Former Golden Eaglets striker Yusuf Otubanjo is living the dream in Armenia, adding another feather to his goal record in the European country by becoming the highest-scoring foreigner in the history of the Armenian topflight, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Pyunik striker scored his 87th league goal in their 3-1 away win over Gandzazer in the league last Saturday, to move past former Brazil international Marcos Pizzelli on the foreigners chart.
Otunbanj, 32, achieved this feat in five years, having played for Ararat Armenia between 2020 and 2022 before joining the most successful club, Pyunik.
“It’s really amazing to know I am the best foreign goal scorer in Armenia, though I have made some records but not expecting this one to be among them. It feels so nice to achieve this and show the good grace of God on my talent,” the striker told PUNCH Sports Extra.
The Ijebu Ode-born striker featured for Nigeria at the youth level, prominently as a member of the 2009 U-17 set which won silver on home soil.
He has 159 goals and 51 assists in 336 games for different clubs Austria, Slovakia and Armenia. He has also won three league titles, two in Armenia and one in Slovakia.
This season, he has 13 goals and sits joint-second on the goal chart, six goals behind leader Goncalo Gregorio of league leaders Noah.
Despite finding his feet in Europe, he hasn’t featured for the senior national team.
Perhaps his absence on the international football scene is the catalyst for his concentrated club career but the player, in an exclusive interview with PUNCH Sports Extra, revealed that he has always had his eyes on the national team with his performances in Europe.
“You can’t imagine the kind of target I set for myself. I felt if I tried to be the highest goal scorer that they would look at me, which I achieved at some point. I’ve always been like if I do well wherever I am, I will get a chance and when my team won the league and played in the Champions League qualifiers and I also scored in the Conference League recently, I felt it was an opportunity for me to be seen but at the end of the day, nobody came calling.”
Now topping the foreigners list, the 32-year-old is 13 goals away from entering the league’s club 100, although the all-time highest goal scorer record is a bit far with former Armenian footballer, Arsen Avetisyan topping the chart with 197 goals.
“It’s been five years in this country and the record and history made so far are amazing, I am praying it continues in good grace. You never can tell how many more years I have here or how many more goals I will score.
The reigning champions Pyunik are currently fourth in the league with 47 points after 24 matches, but the striker has stated his desire to win the league again with the 16-time champions.
“The standard of the league has advanced and there are more players but I want to win the league again and also win the highest goal scorer award because those are what separates the boys from the men. In terms of ambition, I don’t believe age slows anyone down, it’s a matter of your body. There are players younger than I am who have retired. I just want to keep going.”
