Célia Okoyino da Mbabi
Encyclopedia
Célia Okoyino da Mbabi is a German
footballer. She plays as a midfielder
or a striker for SC 07 Bad Neuenahr
and the German national team
.
side SC 07 Bad Neuenahr
in 2004. She quickly became a regular starter and an important player for the club. In 2005, Okoyino da Mbabi received the Fritz Walter
medal in bronze as the year's third best female junior player. In March 2007, she suffered a fractured tibia
in a league game against FC Bayern Munich, which ended her season. She had been the division's top-scorer up until then.
had approached her, she became a German citizen at the beginning of 2004. Later that year, she was part of Germany's winning squad at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship
, scoring three goals in the group stage.
In January 2005, Okoyino da Mbabi made her debut for Germany's senior national team
against Australia. She scored her first goal in a friendly match against Canada in September 2006. A tibia fracture ruled her out for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. She was part of Germany’s squads claiming bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics
and winning the title at the 2009 European Championship, where she scored in the semi-final against Norway
. At both tournaments, she was a reserve player with limited playing time. Okoyino da Mbabi has been called-up for the German 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup squad.
, Germany, the daughter of a Cameroonian
father and a French
mother. Her name "da Mbabi" roughly means "(daughter) of Mbabi", while "Okoyino" derives from her father's grandmother. Because of her long name, she is the only women's Bundesliga
player with only her first name on her jersey. However, in the national team, her full family name
is displayed.
In 2007, Okoyino da Mbabi graduated with the Abitur
diploma at the Friedrich-Ebert-Gymnasium in Bonn. Her majors were Sports and French. Since October 2009, she has been studying Cultural studies
at the University of Koblenz and Landau
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
footballer. She plays as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
or a striker for SC 07 Bad Neuenahr
SC 07 Bad Neuenahr
SC 07 Bad Neuenahr is a German football club from Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate. The best-known section within the club is its women's football team, which was founded in 1969 and won the German Championship in 1978...
and the German national team
Germany women's national football team
The German women's national football team represents Germany in international women's football and is directed by the German Football Association . The team – informally called West Germany in English – played its first international match in 1982...
.
Club
Célia Okoyino da Mbabi began her career at the age of five at TuS Germania Hersel, after her older brother had taken her to a training session. After several clubs at junior level, Okoyino da Mbabi joined the BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga (women)
The Women's Football Bundesliga is the main league competition for women's football in Germany. In 1990 the German Football Association created the German Women's Bundesliga, based on the model of the men's Bundesliga. It was first played with north and south divisions, but in 1997 the groups...
side SC 07 Bad Neuenahr
SC 07 Bad Neuenahr
SC 07 Bad Neuenahr is a German football club from Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate. The best-known section within the club is its women's football team, which was founded in 1969 and won the German Championship in 1978...
in 2004. She quickly became a regular starter and an important player for the club. In 2005, Okoyino da Mbabi received the Fritz Walter
Fritz Walter
Friedrich "Fritz" Walter was a German footballer. In his time with the German national team, he won 61 caps and scored 33 goals.-Early club career:...
medal in bronze as the year's third best female junior player. In March 2007, she suffered a fractured tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
in a league game against FC Bayern Munich, which ended her season. She had been the division's top-scorer up until then.
International
Okoyino da Mbabi held French citizenship through her mother. After the German Football AssociationGerman Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
had approached her, she became a German citizen at the beginning of 2004. Later that year, she was part of Germany's winning squad at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship
2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship
-Group B:---------------------Group C:--------------------- Knockout Map :-Quarterfinals:-------------Semifinals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-All star team:-Goalscorers:...
, scoring three goals in the group stage.
In January 2005, Okoyino da Mbabi made her debut for Germany's senior national team
Germany women's national football team
The German women's national football team represents Germany in international women's football and is directed by the German Football Association . The team – informally called West Germany in English – played its first international match in 1982...
against Australia. She scored her first goal in a friendly match against Canada in September 2006. A tibia fracture ruled her out for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. She was part of Germany’s squads claiming bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held in Beijing and several other cities in the People's Republic of China from 6 August to 23 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-23 teams to participate...
and winning the title at the 2009 European Championship, where she scored in the semi-final against Norway
Norway women's national football team
The Norway women's national football team represents Norway in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, are former European, World and Olympic champions and thus one of the most successful national teams...
. At both tournaments, she was a reserve player with limited playing time. Okoyino da Mbabi has been called-up for the German 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup squad.
Personal life
Okoyino da Mbabi was born in BonnBonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Germany, the daughter of a Cameroonian
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
father and a French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
mother. Her name "da Mbabi" roughly means "(daughter) of Mbabi", while "Okoyino" derives from her father's grandmother. Because of her long name, she is the only women's Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga (women)
The Women's Football Bundesliga is the main league competition for women's football in Germany. In 1990 the German Football Association created the German Women's Bundesliga, based on the model of the men's Bundesliga. It was first played with north and south divisions, but in 1997 the groups...
player with only her first name on her jersey. However, in the national team, her full family name
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
is displayed.
In 2007, Okoyino da Mbabi graduated with the Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
diploma at the Friedrich-Ebert-Gymnasium in Bonn. Her majors were Sports and French. Since October 2009, she has been studying Cultural studies
Cultural studies
Cultural studies is an academic field grounded in critical theory and literary criticism. It generally concerns the political nature of contemporary culture, as well as its historical foundations, conflicts, and defining traits. It is, to this extent, largely distinguished from cultural...
at the University of Koblenz and Landau
University of Koblenz and Landau
The University of Koblenz-Landau is a university located in Koblenz and Landau, Germany. It was founded in 1990.-History and profile:...
.
Honours
International
- UEFA European ChampionshipUEFA Women's ChampionshipThe UEFA European Women's Championship, also called the UEFA Women's Euro and unofficially the "European Cup", held every fourth year, is the main competition in women's association football between national teams of the UEFA Confederation...
: Winner (1) 2009 - Olympic bronze medalFootball at the Summer OlympicsAssociation football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:...
: (1) 2008Football at the 2008 Summer OlympicsFootball at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held in Beijing and several other cities in the People's Republic of China from 6 August to 23 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-23 teams to participate... - U-19 Women's World Championship: Winner (1) 20042004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship-Group B:---------------------Group C:--------------------- Knockout Map :-Quarterfinals:-------------Semifinals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-All star team:-Goalscorers:...
External links
- Profile at the German Football Federation
- Profile at Weltfussball.de
- http://www.facebook.com/CeliaOkoyinodaMbabi Official Facebook Page