Paul Onuachu biography: Age, net worth, salary, career goals, wife & children

Paul Onuachu has built a career that has taken him from youth football in Nigeria to league titles in Denmark and Belgium, the Premier League in England and a prolific spell in Turkey, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 32-year-old striker is now back at Trabzonspor, where he finished the 2025-26 Turkish Süper Lig season as joint top scorer with 22 goals. He also scored twice in the 2026 Turkish Cup final as Trabzonspor beat Konyaspor 2-1 on May 22.

At 2.01 metres, or about 6 feet 7 inches, Onuachu is one of the tallest high-level Nigerian footballers. His height is striking, but his career has been built on more than winning headers. His movement, finishing and ability to bring teammates into play have made him a valuable striker in several European leagues.

Paul Onuachu age and background

Ebere Paul Onuachu was born on May 28, 1994, in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. He is 32 years old as of September 2026.

His route into professional football was unusual. As a youngster in Lagos, he initially played as an attacking midfielder. His rapid growth created a problem because his coaches were unsure where his increasing height would fit. Young Stars Academy coach Osahon Emokpae said that the staff considered using him in midfield, defence or attack before deciding that striker was the best position for his size and technical ability.

Churchill Oliseh, the founder of FC Ebedei, later spotted him. Ebedei, based in Sagamu, Ogun State, had a link with Danish club FC Midtjylland. Onuachu attended Golden Gate College in Sagamu while developing at the academy. He finished his O Levels with seven credits before moving to Denmark in 2012. That move changed his career.

Is Paul Onuachu the tallest Nigerian footballer?

Onuachu is certainly among the tallest Nigerian footballers on record and is generally listed at 2.01m, or 6 feet 7 inches. His height has produced spectacular moments. In 2020, Onuachu’s header against Antwerp was measured at 2.41m at its highest point.

Paul Onuachu career at FC Midtjylland

Onuachu joined FC Midtjylland in Denmark in 2012 from the club’s Nigerian partner, FC Ebedei. He progressed from the youth side into the senior team and made his league debut in December 2012. His first years were about learning the demands of European football.

The striker later became a major part of Midtjylland’s attack. He helped the club win the Danish Superliga in 2014-15 and 2017-18. He also won the Danish Cup in 2018-19.

One of his most famous Midtjylland moments came against Manchester United in the 2015-16 Europa League. On February 18, 2016, he scored the winning goal in a 2-1 home victory over United.

Paul Onuachu at Vejle

Midtjylland loaned Onuachu to Vejle in 2015.

He scored five league goals in 13 appearances during the loan spell before returning to Midtjylland. That period gave him more senior football and helped prepare him for a larger role in Denmark.

Paul Onuachu at Genk

Genk signed Onuachu from Midtjylland in August 2019. The Belgian club became the most productive stage of his career up to that point. He scored 79 league goals in 114 Belgian Pro League appearances.

His 2020-21 season was extraordinary. Onuachu scored 33 league goals in 38 matches. He finished as the Belgian league’s top scorer and helped Genk finish second. He also scored in the Belgian Cup final as Genk beat Standard Liège 2-1.

The awards followed. He was voted Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year for 2020-21 and won the Golden Bull as the league’s top scorer. He then won the 2021 Belgian Golden Shoe, becoming the third Genk player after Branko Strupar and Wesley Sonck to receive the award.

He also won the Ebony Shoe, awarded to the best African player or player of African descent in Belgian football, becoming the first Nigerian to win the award in 25 years.

Genk’s official records say Onuachu scored 84 goals in 134 official matches for the club. His league record was 79 goals in 114 appearances.

Paul Onuachu at Southampton

Southampton signed Onuachu from Genk in January 2023. The move took him to the Premier League, a competition he had wanted to play in. Genk said Onuachu had repeatedly expressed his desire to play in England.

The move did not produce the numbers many expected. He made 11 Premier League appearances for Southampton in the second half of the 2022-23 season without scoring. He spent the following campaign on loan at Trabzonspor before returning to England.

In 2024-25, he scored four Premier League goals in 25 appearances for Southampton. His Southampton record finished at four goals in 36 league appearances.

Paul Onuachu at Trabzonspor

Trabzonspor changed the story. Onuachu joined the Turkish club on loan in September 2023 and scored 15 Süper Lig goals in 21 appearances. He added two goals in four Turkish Cup games, finishing his loan spell with 17 goals in 25 matches across competitions.

Trabzonspor then brought him back permanently in 2025 after his Southampton spell. The return produced the best league season of his Turkish career. Onuachu scored 22 goals in 30 Süper Lig matches during 2025-26, finishing joint top of the scoring chart with Başakşehir’s Eldor Shomurodov.

He also scored four goals in six Turkish Cup matches. The biggest night came in the final against Konyaspor on May 22. Onuachu scored in the 17th minute and again from the penalty spot in the 79th minute as Trabzonspor won 2-1. He was voted the match’s best player.

As of September, 2026, he is still a Trabzonspor player. His contract runs until June 2028.

How many career goals does Paul Onuachu have?

The clearest league breakdown is:

• Midtjylland: 51 league goals
• Vejle: 5
• Genk: 79
• Southampton: 4
• Trabzonspor: 39

That gives him 176 league goals across those senior spells.

He has also scored for Nigeria, taking his international total into the current stage of his career.

Paul Onuachu and the Super Eagles

Onuachu made his Nigeria debut against Egypt in Asaba on March 26, 2019. He scored inside the first minute, after the ball was played forward to the towering striker, who controlled the situation and fired into the far corner.

It was a dream international debut. His Nigeria career has been more difficult than his club career. He spent periods outside the starting XI as competition for places increased, particularly with the rise of Victor Osimhen, while injuries and changes in coaching also affected his opportunities.

He was part of Nigeria’s squad at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the 2023 tournament in Côte d’Ivoire and the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

At AFCON 2025, Onuachu scored against Uganda in Nigeria’s final group game. He struck in the 28th minute of the 3-1 win in Fès.

He also played in the semi-final against Morocco, where Nigeria lost 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw. Onuachu scored Nigeria’s first penalty in the shootout.

Nigeria later won the bronze medal by beating Egypt on penalties in Casablanca.

Paul Onuachu’s relationship with Victor Osimhen

Onuachu and Victor Osimhen are not simply rivals for the Nigeria No.9 shirt. They have also played together for the Super Eagles and faced each other in Turkey when Osimhen represented Galatasaray and Onuachu played for Trabzonspor.

Onuachu has described Osimhen as his brother and rejected the idea that their Turkish league scoring battle should create tension between them. In December 2025, he said they supported each other and celebrated each other’s goals.

The relationship also became important on the pitch. Nigeria started both strikers together against Uganda at AFCON 2025. Onuachu later explained that their understanding came from training together and knowing each other’s strengths. He said Osimhen’s ability to run behind defenders gave him more options as the deeper striker.

That combination offers Nigeria a different attacking shape from using either striker alone.

Paul Onuachu salary

Capology estimates Onuachu’s 2026-27 gross fixed salary at €2.5 million per year, or about €48,077 per week, before bonuses. Its estimate includes a further €630,000 in possible annual bonuses. A Trabzonspor salary report also puts his base pay at about €2.5m per season.

Trabzonspor’s official disclosure from his 2023-24 loan spell gives a more concrete historical figure. The club reported a guaranteed salary of €1.7425m for that season.

Paul Onuachu net worth

Paul Onuachu is a millionaire professional footballer, with an estimated net worth of around $5 million to $10 million, driven by his successful professional football career in Europe.

Does Paul Onuachu have a wife?

Yes. Onuachu married Ghanaian woman Tracy Acheampong in 2022.

The couple had been dating since his FC Midtjylland days. Onuachu proposed in Paris in January 2022. They held their wedding ceremony in Ghana before a second reception in Lagos.

Their relationship had already attracted attention because Onuachu is Nigerian while Tracy is Ghanaian. That produced an unusual subplot around Nigeria’s 2022 World Cup play-off against Ghana. Tracy supported Ghana while Onuachu supported Nigeria, but their relationship continued despite the football rivalry.

What language does Paul Onuachu speak?

English is the language clearly documented in Onuachu’s international and media career. He has conducted interviews in English and grew up in Nigeria before moving to Denmark as a teenager.

His Nigerian background also places him in an environment where Nigerian Pidgin, Igbo, and local languages are widely spoken.

Paul Onuachu awards and milestones

Onuachu’s major career achievements include:

• Two Danish Superliga titles with FC Midtjylland.
• Danish Cup winner with Midtjylland.
• Belgian Cup winner with Genk.
• 33-goal Belgian league season in 2020-21.
• Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year for 2020-21.
• Belgian league top scorer for 2020-21.
• 2021 Belgian Golden Shoe winner.
• 2021 Ebony Shoe winner.
• Turkish Süper Lig joint top scorer in 2025-26 with 22 goals.
• Turkish Cup winner with Trabzonspor in 2025-26.
• Two-goal performance in the 2026 Turkish Cup final.
• Nigeria’s bronze-medal finish at AFCON 2025.
• Goal on his Nigeria debut against Egypt in 2019.