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A quick Gift
The conversation actually gets under way sooner than expected. Gift Orban asks shortly before the agreed appointment time whether it would be possible to start 10 minutes earlier. The 22-year-old is fresh from training and brings a lunchbox with him for later. But his appetite is for goals above all else – and the Nigerian has scored them at every club he has played for in his career. Sometimes even quicker than expected.
Orban left his homeland of Nigeria in 2022 and joined the Norwegian second-tier outfit Stabaek Fotball – an unusual first destination in Europe. "I played at an academy in Nigeria, and club scouts and officials constantly came to us," recalls Orban, adding: "I was then invited by Stabaek for a trial, but I had a few weeks to prepare. I trained hard and then convinced the management."
The move to Europe, which many talented African youngsters wish for, had been made. But it wasn't easy. "It's very cold in Norway; you're not used to that as a Nigerian. I was also in Europe for the first time; the circumstances were not easy," said Orban energetically. But giving up was not an option. "I didn't want to throw in the towel just because it was cold. I had my reasons for coming to Europe and I wanted to fight for my dream." Orban succeeded on that front and made his debut for Stabaek on Matchday 8. A tally of 16 goals and seven assists in 22 appearances not only secured his team promotion to the top flight, but also saw the Nigerian finish as the top scorer in the division and win the trophy for the league's best young player. The forward did not need much time to settle in on a new continent, where he had the feeling the needed to do more. "I'm African and I'm black. In my mind, I had to do more than the white players in Norway in order to assert myself. But I worked, harder than all the others, and helped the team that way," reflected Orban, coming across as thoughtful and determined in equal measure.
As a child, thoughts of such a rapid rise were, at best, at the back of his mind. Orban, who "does not come from a simple family background", simply wanted to play to begin with. "I loved football from an early age and didn't have anything else on my mind," said the Nigerian, whose mother lives in Togo but who predominantly grew up with his father in Nigeria. He does not speak much about his childhood; his sentences are short. His mother, whom he regularly visits in Togo, named him "Gift". "She saw me as a gift from God, which I why I got this name. I have taken on her faith; I draw a lot of strength from it." He misses his family in Europe. Orban lives alone, a long way away from his relatives. "But I can't think about that because I'm here to play football and pursue my passion." The successful year in Norway was followed by the next step in the Nigerian's career: Orban was signed by KAA Gent in January 2023. The striker did not need much time to settle in in Belgium either and scored 20 goals in 22 games across all competitions in the second half of the season. It was then that he also wrote his name into the European football history books: Orban scored a hat-trick in the space of three minutes and 24 seconds against Istanbul Basaksehir in the Conference League – the quickest-ever hat-trick in a European club competition. Orban put himself on the radar of top clubs in the process, but he views the record pragmatically. "I'm a striker. When I have the possibility to score, I do everything in my power to take it. It is my job, I want to score as many goals as possible."
That performance ramped up the media attention on the young star, who also boasted a remarkable goalscoring ratio in the league. Even UEFA included Orban in an official report on the "Players of the future" – in a list alongside Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona and Chelsea's Cole Palmer. However, Orban has no intention of defining himself as a "top talent". "A lot of people say I have talent. But if you're talented but don't work, it's of no use," Orban said.
The talent he possesses may be in line with his first name, but the striker does not wish to rest on his laurels. "I work hard in every training session and put in extra shifts, often alongside Andrej Kramarić, in order to practice finishing, whether it's from crosses, via headers or in one-on-one situations. My preferred breakdown would be 55% work and 45% talent. Hard work is always more important."
And so Orban harbours no resentment towards his time at Olympique Lyon, which brought him to the PreZero Arena for the first time during the UEFA Europa League this season but otherwise did not go well. Orban had to deal with setbacks for the first time, as he scored three goals across 16 Ligue 1 appearances – although he was only allowed to play the full 90 minutes once. "I didn't get many opportunities, and I also had very strong competitors. The coach favoured Alexandre Lacazette in my position; he's the team captain and a club legend. I wanted to play more, so I moved on. TSG believe in me and that's important."
In addition to the trust that has now been placed in him, Orban also attaches great importance to honesty. "I'm very direct; if I don't like something, I speak to someone about it. But by the same token, people should be honest with me too. I can't stand it when people talk badly behind someone's back." This direct manner has never posed problems anywhere for Orban, an eccentric character in a positive sense due to his tattoos and clothing style. He also wears unusual clothing on social media. A heavy, silver chain is a clearly visible and constant companion – he also has it on during the interview.
Orban says that he has never had any difficulties adapting at any of his clubs in Europe – even if the language throws up challenges, especially in Germany. "I want to be able to have a say in the dressing room and understand football-related topics, but German is a really difficult language," said the Nigerian, who speaks English and French as well as some regional languages from his home country.
His start at TSG has been highly promising, with four goals scored in his first seven appearances. It is not just his goals that make him valuable to the team, however, but also his work off the ball. "He has made good progress in understanding our style of play. The team recognises that and that's why he has become more and more integrated," said Christian Ilzer after the Nigerian's first few weeks in a TSG shirt. The striker himself is also satisfied with his start – "for now": "Hoffenheim are a good club, but in a difficult situation. Many clubs contacted me over the winter, but the people in charge here treated me with respect and convinced me. I now want to score even more goals and work hard to ensure that we ultimately stay in the league."
With the conversation actually already over and the Nigerian in the process of leaving the room, his tattoos catch the eye – especially the folded hands with a wreath of roses on his left arm. Which tattoo does he like best? He promises he will answer the question, but only when the full artwork on his skin is complete. Will that conversation be in German? Orban laughs. He would prefer it if, by then, goals were the answer to every question. After all, that's a language that everyone understands.
