Rivers United's players: owner, stadium, coach, trophies, world rankings

Rivers United's players: owner, stadium, coach, trophies, world rankings

Claudia Kogi
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:55 PM

Rivers United's players are a known group of players who play in the professional football club based in Port Harcourt, Rivers United Football Club. They have participated in the highest level of Nigerian domestic football, the Nigerian Professional Football League. However, the question is, do you know the deeper details about the team?

Rivers United
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The football club has remained in the top flight since its debut in the soccer arena. Does the football club have a nickname? Yes, it does. The players are often dubbed The Pride of Rivers. Have a look at this article and find more information about Rivers United's players, including details about their head coach and captain.

Rivers United FC's profile summary

  • Full name: Rivers United Football Club
  • Nickname: The Pride of Rivers
  • Founded: 2016
  • Colours: Blue
  • Federation: CAF
  • Head coach: Stanely Eguma
  • Captain: Festus Austin
  • Top scorer: Ishaq Kayode Rafiu (9)
  • Stadium: Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
  • Instagram: @riversunitedfc
  • Twitter: @riversunited_fc

Rivers United FC's history

The team was founded in 2016 after the River State government received permission to merge the Dolphins and Sharks Football Clubs. The merging occurred following the difficulties they had in finances off the pitch. As a result, The Pride of Rivers' crest consists of both a shark and a dolphin.

The team rose to stardom following their performance in the 2016 Nigerian Premier League in which they took second place and qualified for the 2017 CAF Champions League for the first time. But were these the only Rivers United FC's achievements? Not at all.

Rivers United FC history
The players pose for a photo in Kaduna in preparation of a match against Katsina United Football Club. Photo: @riversunitedfc
Source: Instagram

It experienced a four-goal second-leg win over AS Bamako, Mali's player, with Esosa Igbinoba and Bernard Ovoke each scoring braces, thus putting The Pride of Rivers past the preliminaries round. However, the team was eliminated by Sudan's Al-Merrikh 4-3 on aggregate in the first round after losing a 3-0 during the first round.

Rivers United's management

The team is managed by quite a good number of staff members. For starters, who is Rivers United's coach? The team has Stanely Eguma, who is regarded among Rivers United's legends. Recently in an interview after The Pride of Rivers players won against Dakkada FC with a 2-1, Stanely Eguma stated,

At the end of the last season, the excellent recruitment process has contributed mainly to the club's strong start in the current campaign after going two points clear at the top of the Nigeria Professional League.

He added:

I am happy to see the players replace very dependable guys at the end of the 2020/2021 league season.

Aside from the coach, other staff members are:

  • Okey Kpalukwu - Acting General Manager
  • Albert Chinwo - Welfare Secretary
  • Mayuku Charles - Media Officer

Who is Rivers United's captain?

The team has an able captain, Festus Austin, who in most cases, has proven to wish nothing but victory for the team. During the NPFL 2019/20, they effectively fought for the NPFL title with 45 points. They maintained the position after the points Per Game (PPG) formula was used by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to end the League with only 13 matches.

Rivers United fc's current squad
The players in motion during a match against the Kano Pillars soccer club. Photo: @riversunitedfc
Source: Instagram

Following this, the team's captain, Festus Austin, stated,

We thank God for everything, but our target was to win the league title for the governor because that is the only way we can pay back the state government.

He continued,

We are committed and determined to continue our impressive performance at the continental level as a team.

Who are the current Rivers United's players?

The list below contains Rivers United FC's current squad.

Goalkeepers

  • Akande Abiodun
  • Ospino Egbe
  • Drissa Bamba

Defenders

  • Konan N'Gouan
  • Azubuike Egwekwe
  • Kazie Enyinnaya
  • Chigozie Ihunda
  • Festus Austin (Captain)
  • Peter Ubakanma
  • Miazina Nwimueyii
  • Kunle Odunlami
  • Temple Emekayi
  • Joshua Akhabue

Midfielders

  • Justice Charles
  • Nasiru Auwalu
  • Bright Onyedikachi
  • Joseph Abiodun
  • Lookman Binuyo
  • Orji Kalu
  • Bamba Bakary
  • Shuji Oshobe
  • Michael Enaruna
  • Obomate Fredrick
  • Cletus Emotan
  • Onyeali Ifeanyi
  • Christian Weli
  • Victor Chidume
  • Esor Nelson
  • Patrick Kingsley

Forwards

  • Analaba Uchechukwu
  • Ogbonna Onuoha
  • Junior Osaghae
  • Fortune Omoniwari
  • Malachi Ohawume

Rivers United FC's stadium

Their home stadium is the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, formerly known as the Liberation Stadium in Elekahia. The stadium is big enough to hold a seating capacity of 30,000.

Who is Rivers United's owner?

While the team is a merge of two other groups, Dolphins and Sharks Football Clubs, details about the actual ownership of the team are not yet disclosed. The team's general manager, Okey Kpalukwu, is the most pronounced staff member in the management. In an interview with Goal, Kpalukwu stated,

Anyone associating with Rivers United understands that we always strive for excellence at all times.

It was evident enough that he wished nothing but victory and success for the team.

Rivers United's owner
A photo of the players after losing in a match Katsina United Football Club. Photo: @riversunitedfc
Source: Instagram

Has Rivers United FC won any trophies?

Unfortunately, the team has not yet won any trophies. Neither have they participated in any FIFA competitions as they are still a sub-team of the Nigerian National Football Team. That said, Rivers United FC does not appear in world ranking tables.

Social media presence

Is Rivers United FC on Instagram? Yes! The team is on Instagram with the handle @riversunitedfc. As of February 2022, the team has amassed over 5k followers on the platform. So even though they have not garnered massive fan bases, it is still a good share fans for a sub-team.

Who won the last match between Rivers United and Sunshine Stars?

The recent match was against the Sunshine Stars during the Professional Football League. However, the game ended with 1-0, having the Sunshine Stars winning the match.

It is always the dream of Rivers United's players to participate in big competitions. Even though the team is still rising, the players' optimism is at par, for they believe they will soon be a sought-after football club in the soccer arena.

READ ALSO: DR Congo national football team: players, coach, world rankings, AFCON, nickname

Meanwhile, Sportsbrief.com has recently reported about DR Congo national football team. DR Congo football team, formerly known as Zaire and Congo Kinshasa, is a team that represents the Democratic Republic of the Congo in men's football.

The team is a member of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football. So when was the Congo team founded? If you want to find more information, including details about its current world rankings, coach, captain, players, and participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, read here!

Authors
Claudia Kogi photo
Claudia Kogi
Claudia Kogi is a Kenyan content creator with over 3 years of experience. Claudia joined Sportsbrief.com as a writer in January 2022, covering sports and relatable content.