Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu insisted on his Nigerian name Chinazaekpere to be included in his official list of names before the start of the season, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
The both parents of the Danish international are from Nigeria and they insisted on giving him a Nigerian name upon birth in the Igbo dialect, but the name has been rarely used in his details.
He joined Manchester United in January 2025 from Italian Serie A side Lecce, and a few months ago added his Igbo name “Chinazaekpere” to show full recognition of his heritage and religion.
Chinazaekpere means ‘God answers prayers’,” he explained in an interview with the official website of Manchester United.
“That’s what my parents gave to me when I was born. Religion means a lot to me, it’s always been a big part of my life and my family’s. I’ve always been praying since I was young and I keep praying.
“Family and the community is what I’ve grown up with in Denmark so it’s good to try and maintain it here too. I come to pray at this church on Sunday if I have the time and we don’t have a game; I try to be here as much as I can.
“I don’t know if it [religion] has an advantage [on the pitch]. It’s about always believing, believing that God has a plan for me, and for my career”.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
