View source for Mercy Akide

{{Short description|Nigerian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Mercy Akide
| image          = 
| caption        = 
| fullname       = Mercy Joy Akide Udoh
| birth_name     = Mercy Joy Akide<ref>{{Olympedia}}</ref>
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1975|08|26|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = [[Port Harcourt]], [[Nigeria]]
| height         = 1.81 m
| position       = [[Midfielder]]
| youthyears1    = 
| youthclubs1    = 
| collegeyears1  = 1999
| college1       = [[Milligan Buffaloes women's soccer|Milligan Buffaloes]]
| collegecaps1   = 
| collegegoals1  = 42
| years1         = 1988–1990
| clubs1         = Garden City Queens
| caps1          = 
| goals1         = 
| years2         = 1991–1994
| clubs2         = Jegede Babes
| caps2          = 
| goals2         = 
| years3         = 1995–1998
| clubs3         = Ufuoma Babes
| caps3          = 
| goals3         = 
| years4         = 1998–1999
| clubs4         = Pelican Stars
| caps4          = 
| goals4         = 
| years5         = 1999–2000
| clubs5         = [[Hampton Roads Piranhas]]
| caps5          = 
| goals5         = 
| years6         = 2001–2002
| clubs6         = [[San Diego Spirit]]
| caps6          = 
| goals6         = 
| years7         = 2003–2006
| clubs7         = [[Hampton Roads Piranhas]]
| caps7          = 
| goals7         = 
| totalcaps      = 
| totalgoals     = 
| nationalyears1 = 
| nationalteam1  = [[Nigeria women's national football team|Nigeria]]
| nationalcaps1  = 
| nationalgoals1 = 
| medaltemplates = 
}}

'''Mercy Joy Akide Udoh''' ({{nee|'''Akide'''}}; born 26 August 1975) is a Nigerian former [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[midfielder]] for the [[Nigeria women's national football team]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Mercy Akide|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ak/mercy-akide-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418030155/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ak/mercy-akide-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|work=SR/Olympic sports|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=23 May 2012}}</ref>

==Early life==
Mercy started playing football at the age of five with her oldest brother Seleipiri and younger brother Ipali in the sandy field of Bundu Waterside, near Port Harcourt Prisons in [[Port Harcourt]]. Her speed was recognized from a young age, and when she was 12 years old, at Holy Rosary Secondary School in Port Harcourt, she took part in [[Long-distance track event|long-distance races]], running the [[400 metres|400m]], [[800 metres|800m]] and [[1500 metres|1500m]] races against older competitors. She was also a regional [[table tennis]] champion, but [[Association football|soccer]] was the sport where she really stood out.

Mercy earned the nickname "Ske", which in [[Dialect|local parlance]] meant "skinny", while playing against boys at Mile 1 in Port Harcourt. Among her many [[Secret admirer|admirers]] then was a young kid called [[Chidi Odiah]], who is now a full [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria international]], playing club football with [[CSKA Moscow]].

In consideration of her skills in particular, a group of youth soccer organisers put together a girls' [[tournament]] to select the girls who would become "the Garden City Queens".

After two years of playing for the Queens, and turning down the [[wikt:overture|overtures]] of the rival Port Harcourt-based Larry's Angels, Akide left Port Harcourt for [[Lagos]] to continue both education and soccer with Jegede Babes under the influence of Princess Bola Jegede.

==Career==

===Garden City Queens===
At that time, the Nigerian Women's league was in its formative years and Garden City Queens was not among the top teams such as Jegede Babes, Ufuoma Babes and Larry's Angels. The club played mostly [[exhibition game]]s around the state with Akide as the star attraction. She averaged nearly five [[Goal (sport)|goals]] per game during the two years she spent at the club. One of those friendly games was against elite team Jegede Babes, and although the Queens lost 6–1, Akide scored the only goal for her side.

Club proprietor Princess Bola Jegede was so impressed by her that she promptly offered her a place in her club.

===Jegede Babes===
Akide joined Jegede Babes just as Nigeria were taking part in the inaugural [[FIFA Women's World Cup|Women's World Cup]] in China in 1991. With an already established [[Forward (association football)#Striker|strike force]] in place, Akide was moved to [[Central midfielder|central midfield]] for the 1992 season where she took time to adjust.
But by the 1993 season, she emerged highest goalscorer in both [[Nigerian Women's Championship|league]] and Cup. She plundered 16 goals in the league and another 8 in the Challenge Cup.
She took the form into the next [[Season (sports)|season]], scoring 15 goals in the 1994 league season and 10 in the Challenge Cup to earn herself a call-up to coach Ismaila Mabo's national camp. Unfortunately, her goals were not enough to help Jegede to either title.

===Ufuoma Babes===
After returning from the 1995 [[FIFA Women's World Cup]], Akide (who had by now earned the nickname of Marvelous) pitched tent with Warri-based club Ufuoma Babes, who had won the league and Cup double in the previous two years.
It was to be a rewarding move. Her 17 goals in the league and 9 in the Challenge Cup helped Ufuoma to the double. It was the first of many titles.
The next season, she hit 11 league goals and 10 Challenge Cup goals and Ufuoma Babes continued their [[Strategic dominance|dominance]] of the [[Association football#Domestic competitions|domestic league]]. 
Akide still finished with the top goalscoring honours in 1997. She scored 14 league goals and 8 Challenge Cup goals as Ufuoma romped to their fourth consecutive double.
Pelican Stars dethroned Ufuoma Babes in both the league and Cup in 1998 with Akide scoring a disappointing 10 league goals and 7 in the Challenge Cup.

===Pelican Stars===
Akide spent only one year with Pelican Stars, but it was a rewarding year, [[trophy]] wise. Pelican again won the double even though Akide only managed 9 league goals and 6 Challenge Cup goals.
By the time the season was over, Akide had earned a [[scholarship]] to [[Milligan College]] in [[Tennessee]], United States, after a scintillating World Cup performance with the [[Nigeria women's national football team|Super Falcons]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Still Busy in Retirement|url=http://www.newswatchngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3618&Itemid=48|work=Newswatch Magazine|accessdate=23 May 2012|author=Anthony Akaeze|date=27 October 2011}}</ref> In her only season at the school, she recorded 42 goals and 15 assists, setting a record for goals and points (99) in a season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/6/v/mmcurnjmu3yzcx/Record_Book_-_SOCCER.pdf |title=Milligan Buffaloes 2022–23 Soccer Records |publisher=[[Milligan Buffaloes]] |access-date=2 February 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202034134/https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/6/v/mmcurnjmu3yzcx/Record_Book_-_SOCCER.pdf |archive-date=2 February 2023}}</ref>

==International career==
Her two seasons of consistency with Jegede Babes, where she scored a total of 49 goals in two seasons, caught the attention of national coach Ismaila Mabo and Mercy was called to camp in 1994.
But another rush of goals, 17 in the league and 9 in the Challenge Cup earned her a recall. 
Her international debut came soon after, a World Cup qualifier against [[Sierra Leone]] in [[Ibadan]] with Mercy playing as a [[Winger (association football)|winger]]. She marked it with two goals. She scored one more in the return leg to cement her place in the team. In 2001, she was named the first [[African Women Footballer of the Year]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Nigerian women battle barriers in elite sports|url=https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Naija-news/message/1770|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209203702/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Naija-news/message/1770|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 February 2013|work=Daily Independent|publisher=groups.yahoo.com|accessdate=22 December 2012|date=13 January 2002}}</ref> and was a 1999 and 2004 FIFA World All-Star.<ref>{{cite web|title=Meaning of name Mercy : Famous persons|url=http://www.quickbabynames.com/meaning-of-Mercy.html|work=Quick Baby Names|accessdate=23 May 2012}}</ref>

She has played for Nigeria in three FIFA Women's World Cups and also helped Nigeria's Super Falcons to three African Women Championships (AWC) titles<ref>{{cite web|title=Akide-Udoh ready for comeback|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7644925.stm|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=23 May 2012|author=Farayi Mungazi|page=English|date=30 September 2008}}</ref> in 1998, 2000 and 2002.
In November 2004, she married football [[journalist]] [[Colin Udoh]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Q & A with Mercy Akide-Udoh|url=http://www.supersport.com/football/article.aspx?Id=393144|work=Super Sports|publisher=MultiChoice (PTY) LTD|accessdate=23 May 2012|author=Emeka Enyadike|date=18 January 2011}}</ref> in her home town of [[Port Harcourt]].

In 2005, she was named by [[FIFA]] as one of its 15 Ambassadors for Women Football.<ref>{{cite web|title=Women's ambassadors : The Women's Game|url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/technicalsupport/women/ambassadors.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707195754/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/technicalsupport/women/ambassadors.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 July 2011|publisher=FIFA|accessdate=23 May 2012}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
Between 2006 and 2008, Mercy was employed at Stars Soccer Club, where she was the [[head coach]] for Stars U-16 Athena C Gold Girls and worked within Youth Development (an [[Non-governmental organization|NGO]] also employing her friend Luke Concannon, a coach of the U-13 girls team.) From 2008 to 2013, Mercy worked as the co-director of Youth Development and for Beach FC in [[Virginia Beach, Virginia]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Staff Bios: Mercy Akide Udoh: Girls Co-Director of Youth Development (Junior Academy Program)|url=http://www.beachfc.com/staff.html#MU|publisher=Beach FC|accessdate=23 May 2012}}</ref> In 2013, Mercy joined the coaching staff of Virginia Rush Soccer Club, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.<ref>{{cite web|title=VA Rush Welcomes Mercy Akide-Udoh|url=http://varush.com/competitive/va-rush-welcomes-mercy-akide-udoh/|publisher=Virginia Rush|accessdate=5 May 2015}}</ref>

== Honours ==
'''Individual'''

* [[International Federation of Football History & Statistics#All-time Women's Dream Team (2021)|IFFHS All-time Africa Women's Dream Team]]: 2021<ref>{{cite web |date=7 June 2021 |title=IFFHS All-time Africa Women's Dream Team |url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1138 |work=The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS)}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{African Women's Footballer of the Year}}
{{Nigeria Squad 1995 Women's World Cup}}
{{Nigeria Squad 1999 Women's World Cup}}
{{Nigeria women's football squad 2000 Summer Olympics}}
{{Nigeria squad 2002 African Women's Championship}}
{{Nigeria Squad 2003 Women's World Cup}}
{{Nigeria Squad 2004 Summer Olympics (Women's Football)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akide, Mercy}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Nigerian women's footballers]]
[[Category:21st-century Nigerian sportswomen]]
[[Category:Nigeria women's international footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Nigeria]]
[[Category:1995 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:1999 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:2003 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:Women's United Soccer Association players]]
[[Category:San Diego Spirit players]]
[[Category:Footballers from Port Harcourt]]
[[Category:Women's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Milligan University alumni]]
[[Category:Nigerian expatriate women's footballers]]
[[Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:African Women's Footballer of the Year winners]]
[[Category:Hampton Roads Piranhas players]]
[[Category:College women's soccer players in the United States]]