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| Photo credit: Joel Chukwuma Obi on the Super Eagles logo Jersey |
Former Nigeria international Joel Chukwuma Obi has retired from professional football and begun a coaching career as assistant manager at Italian club Vis Pesaro.
The transition took place in May 2026. Records show Obi retired on May 12, 2026, with Vis Pesaro listed as his last club. The Serie C side has retained him on its technical staff as assistant manager of the first team. At 35, the move marks the end of a playing career that spanned more than 15 years in Italy and abroad.
Obi was born in Lagos on May 22, 1991 and came through Inter Milan's youth system from 2005 to 2010. A midfielder by position, he broke into Inter's senior team in 2010, making 50 league appearances for the club and playing in the Champions League and Europa League.
He was part of the Inter squad that won the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and FIFA Club World Cup. After Inter, he had spells at Torino, Chievo Verona, Salernitana and Reggina, with loan stints at Parma and Turkey's Alanyaspor. He joined Vis Pesaro in January 2024 and made 17 league appearances for the club in 2024-2025.
At international level, Obi represented Nigeria between 2011 and 2018, earning 17 caps. He made his debut in 2011 and was named in Nigeria's 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
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