Stephen Sunday Explained

Sunny
Fullname:Stephen Obayan Sunday
Birth Date:17 September 1988[1]
Birth Place:Lagos, Nigeria
Position:Midfielder
Youthclubs1:Ebedei
Youthyears2:2003–2004
Youthclubs2:Jegede Babes
Youthyears3:2004–2005
Youthclubs3:Poli Ejido
Years1:2005–2007
Caps1:63
Goals1:0
Years2:2007–2011
Caps2:10
Goals2:0
Years3:2008–2009
Clubs3:→ Osasuna (loan)
Caps3:4
Goals3:0
Years4:2009–2010
Clubs4:→ Betis (loan)
Caps4:7
Goals4:0
Years5:2011
Clubs5:→ Numancia (loan)
Caps5:14
Goals5:2
Years6:2011–2013
Caps6:62
Goals6:2
Years7:2013
Caps7:2
Goals7:0
Years8:2014–2015
Caps8:36
Goals8:0
Years9:2015–2016
Caps9:12
Goals9:0
Years10:2016–2018
Caps10:59
Goals10:1
Years11:2016–2017
Clubs11:→ Real Monarchs (loan)
Caps11:3
Goals11:0
Years12:2019–2020
Caps12:5
Goals12:0
Nationalyears1:2007
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2007
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2009
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2010
Nationalcaps4:1
Nationalgoals4:0
Club-Update:1 July 2020

Stephen Obayan Sunday (born 17 September 1988), nicknamed Sunny, is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Early years

Born in Lagos, Sunny began his career in Nigeria with Ebedei and Jegede Babes. In 2003, he participated in two youth championships in Sweden and Spain: in the latter he appeared in Madrid's third edition of the Annual Immigrants World Cup, where he impressed so much he was given a five-year contract with Polideportivo Ejido, in the Segunda División.[2]

Valencia

Sunny became a regular player for the Andalusia team, making 65 competitive appearances during his two-year spell and signing for Valencia in the summer, but after one season where he was scarcely used, he was loaned to fellow La Liga club Osasuna.[3] In late January 2009, he was linked with a move to England's Portsmouth, but the deal eventually collapsed due to financial complications.[4]

On 30 June 2009, after a season which was marred by injury,[5] Sunny was loaned to Betis for one year with a view to a permanent four-year move.[6] [7] He also appeared rarely during the second-tier campaign, as the Verdiblancos failed to return to the top flight (seven matches out of 42).[8]

In July 2010, Sunny had a trial in England with newly promoted Premier League side Blackpool, playing in a pre-season friendly against Crewe Alexandra on 27 July[9] and four days later against Bristol City, but nothing came of it.

Numancia

Sunny spent the first months of the new season training on his own, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Valencia manager Unai Emery.[10] On 19 January 2011 he was again loaned, moving to Numancia from division two.[11]

In the following two years, still in that tier and already as a permanent signing,[12] Sunny was first-choice for the Sorians.[13] [14] On 11 May 2011 he scored his first goal as a senior, netting the 2–1 winner away against Albacete.[15]

Bnei Sakhnin / CSKA Sofia

On 30 July 2013, Sunny signed a two-year contract with Israeli club Bnei Sakhnin.[16] On 3 January of the following year, he moved teams and countries again, joining Bulgaria's CSKA Sofia after agreeing to a two-and-a-half-year deal.[17]

Real Salt Lake

After starting out the season in Turkey with Alanyaspor, Sunny joined Real Salt Lake on 21 January 2016.[18] He scored his first Major League Soccer goal on 12 March, helping to a 2–1 home defeat of Seattle Sounders FC.[19]

Sunny was released following the 2018 campaign.[20]

Pafos

In July 2019, Sunny signed for Cypriot First Division club Pafos.[21]

International career

Sunday, who was born in Nigeria, was eligible to play for Spain under FIFA rules allowing players with dual nationality and without full international caps to switch allegiance before the age of 21. After first appearing for the under-19 side, he was called up by his adopted nation to the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada,[22] [23] playing four games as the team exited in the quarter-finals.[24]

In September 2010, Sunny was called up for Nigeria's 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Guinea scheduled for the following month.[25] He made his debut in that game as a starter, in a 1–0 loss in Conakry.[26]

Honours

Valencia

2007–08[27] [28] [29]

Notes and References

  1. News: Sunday Stephen. El Mundo. es. 12 November 2021.
  2. Web site: Stephen's Latin love. BBC Sport. Oluwashina. Okeleji. 20 March 2007. 7 April 2009.
  3. News: El Valencia cede a Sunny al Osasuna por una temporada. Valencia loan Sunny to Osasuna for one season. El País. es. 27 June 2008. 26 September 2019.
  4. Web site: Sunny no-go for Pompey. Sky Sports. 28 January 2009. 7 April 2009.
  5. Web site: Sunny: "En Osasuna jugué poco, pero fue por sufrir varias lesiones". Sunny: "I played little at Osasuna, but it was because I suffered several injuries". Navarra Sport. es. 14 July 2009. 1 June 2016.
  6. News: Sunny jugará cedido en el Betis con opción de compra. Sunny will play on loan to Betis with an option to buy. Marca. es. 30 June 2009. 1 June 2016.
  7. News: Sunny, cuarto refuerzo verdiblanco, se suma a la causa del ascenso y de la unión. Sunny, fourth green-and-white addition, joins promotion and unity cause. ABC. Madrid. José. Iglesias. es. 15 July 2009. 1 June 2016.
  8. News: ¿Qué fue de... Sunny Sunday?. What happened to... Sunny Sunday?. Super Deporte. es. 27 September 2021. 12 November 2021.
  9. News: Valencia star joins Blackpool for trial. Blackpool Gazette. 28 July 2010. 28 July 2010.
  10. News: Viana y Sunny, primeros descartes. Viana and Sunny, first ones discarded. Las Provincias. Joaquín. Ballesta. es. 20 July 2010. 1 June 2016.
  11. News: El Numancia se refuerza con los cedidos Ion Vélez y Sunny. Numancia bolster with loaned Ion Vélez and Sunny. Marca. es. 19 January 2011. 15 January 2014.
  12. Web site: Mercado: Sunny se desvincula del Valencia y el Numancia le ficha como agente libre. Market: Sunny cuts ties with Valencia and Numancia sign him as a free agent. Goal. José Luis. Escarabajano. es. 14 July 2011. 15 January 2014.
  13. News: Sunny, titular para la 'vendetta' de Alcorcón. Sunny, starter for Alcorcón 'vendetta'. Diario AS. Aimara. Garteizgoxeascoa Gil. es. 21 January 2012. 15 January 2014.
  14. News: Breve enciclopedia numantina. Brief numantina encyclopedia. Desde Soria. es. 29 May 2013. 16 October 2019.
  15. News: 1–2. El Albacete desciende tras caer ante el Numancia. 1–2. Albacete relegated after falling to Numancia. ABC. es. 11 May 2011. 29 August 2019.
  16. Web site: Presenting: the 2013/14 Israeli Premier League. Maccabi Tel Aviv. 19 August 2013. 26 August 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131014000825/http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/en/news/news-articles/presenting-the-season-2013/14-israeli-premier-league/. 14 October 2013.
  17. Web site: Съни вече е футболист на ЦСКА, подписа за 2,5 години. Sunny is now a CSKA player, he signed for 2,5 years. Gong.bg. bg. 3 January 2014. 3 January 2014.
  18. Web site: Real Salt Lake signs Nigerian MF Sunday Stephen Obayan. Real Salt Lake. 21 January 2016. 21 January 2016.
  19. News: Post-match quotes: Real Salt Lake 2, Seattle Sounders 1. The Seattle Times. Matt. Pentz. 12 March 2016. 1 June 2016.
  20. News: Sunday 'Sunny' Stephen says he is parting ways with Real Salt Lake. The Salt Lake Tribune. Alex. Vejar. 20 November 2018. 13 January 2019.
  21. Web site: Sunny welcome. Pafos FC. 6 July 2019. 15 July 2019.
  22. Web site: Sunny, el centrocampista español que llegó de África. Sunny, the Spanish midfielder who came from Africa. FIFA. es. 4 July 2007. 1 June 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160625121439/http://es.fifa.com/u20worldcup/news/y=2007/m=7/news=sunny-centrocampista-espanol-que-llego-africa-544808.html. 25 June 2016.
  23. News: Empieza la sucesión de Messi. Messi's succession begins. Mundo Deportivo. Aquiles. Furlone. es. 30 June 2007. 24 June 2014.
  24. Web site: 2007, Mundial sub'20 (y III): Una dura caída. 2007, Under-20 World Cup (and III): A hard fall. Recuerdos de Nigeria. es. 17 August 2009. 1 June 2016.
  25. Web site: Taye Taiwo gets Nigeria recall, Danny Shittu dropped. Kick Off. 23 September 2010. 24 September 2010.
  26. Web site: Guinea 1–0 Nigeria: Syli Nationale clip Super Eagles' wings. Goal. Lolade. Adewuyi. 10 October 2010. 12 November 2021.
  27. News: El Valencia respira en Irún. Valencia take a breather in Irún. Marca. es. 19 December 2007. 27 January 2018.
  28. News: El Valencia se agarra a la Copa gracias a Joaquín. Valencia hold on to Cup thanks to Joaquín. Marca. es. 9 January 2008. 27 January 2018.
  29. News: El Valencia vuelve a ganar y se medirá al Atlético en cuartos. Valencia win again and will take on Atlético in last eight. Marca. es. 17 January 2008. 27 January 2018.

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