Stephen Eze Biography: Net Worth, Salary, Family, Lifestyle and Career Stats

Stephen Eze is a professional footballer from Nigeria who currently plays as a center-back for the Indian Super League (ISL) franchise, Jamshedpur FC. He has played for more than five clubs in an eventful career that has seen a lot of ups and downs, outlining his struggling journey in the sport. The most notable part of Stephen Eze’s career is his inclusion in the preliminary squad of Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup that was held in Russia. Presence of mind, relentless hard work, and immense strength have played instrumental roles in shaping the 31-year-old defender’s career in football.

Hailing from Makurdi, Nigeria, Eze had a humble beginning before he came to the shores of India to play in the ISL for Jamshedpur. From failing to make it to the field every day to being named in Nigeria’s World Cup squad, Stephen Eze’s story serves as an inspirational story for young footballers who want to pursue the game. In a career that has spanned over 13 years so far, the Jamshedpur FC center-back has won two major titles – the 2017 Nigeria Super Cup with Ifeanyi Ubah and the 2018-19 Bulgarian Cup with Lokomotiv Plovdiv.

And now, Eze is gearing up to put on the jersey of Jamshedpur FC again to face off against Hyderabad FC in the Kalinga Super Cup knockouts after a few weeks break following a narrow defeat in the semifinals of the Indian Super League Cup against Mohun Bagan. On that note, let’s take a look at Eze’s biography including his net worth, family, lifestyle and career stats.

Stephen Eze Bio

Player name	Stephen Eze
Date of birth	8th March, 1994
Birth Place	Makurdi, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian
Height	1.98 m
Current teams	Jamshedpur FC, Nigerian National Football Team
Position	Center-back
Senior Debut	2012
Jersey number	6
Net worth	£1.4 million
Agent	NA
Yearly salary	£32,500
Instagram Followers	22.8 K

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Stephen Eze Net Worth & Salary

Eze is a veteran and experienced footballer who has played in many clubs across the world. However, as he has failed to reach the full potential of his game despite opening the door to major European clubs at times, big transfer fees have been elusive in his career.

Stephen Eze’s current net worth is estimated at £1.2 million as of 2025, despite the Jamshedpur FC player staying on the pitch for over 13 years. A significant amount of his net worth has been generated only by wages and advertisements. His current club in the Indian Super League, Jamshedpur FC, pays Eze £32,500 in yearly salary.

Brand Endorsements & Advertisements

There is no publicly recorded list of sponsors and brands that are associated with the Indian Super League star, Stephen. Also, there is no information about the brands that have endorsed the Nigerian center-back.

Stephen Eze Family & Wife

The star defender of Jamshedpur FC has credited his parents and family always for motivating him despite the struggles of poverty during his childhood. Eze’s parents, who failed to make end’s meet, never hesitated to inspire their son to pursue football at a tender age. They were the supporting pillars that guided Eze to greatness in football, as said by the Nigerian center-back himself. 

There is not much information available about the wife of Eze. However, the player’s social media posts show that the couple has a beautiful daughter who comes to visit his father during game weeks.

Stephen Eze Early Life

Stephen Eze comes from a humble background and had to fight his way through poverty to chase his dream of playing football. Backed by his family, the tall and strong Nigerian. He spent his emerging years at Lobi Stars, a Nigerian soccer club based in Makurdi. After rising through the ranks, demonstrating his composure on the ball and solidity at defense, Eze earned a place in the senior team of the club. 

Stephen Eze Career

Club Career

In 2012-2017: Stephen Eze was handed his senior debut by his boyhood club Lobi Stars in 2017. He spent the next two years in the Nigerian Premier League for that club before joining another Nigerian club, Sunshine Stars, in 2016. He made an impact immediately after signing for them and made 68 appearances across all competitions, scoring 4 goals and making countless match-defining tackles in the process. However, Eze’s honeymoon period with the Stars came to an abrupt end in 2017, and he played for Ifeanyi Ubah and Kano Pillars in one calendar year. The center-back was a crucial part in the former’s Nigerian Super Cup glory.

In 2018-2020: Stephen Eze’s career hit the accelerator and took him to the Bulgarian League outfit Lokomotiv Plovdiv in 2018. The Nigerian didn’t get regular minutes there and had to make the most of his chances to earn the trust of the manager. After winning the Bulgarian Cup, Eze left Plovdiv to join Tobol, a renowned club in the Kazakhstan Premier League.

In 2020- 2024: From 2020 to 2024, Stephen Eze plied his trade with four clubs including the Indian Super League franchise, Jamshedpur FC. Motivated by his influence in the Nigerian football team, the center-back formed a strong defensive setup in the ISL team and became a regular in the entire season. 

In 2024: Eze left Jamshedpur FC in 2021, just one year after he arrived from Tobol. But, three years later, the Nigerian has once again returned to Jamshedpur FC to reignite his loyalty and love towards the ISL outfit. He has been a pillar of defensive strength since rejoining them. Jamshedpur FC reached the ISL Cup semi-finals, riding their defensive strength mostly, and Stephen Eze was the architect of it.

Club	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Lokomotiv Plovdiv	68	4	1
Sunshine Stars	44	3	–
Jamshedpur FC	43	8	1
Queen’s Park FC	26	3	–
Lobi Stars	26	4	–
Ifeanyi  Ubah	24	1	–

International career

Stephen Eze has always been a figure in the Nigerian Football Team that could have exploded in the international arena if utilised properly and justly. But, despite showing promise in the last decade, the center-back has failed to make the first team squad regularly. He received his maiden International call-up in the 2016 African Cup of Nations and displayed an average performance. Eze’s career peaked when his skills and talent were noticed, and he was drafted in Nigeria’s preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 World Cup. The Jamshedpur FC man has earned 13 international caps so far and is eager to add more to the tally.

Appearances	13
Goals	0
Assists	0

Stephen Eze Awards & Achievements

• Nigeria Cup (2017)
• Bulgarian Cup (2018-19)

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