Abiodun Agunbiade(born 2 January 1983) is a Nigerian former football player. He was a pacey and highly skillful dribbling midfielder that usually played on the right wing.
Abiodun was born on 2 January 1983 in Zaria, Nigeria. He began playing football in 1998 at Plateau United, with whom he won the 1999 Nigeria Federation Cup.
He joined Sporting Braga, making his Primeira Liga debut on 19 May 2001 when coach Manuel Cajuda sent him at half-time to replace Boher Samson in a 1âÂÂ0 away loss to Farense. In his following game, Abiodun scored his first goal in a 5âÂÂ3 home loss to Leiria. In the next two seasons, he played regularly for Braga, scoring two more goals, the first in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Benfica in March 2002 and the second in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Moreirense played in February 2003. Over the course of three seasons, he made a total of 52 Primeira Liga appearances with three goals scored for Braga. During the same period, Abiodun also played 50 games and scored 18 goals for Braga's B squad in the third league. Subsequently, he spent the 2003âÂÂ04 season at Naval in the Portuguese second league.
Abiodun went to play for Romanian side, NaÃÂional BucureÃÂti, making his Liga I debut under coach Cosmin OlÃÂroiu on 31 July 2004 in a 2âÂÂ1 home win over FC BraÃÂov. In the following round, he scored his first goal in the league when he opened the score in a 4âÂÂ1 away victory against Politehnica TimiÃÂoara. In the following season, he scored two goals in two away wins over Gloria BistriÃÂa and ArgeàPiteÃÂti. The team also reached the 2006 Cupa României final where coach Cristiano Bergodi used him the entire match in the 1âÂÂ0 loss to Rapid BucureÃÂti.
Between the summer of 2006 and February 2007, Abiodun and teammate Wayne Srhoj didn't play a single official game, as they claimed their contract with NaÃÂional had run out at the end of the 2005âÂÂ06 season. After seven months of controversial court hearings and delays, the final decision favored the players who then signed with Politehnica TimiÃÂoara. In his first season with Politehnica, he reached the 2007 Cupa României final, being used for the full 90 minutes by coach Valentin Velcea in the 2âÂÂ0 loss to Rapid BucureÃÂti. In the following season, Abiodun played regularly for the team, scoring three goals in three league victories against Gloria BistriÃÂa, Pandurii Târgu Jiu and in the West derby against UTA Arad. In his last season spent with Politehnica, the team finished runner-up in the league and in the Cupa României, but this time coach Velcea did not use him in the final. He also made his only appearance in European competitions, playing in a 2âÂÂ1 home loss to Partizan Belgrade in the 2008âÂÂ09 UEFA Cup first round. In 2009, Abiodun signed with InternaÃÂional Curtea de Argeàwhere on 16 March 2010, he played his last Liga I match in a 2âÂÂ1 away win over FC BraÃÂov, having a total of 103 appearances with six goals scored in the competition.
In 2010, Abiodun joined Northern Cyprus side, ÃÂetinkaya Türk with whom he won the domestic cup in 2011. Afterwards, Abiodun returned to Portugal, concluding his career with three seasons spent in the third league at Merelinense and CD Celeirós.
Abiodun played one friendly match for Nigeria on 16 November 2005, when coach Daniel Amokachi used him as a starter in a 3âÂÂ0 loss to Romania.
Plateau United
NaÃÂional BucureÃÂti
Politehnica TimiÃÂoara
ÃÂetinkaya Türk