Gift Orban: How Nigeria and Lyon Striker Escaped Poverty Through Football

• Gift Orban has opened up on how football helped him escape poverty
• The Lyon striker left Nigeria at age 19 in pursuit of his football career
• Orban sealed his biggest career move last summer when he joined Lyon

Gift Orban did not have an easy route to the top as the Lyon striker had to battle so many obstacles including poverty before reaching the pinnacle of football.

Growing up in Nigeria, the 21-year-old forward was part of the 12% of the world’s population living in extreme poverty that resided in Nigeria as he had no hopes of making it aside through football.

According to Get Football, Orban left Nigeria at the age of 19 to sign for Norwegian outfit Stabaek, and the striker has in two years turned his fortunes around for the better.

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” I can’t explain it because you can’t understand. You were born in Europe, it’s not like being born in Africa. If you’re poor in France, the state can help you, charities can help you and take care of you.

“In Africa, no one gives you anything and you die of hunger. That’s why we all want to play football.”

Orban built a reputation as a fantastic goalscorer in Norway that earned him a move one year later to Genk where he scored a whopping 32 goals in 52 appearances.

How Orban used poverty as determination

Meanwhile, Orban has maintained that living in poverty helped in shaping up in successful football career as he had to be determined to excel in his football career.

“There is poor in Europe and poor in Africa. You can’t compare, it’ll never be the same. You need to have lived it like I have. You get up in the morning and you find nothing to eat, don’t ask me to go into detail.

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“Where I grew up, if you’re in a poor family, life is impossible. That’s what gives you determination, you don’t want to relive that. You had to find food every day. Now, I want to succeed in life in order to be able to help.”

Orban moved to Lyon in the January transfer window after one year and six months with Genk and has scored just once for the French giants so far.

Ex-Arsenal star backs Orban

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Alexandre Lacazette has voiced his support for Orban, highlighting his belief that the Nigerian striker is aiming to regain his goal-scoring form for Lyon.

The 21-year-old forward has failed to hit his stride at the Ligue 1 club, which has since led to a flurry of criticism being meted out to him.