Jordan Torunarigha is one of three new players invited to represent Nigeria internationally in September 2023.
He has been an outstanding player for his club Gent since his arrival in the Belgian Pro League.
Read and learn more about this Nigerian defender who used to be a striker in the early days of his football career.
Get to know his salary, net worth and Nigerian musicians he likes.
Jordan Torunarigha biography
Jordan Torunarigha was born on 7 August 1997 in Chemnitz, Germany to Nigerian parents.
He became a professional footballer who started his career at Hertha Berlin youth team as a striker but now plays as a defender for Belgian Pro League club Gent.
He is the son of former footballer Ojokojo Torunarigha and the brother of current footballer Junior Torunarigha.
He represented Germany at various youth levels before switching nationality to represent the Nigeria national team, the Super Eagles, in June 2023.
Jordan Torunarigha club career
Early career
Born in Chemnitz, Torunarigha joined Hertha BSC as a child in 2006 and signed his first professional contract on 19 December 2016.
Interestingly, he used to play as a striker before Hertha's U-15 coach Ante Čović had the idea to make him switch into a defender, a decision that has gone well for the player.
Hertha Berlin
After impressing in the under-age team of Hertha Berlin, he graduated into the first team. Torunarigha made his debut for the first team on 4 February 2017, coming on as a 90th-minute substitute in a 1-0 win over FC Ingolstadt.
He later made his first start for the Hertha side on 5 April 2017 against Borussia Mönchengladbach, starting at left back following illness to Marvin Plattenhardt and suspension for Maximilian Mittelstädt.
Torunarigha netted his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Darmstadt on 13 May 2017, sending Hertha up to 5th in the table with one match remaining.
Loan to Gent
On 28 January 2022, Torunarigha joined Gent in the Belgian Pro League on loan and made 8 appearances in the next four months before the season ended.
Gent
On 19 July 2022, Torunarigha joined Gent on a permanent basis, signing a three year deal.
His permanent move was as a result of his solid performances for the club while on loan.
The player made 34 league appearances for Gent in the 2022/23 season with three goals to his name.
Jordan Torunarigha international career
In May 2018, after representing Germany at youth international level, he turned down the opportunity to represent Nigeria.
However, in June 2023, he announced he had switched allegiance to represent the Nigeria national team.
In an interview, Torunarigha expressed his happiness in being able to follow in the footsteps of his father, who played for the Nigerian national team.
“I’ve given it a lot of thought. My father’s involvement with the Nigerian national team brings me great joy as I strive to follow in their footsteps.”
In September 2023, Torunarigha's dream came to pass as he was called up to the 23-man Super Eagles squad to face Sao Tome and Principe in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on 10 September.
Jordan Torunarigha salary
Jordan Torunarigha earns £11,000 per week and £572,000 per year playing for Gent as a defender.
Jordan Torunarigha net worth
Jordan Torunarigha's net worth is estimated to be around £4 million. As his football career continues to grow, so will his net worth.
Jordan Torunarigha personal life
Torunarigha is a lover of Nigerian music even though he hasn't visited the country since he was born, this will soon change anyway since he will be playing for the Super Eagles.
The player admitted to listening to songs from Nigerian biggest musicians like Burna Boy, Wizkid and Davido.
In 2021, Torunarigha appeared in Schwarze Adler, a documentary detailing the experiences of Black players in German professional football.
Jordan Torunarigha achievements
- Belgian Cup winner in 2021/22 season
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago