MLS FC Cincinnati

Cardinal Land Conservancy Names Newborn Eaglet After Midfielder Obinna Nwobodo

Published on April 22, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Cincinnati News Release


Cardinal Land Conservancy and FC Cincinnati announced today that one of the conservancy's newborn eaglets has been named after FC Cincinnati midfielder Obinna Nwobodo.

"Thank you to the fan and the organization for this," said Nwobodo. "It's an honor to see this eagle named after me, and it's great to see what they are doing for animals."

An anonymous donor and FC Cincinnati fan reached out to the conservancy about naming one of the birds after the Nigerian Designated Player, and after describing what a kind, humble and talent player he is, the name stuck. "Obi" is now the name of the largest eaglet, after Nwobodo's nickname.

"Eagles have their fair share of struggles," said Lauren Stanula, Development Manager for Cardinal Land Conservancy. "It takes a strong will, competitive nature, and a lot of parental support to be able to survive. When we learned about Obinna's story through a passionate Eagle Cam and FCC fan, we knew that Obi was the perfect name for one of our eaglets."

Just last year Bonnie and Clyde laid three eggs, but only one eaglet survived to fledge. Cardinal has streamed the lives of bald eagles Bonnie and Clyde at the Bortz Family Nature Preserve for two years now. This is the first year that the organization asked for name submissions, and there were over 100 that came in with interesting and inspiring stories behind them.

A very passionate fan of both the Eagle Cam and FCC made Cardinal aware of Obinna, and after learning about his humble beginnings, journey to Cincinnati, there were many similarities between Obi and the eagles. The Nigerian national team is nicknamed the Super Eagles, which further ties into the conservancy's naming of the bird.

This season, Nwobodo picked up where he left off in 2022, and he's added some tools to his arsenal. In addition to his relentless defensive work rate, Nwobodo scored his first goal for the Orange and Blue in the club's home opener against Houston Dynamo FC. He was named to MLS' Team of the Matchday 1 after his performance.

FC Cincinnati acquired Nwobodo from Göztepe S.K. of the Turkish Süper Lig via transfer on April 13, 2022. Nwobodo joined the club as a Designated Player and made an immediate impact for the Orange and Blue. He made 24 appearances last season, including 23 starts, in his first season in MLS. He contributed two assists as a defensive midfield staple for the Orange and Blue. He ranked fourth in MLS in tackles (100).

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