# Bartholomew Ogbeche

Bartholomew Owogbalor Ogbeche (born 1 October 1984) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He was the all-time top scorer in Indian Super League history until 2024.
Having started his career in France with Paris Saint-Germain, he played his club football in the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Greece, England, the Netherlands and India. He is the all-time top scorer for Hyderabad in the Indian Super League, having previously held the top scorer position for NorthEast United and Kerala Blasters.
Ogbeche represented Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup.

## Club career

Ogbeche was born in Ogoja. Still a youngster, he was signed by French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain, making his debut with the main squad during the 2001–02 season. However, he failed to settle, also suffering a thigh injury and serving two six-month loans to fellow league sides Bastia and Metz; for the former, he scored in a 4–1 home win against Marseille on 7 March 2004– the Corsicans secured their top-flight status, and he left PSG for good in June 2005.
After a brief time in the United Arab Emirates, Ogbeche moved to Spain, first with Alavés in Segunda División. Although he posted good individual numbers, the Basque team failed to return to La Liga but he joined another club in the former tier, Real Valladolid, making his debut on 26 August 2007 in a 1–0 away victory over Espanyol (12 minutes played).
In late August 2009, after two seasons of intermittent use, Ogbeche arranged a one-year deal with Andalusia's Cádiz of the second division. He finished the campaign as team top scorer, but they finished in 19th position and were relegated.
After one year in Greece with Kavala, Ogbeche joined Football League Championship side Middlesbrough on 18 October 2011, signing until the end of the season. He scored his first goal for his new club on 17 December, against Cardiff City in a 3–2 away win. On 5 March 2012, he came on as a substitute towards the end of the home game against Barnsley, lobbing the ball over Luke Steele for the final 2–0.
Ogbeche moved clubs and countries again in January 2014, signing for Cambuur in the Netherlands after a very brief spell back in Spain with Xerez. He scored once and provided an assist in his Eredivisie debut, helping to a 3–1 home defeat of Heerenveen.
On 25 August 2018, Ogbeche joined NorthEast United. He made his Indian Super League debut on 1 October, scoring once in the 2–2 draw against Goa. Later that month, he became the first player to manage a hat-trick during the campaign after achieving the feat in ten minutes away to Chennaiyin.
Ogbeche continued competing in the Indian top division the following years, with Kerala Blasters (becoming their all-time top scorer but being surpassed by Dimitrios Diamantakos in November 2023), Mumbai City and Hyderabad. On 31 January 2022, following a brace against NorthEast United, he became the competition's all-time top scorer at 49 goals; Hyderabad eventually won the championship, and he was also crowned top scorer.
On 29 September 2024, Sunil Chhetri scored his 64th ISL goal to surpass Ogbeche as the first in that individual department. The latter had announced his retirement aged 39 the previous year.

## International career

A Nigerian international from the age of 17, Ogbeche was selected for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and appeared in two matches in a group-stage exit. He scored two of his three goals for the national side on 29 May 2004, in a 3–0 friendly win against the Republic of Ireland held in Charlton, London.

## Career statistics
### Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2001–02 | Division 1 | 21 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 5 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2002–03 | Ligue 1 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2003–04 | Ligue 1 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2004–05 | Ligue 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 1 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | Total | Total | 57 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 76 | 8 |
| Bastia (loan) | 2003–04 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 2 |
| Metz (loan) | 2004–05 | Ligue 1 | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Al Jazira | 2005–06 | UAE Football League | 16 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 5 |
| Alavés | 2006–07 | Segunda División | 29 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 31 | 5 |
| Valladolid | 2007–08 | La Liga | 19 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 23 | 3 |
| Valladolid | 2008–09 | La Liga | 16 | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 3 |
| Valladolid | Total | Total | 35 | 3 | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 43 | 6 |
| Cádiz | 2009–10 | Segunda División | 28 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | 9 |
| Kavala | 2010–11 | Super League Greece | 19 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 2 |
| Middlesbrough | 2011–12 | Championship | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 3 |
| Xerez | 2012–13 | Segunda División | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 |
| Cambuur | 2013–14 | Eredivisie | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 2 |
| Cambuur | 2014–15 | Eredivisie | 31 | 13 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 14 |
| Cambuur | 2015–16 | Eredivisie | 16 | 9 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 11 |
| Cambuur | Total | Total | 57 | 24 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 60 | 27 |
| Willem II | 2015–16 | Eredivisie | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| Willem II | 2016–17 | Eredivisie | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| Willem II | 2017–18 | Eredivisie | 20 | 10 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 23 | 11 |
| Willem II | Total | Total | 38 | 12 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 41 | 13 |
| NorthEast United | 2018–19 | Indian Super League | 18 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 12 |
| Kerala Blasters | 2019–20 | Indian Super League | 16 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 15 |
| Mumbai City | 2020–21 | Indian Super League | 23 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 8 |
| Hyderabad | 2021–22 | Indian Super League | 20 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 18 |
| Hyderabad | 2022–23 | Indian Super League | 21 | 10 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 27 | 15 |
| Hyderabad | Total | Total | 41 | 28 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 47 | 33 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 429 | 135 | 32 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 473 | 150 |
* ↑ Two appearances in Coupe de France, three appearances and one goal in Coupe de la Ligue
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Cup
* ↑ One appearance in Coupe de France, two appearances in Coupe de la Ligue
* ↑ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in Durand Cup

### International

Appearances and goals by national team, year and competition :
| Team | Year | Competitive | Competitive | Friendly | Friendly | Total | Total |
| Team | Year | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Nigeria | 2002 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Nigeria | 2004 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Career total | Career total | 5 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 3 |
* ↑ Appearances in FIFA World Cup
* ↑ Appeences in FIFA World Cup qualification
    Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ogbeche goal.
List of international goals scored by Bartholomew Ogbeche :
| No. | Cap | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 7 | 29 May 2004 | The Valley, London, England | Republic of Ireland | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 7 | 29 May 2004 | The Valley, London, England | Republic of Ireland | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 8 | 31 May 2004 | The Valley, London, England | Jamaica | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |

## Honours

Mumbai City
* Indian Super League: 2020–21
* Indian Super League Winners Shield: 2020–21
Hyderabad
* Indian Super League: 2021–22
Individual
* Indian Super League Golden Boot: 2021–22
* Indian Super League Hero of the Month: January 2022
* Indian Super League top scorer (63 goals)