John Mary
Personal information
Full name John Mary Honi Uzuegbunam[1]
Date of birth (1993-03-09) 9 March 1993
Place of birth Nnobi, Anambra, Nigeria[2]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Manisa
Number 12
Youth career
2000–2011 Fortuna Yaoundé
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012 Buriram United
2012–2013 BCC
2013–2014 Krabi
2014 Prachuap
2015–2016 Vojvodina 1 (0)
2016–2018 Rudar Velenje 46 (26)
2018–2019 Meizhou Hakka 43 (36)
2019–2022 Shenzhen 32 (20)
2021 → Avispa Fukuoka (loan) 16 (5)
2022 Al-Shabab 6 (1)
2022–2023 Avispa Fukuoka 9 (0)
2023–2024 Çaykur Rizespor 16 (7)
2024– Manisa 0 (0)
International career
Cameroon U20
2021 Cameroon 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 January 2024

John Mary Honi Uzuegbunam (born 9 March 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for TFF First League club Manisa. Born in Nigeria, he played for the Cameroon national team internationally.

Club career

Born in the Anambra State in Nigeria, Mary moved to Cameroon to join AS Fortuna de Mfou Yaoundé's youth team.[3] On 28 March 2012, he was signed by Buriram United in what will be the beginning of three seasons spent in Thai football. His time with Buriram only lasted for a few months before he moved to fourth tier side Bangkok Christian College on 1 August 2012.[4] A move to second tier club Krabi for the 2013 Thai Division 1 League would follow before ending his time in Thailand with fourth tier club Prachuap.

His advisor Ognjen Karisik would bring him to Europe where he had a trial with Serbian club Vojvodina who signed him on 24 January 2015 on a two-and-a-half year contract.[5] He made his debut in a Serbian Cup game against Kolubara on 28 October 2015 that ended in a goalless draw, before Vojvodina won 5–4 on penalties.[6] He would see very little playing time with the club after suffering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. His contract with Vojvodina was eventually terminated, and on 18 July 2016 he signed a one-year deal with Slovenian side Rudar Velenje.[7]

In January 2018, Mary moved to the China League One side Meizhou Hakka.[8] He made his debut and scored his first goal for the club in a league game against Shijiazhuang Ever Bright on 10 March 2018 that ended in a 2–1 defeat.[9] After winning the golden boot award at the end of the 2018 China League One campaign, Chinese top tier club Shenzhen signed him on 2 July 2019 halfway through the 2019 Chinese Super League season.[10]

On 30 January 2022, Mary joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab.[11]

International career

Despite being born in Nigeria, Mary was naturalized and played for Cameroon under-20s.[12]

In 2021, he was called to the Cameroon senior team.[2] He made his debut on 6 September 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against the Ivory Coast, a 2–1 away loss. He substituted Moumi Ngamaleu in the 62nd minute.[13]

Career statistics

As of 8 October 2022[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vojvodina 2014–15 Serbian SuperLiga 0000—00—00
2015–16 Serbian SuperLiga 1010—00—20
Total 101000000020
Rudar Velenje 2016–17 Slovenian PrvaLiga 301741———3418
2017–18 Slovenian PrvaLiga 16910———179
Total 4626510000005127
Meizhou Hakka 2018 China League One 282400———2824
2019 China League One 151200———1512
Total 4336000000004336
Shenzhen 2019 Chinese Super League 15900———159
2020 Chinese Super League 171100———1711
Total 3220000000003220
Avispa Fukuoka (loan) 2021 J1 League 1651022——197
Al Shabab 2021–22 Saudi Pro League 6110—21—92
Avispa Fukuoka 2022 J1 League 901041——141
Career total 153889163210017093

    Honours

    Individual

    References

    1. ↑ "A Takımımız" (in Turkish). Çaykur Rizespor. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
    2. 1 2 3 John Mary at Soccerway
    3. ↑ "The Big Interview: John Mary Honi Uzuegbunam-"I didn't play for USD". kick442.com. 7 December 2019. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
    4. ↑ "เสี่ยต้นบุกถึงเตียงเซ็นเจ.เอ็มร่วมทัพคริสเตียนแล้ว". smmonline.net. 1 August 2012. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
    5. ↑ "Potpisao Džon Meri" [John Mary has signed] (in Serbian). FK Vojvodina. 24 January 2015. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
    6. ↑ "Kolubara vs. Vojvodina 0–0". soccerway.com. 28 October 2015. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
    7. ↑ "Džon Meri prešao u Rudar iz Velenja" [John Mary transferred to Rudar Velenje] (in Serbian). FK Vojvodina. 18 July 2016. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
    8. ↑ Uredništvo (15 January 2018). "John Mary zdaj pa res prestopil na Kitajsko" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
    9. ↑ "China » League One 2018 » 1. Round » Shijiazhuang Ever Bright - Meizhou Hakka 2:1". worldfootball.net. 10 March 2018. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
    10. ↑ "深圳官宣宣布约翰马里加盟 中甲大杀器将战中超". sports.sina.com.cn. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
    11. ↑ "الشباب يعلن التعاقد مع الكاميروني "جون ماري"". Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
    12. ↑ "Cameroon's John Mary alleges racial abuse during Chinese match". World Soccer Talk. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
    13. ↑ "Ivory Coast v Cameroon game report". FIFA. 6 September 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
    14. ↑ "John Mary » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
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