Mutiu Adepoju

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Mutiu Adepoju (born December 22, 1970 in Ibadan) is a Nigerian former football midfielder who played for several European clubs and mostly in Spain in the 1990s and 2000s and was a member of the Nigeria national team in three World Cups.

He left Nigeria in 1989 to join Castilla CF, Real Madrid's reserve team. He was transferred to first division club Racing Santander, where he was a regular. He eventually left Santander for Real Sociedad, a larger club, but it gradually became problematic for Adepoju to retain a first team place. After leaving Sociedad he played for different clubs, but never settled and retired after the 2003/04 season.

Adepoju, nicknamed "the head master", played at least 49 international matches and scored 5 goals for the Nigeria national team. He made his debut for the national team against Togo in August [1990], but his breakthrough at international level came during the 1992 African Nations Cup. He also helped Nigeria win the 1994 African Nations Cup.

He was part of the squads for the Football World Cups in 1994, 1998 and 2002 (although he did not play in the latter tournament).

[edit] Playing career

1986 - Femo Scorpions
1987 - Femo Scorpions
1988 - Shooting Stars FC
1989 - Julius Berger FC
1989/90 - Castilla CF (0/0)
1990/91 - Castilla CF (37/19)
1991/92 - Castilla CF (28/8)
1992/93 - Racing Santander (37/11)
1993/94 - Racing Santander (29/2)
1994/95 - Racing Santander (21/4)
1995/96 - Racing Santander (36/7)
1996/97 - Real Sociedad (36/6)
1997/98 - Real Sociedad (21/2)
1998/99 - Real Sociedad (18/0)
1999/00 - Real Sociedad (14/0)
2000/01 - Al Ittihad
2001/02 - Salamanca (14/0)
2002/03 - Samsunspor (8/0)
2003/04 - AEL FC (5/1)

[edit] External references

Nigerian Players

	Nigeria squad - 1994 FIFA World Cup
1 Rufai \| 2 Eguavoen \| 3 Iroha \| 4 Keshi \| 5 Okechukwu \| 6 Nwanu \| 7 George \| 8 Oliha \| 9 Yekini \| 10 Okocha \| 11 Amuneke \| 12 Siasia \| 13 Ezeugo \| 14 Amokachi \| 15 Oliseh \| 16 Agu \| 17 Ikpeba \| 18 Ekoku \| 19 Emenalo \| 20 Okafor \| 21 Adepoju \| 22 Agbonavbare \| Coach: Westerhof

	Nigeria squad - 1998 FIFA World Cup
1 Rufai \| 2 Oparaku \| 3 Babayaro \| 4 Kanu \| 5 Okechukwu \| 6 West \| 7 George \| 8 Adepoju \| 9 Yekini \| 10 Okocha \| 11 Lawal \| 12 W. Okpara \| 13 Babangida \| 14 Amokachi \| 15 Oliseh \| 16 Okafor \| 17 Eguavoen \| 18 Oruma \| 19 Iroha \| 20 Ikpeba \| 21 G. Okpara \| 22 Baruwa \| Coach: Milutinović

	Nigeria squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup
1 Shorunmu \| 2 Yobo \| 3 Babayaro \| 4 Kanu \| 5 Okoronkwo \| 6 West \| 7 Ikedia \| 8 Adepoju \| 9 Ogbeche \| 10 Okocha \| 11 Lawal \| 12 Ejide \| 13 Afolabi \| 14 Udeze \| 15 Christopher \| 16 Sodje \| 17 Aghahowa \| 18 Akwuegbu \| 19 Ejiofor \| 20 Obiorah \| 21 Utaka \| 22 Enyeama \| 23 Opabunmi \| Coach: Onigbinde