigerian footballer who played for the Super Eagles – the men’s senior national team as a striker or forward. Utaka gained fame for his electrifying pace and trickery on the ball. Whether he played on the right or left of attack or as a center forward, Utaka was a menace to defense and one of the finest forwards for the Super Eagles in the early 2000s.
Utaka had a nomadic career in Europe. He played for several clubs in France, England, and Turkey before he hung up his boots. Utaka’s greatest assets were his pace, trickery, and brilliant finishes. He was an outright striker, per se, but offered exactly what a “point man” would in that position, if not much more. John Utaka currently serves as a youth coach at Montpellier HSC – his former team in the French Ligue 1.
This post examines John Utaka’s background, career, net worth, marital status, and other important information about him.
John Utaka Background
Former Super Eagles forward John Chukwudi Utaka was born in and grew up in the Coal City of Enugu – a city in the southeast region of Nigeria. Utaka started his football career with Enugu Rangers before moving to Egypt. John Utaka is the older brother of Peter Utaka, a footballer. Peter Utaka, also a forward, played in Europe, particularly in Denmark and Belgium, before moving to China and then Japan.
How old is John Utaka?
John Utaka is 43 years old and was born in Enugu State on 8 January 1982.
John Utaka height
Utaka is of average height as he stands at 5 ft 10 inches tall.
Career
John Utaka started playing football with Enugu Rangers in the Nigeria Premier Football League. Utaka played for the reigning champions of the league for a while before joining Al Mokawloon Al Arab Sporting Club, otherwise known as Arab Contractors, in 1998 and scored five goals in 25 league matches for the side. John Utaka went on to join Ismaily a year later and had arguably the finest period of his career playing for the former Egyptian champions. Utaka scored 30 goals in 42 league matches for Ismaily. He played alongside Mohammed Barakat, Islam El-Shater, and captain Mohamed Salah Abo Greisha during his stint at the club.
After his two-year stint at Ismaily, John Utaka joined Al Sadd in the Qatari league for a $1 million – a record transfer fee in the league then. However, he spent just one season at the club before moving to Europe for the first time.
John Utaka Lens and Rennes
Utaka joined Lens in 2002 and did quite well for the side as he bagged 24 goals in 102 league matches. The forward left Lens after three years and joined Rennes. Utaka struggled initially, but got his rhythm afterwards. The injury to Swiss striker Sebastian Frei worked in Utaka’s favour as he won the hearts of the fans. John Utaka scored a hat-trick against his former club Lens and Lyon in 2006 and won the L’Équipe’s player of the month award. Utaka scored 22 league goals in 63 Ligue 1 matches for Rennes in his two-year stint at the club.
Portsmouth
John Utaka joined Portsmouth in 2007 for £7 million and scored his first goal for the club against Derby County in a Premier League match on 11 August 2007. Utaka played a remarkable role in Portsmouth’s FA Cup triumph. He provided the assist to Kanu Nwankwo’s goal in the 1-0 win over Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008. Kanu also scored in the semi-final against Westbrom en route to the final.
Utaka struggled for form in the following season but chose to remain at the club. The forward’s salary became a talking point in the media. It was reported that the player earned about £80,000 per week, which buttresses criticisms of Portsmouth’s financial mismanagement. However, Utaka, refuted the claim as he claimed he only earned just a quarter of the quoted amount.
Ligue 1 triumph with Montpellier
John Utaka returned to the French Ligue 1 in 2011. He joined Montpellier on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee. The striker played alongside former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud at the club and made his debut as a substitute for the Frenchman. Despite crowd violence and stoppages, Utaka scored a brace against Gavriel Osho’s Auxerre to help Montpellier win the French Ligue 1 title for the first time.
Utaka went on to play for Silivasspor, Nogoom El Mostakbal, Aswan, Sedan, and a return to Ismaily before retiring from the sport in 2018.
John Utaka Super Eagles
Utaka had a decent stint with the Super Eagles of Nigeria and played for the team until 2014. He was part of the Super Eagles team that came third at the 2004 and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations. Utaka scored the winning goal in the quarter-final 2-1 win over Cameroon at the 2004 Nations Cup.
He also represented the country at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Utaka scored his first goal for the Super Eagles against Zimbabwe in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in 2003, and his last against Uganda in 2007. Uaka scored six goals in 49 matches for the Super Egles.
John Utaka played for Nigeria at the inaugural edition of the Unity Cup in 2004. He scored in the 2-0 win over Jamaica as the Super Eagles won the tournament.
Career Achievements
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
- Africa Cup of Nations third place: 2006
Individual
- Egyptian Premier League top scorer: 1999–2000
John Utaka Net Worth
Utaka’s net worth is reported to be in the region of $3-$5 million. The former Super Eagles winger played for several clubs across continents and earned salaries, bonuses, and other remunerations during his active days a s he footballer.
Relationship Status
Is John Utaka married? Yes, John Utaka is happily married. Utaka got married to his French partner in May 2013, but details about their marriage are unknown.
What does Utaka do now?
John Utaka is a youth coach at his former club, Montpellier. Utaka holds a UEFA A Diploma in coaching.
Social Media
John Ukata is on Instagram and has close to 30,000 followers on his page.
The John Utaka Foundation
John Utaka runs a foundation registered in the United Kingdom. The foundation aims to help underprivileged children achieve their dreams through sports and education, according to its Facebook page.
