Gift Orban

Gift Emmanuel Orban, born on the 17th of July, 2002, is a talented Nigerian professional footballer, a Tiv man from Benue state, who currently plays as a striker for Bundesliga side TSG Hoffenheim. He has gained recognition as one of the most promising young players globally, with his notable attributes being his swiftness, physical prowess, and remarkable scoring abilities in the penalty area.

Career

Stabæk

In November 2021, he was discovered by Stabæk’s Torgeir Bjarmann and Thomas Finstad during a showcase tournament held in Nigeria. Following his discovery, he underwent training with Stabæk during the winter of 2021/2022. However, he had to return to Nigeria once his visa expired. Upon his return to Norway, he officially joined Stabæk in late May 2022. The transfer was arranged as a loan deal with an option to buy from his Nigerian club, Bison.

During his time with Stabæk, he made a significant impact, scoring his first goals in cup matches against semi-professional teams Notodden and Gjøvik-Lyn (scoring twice against the latter). Following these performances, he secured a regular spot in Stabæk’s starting lineup. His goal against SK Brann was even compared to Alanzinho’s memorable moments at Stabæk, and he received praise from VG, being referred to as a “striker jewel.”

In July, when Stabæk sold Oliver Valaker Edvardsen, the club announced their intention to use the proceeds to exercise Orban’s buyout option. On August 3rd, it was officially announced that Orban had signed a contract with Stabæk that would keep him at the club until the end of 2026. He concluded the 2022 Norwegian First Division as the top scorer with 16 goals, sharing this honor with Bård Finne. His outstanding contributions played a pivotal role in Stabæk’s promotion to the 2023 Eliteserien, and he was further recognized as the Young Player of the Year in the First Division.

Gent

On January 31, 2023, Orban completed a permanent transfer to the Belgian Pro League team Gent. He made a memorable debut in the Pro League on February 11, scoring two goals in a thrilling 3–3 draw against Westerlo. Then, on March 12, Orban achieved a remarkable feat by netting four goals in a 6–2 victory over Zulte Waregem, becoming the first Gent player to do so in the 21st century. All of his goals were scored in the second half of the match.

In his very next game on March 15, he displayed his scoring prowess once again, notching a first-half hat-trick in a 4–1 away triumph over İstanbul Başakşehir in the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16. This remarkable hat-trick was achieved within just three minutes and 25 seconds, establishing a new record for the fastest hat-trick in UEFA club competitions. This achievement broke the previous record of six minutes and 12 seconds held by Mohammed Salah in the Champions League.

In the 2023-2024 Conference League campaign with KAA Gent, Orban continued his goal-scoring exploits by recording another European hattrick, this time against Pogon Szczecin in the third qualification round of the Conference League, contributing to KAA Gent’s 5-0 victory.

By May 2023, there were reports suggesting that several top English clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, were considering the possibility of signing Orban during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Olympique Lyon

On January 18, 2024, Orban inked a four-and-a-half-year deal with Lyon in Ligue 1, securing a transfer for €12 million, potentially reaching €20 million with additional clauses, and including a 20% sell-on provision.

TSG Hoffenheim

Orban moved to German Bundesliga club TSG Hoffenheim on 2 January 2025 for €9 million with up to €3 million in potential bonuses, of which €1 million is guaranteed. The deal also included a 7.5% sell-on clause for Lyon

Background and Early life

The young athlete is officially known as Gift Emmanuel Orban. He was born on July 17, 2002, in Nigeria to a Nigerian father and a Togolese mother. Gift Orban grew up as the only child in his family, and his parents played a crucial role in shaping his values and character from a young age. Despite their significance in his life, there are few photos of Orban’s parents available on the internet.

During his early years, Gift Orban spent some of his childhood in his birthplace in Nigeria. Later, he relocated to Togo, his mother’s home country, where he spent most of his teenage years. Being an only child, Orban formed close bonds with other children in his community. It was during this time that he and his friends developed a deep passion for soccer. They made a pact to train diligently and pursue careers as professional footballers. Orban drew inspiration from Nigerian footballer Emmanuel Adebayo, who had achieved success in top-tier European leagues. This inspiration fueled Orban’s determination to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.

With unwavering determination, Orban and his friends took to the streets to play football. Despite his small stature, he displayed impressive skills with the ball at his feet, catching the eye of onlookers who recognized his talent and potential from a young age.

Gift Orban Family and Origin

To start, Gift Orban has a unique African heritage, as his family roots extend to two different countries. His mother is originally from Togo, making him of Togolese descent through his maternal lineage. This means that Gift Orban holds dual nationality, being both Nigerian and Togolese, due to his family background. Conversely, his father is Nigerian and comes from the Middlebelt region of the country. More precisely, Orban’s father is a Tiv man of Benue State, which is famous for its significant contribution to food production in Nigeria.

Honours

• Top scorer in the Norwegian First Division in 2022
• Young Player of the Year in the Norwegian First Division in 2022

References:

1. Life blogger: Gift Orban, the profile. Extracted 09/08/2023.
2. Could Gift Orban be the next Victor Osimhen?”. ESPN.com. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
3. ^ Weber, Tom (18 May 2023). “Who is Gift Orban? The Gent goal machine wanted by Man Utd and Chelsea”. www.footballtransfers.com. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
4. ^ “Gift Orban: The talent from Togo who scored the fastest hat-trick in UEFA club competition”. The Indian Express. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
5. Strømnes, André (29 June 2022). “Denne spissen bøtter innpå med mål”. Budstikka (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
6. ^ Korsnes, Oscar (10 July 2022). “Stabæks nye juvel scoret igjen: – Han er en gave” (in Norwegian). Eurosport. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
7. ^ Brandsnes, Håkon (10 July 2022). “Stabæks nye spissjuvel stjal showet da Branns rekordrekke ble brutt”. VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
8. ^ Aspelund, Anders Rødaas (17 July 2022). “Selger Edvardsen – erstatteren er allerede i klubben”. Budstikka (in Norwegian). Retrieved 24 July 2022.
9. ^ Boge-Fredriksen, Hans Christian (3 August 2022). “Gift Orban forlenger med Stabæk”. VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 August 2022.
10. UEFA.com (16 March 2023). “Orban scores fastest ever UEFA club competition hat-trick | UEFA Europa Conference League”. UEFA.com. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
11. ^ “AA Gent rolt Pogon Szczecin al voor de rust op en kan met 5-0 voorsprong naar Polen”. De Morgen (in Dutch). 9 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
12. ^ admin (23 May 2023). “Spurs, Manchester United, Chelsea in a race to sign Gift Orban – Nigeria Sports News”. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
13. ^ Oyebola, Mike (15 July 2023). “Transfer: Ligue 1 club, Lille step up Orban chase”. Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
14. ^ Lennox, Joe (28 June 2023). “Gift Orban Childhood Story Plus Untold Biography Facts”. LifeBogger. Retrieved 20 July 2023.