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John Orobulu
Personal information
Date of birth	29 August 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth	Honiara, Solomon Islands
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Henderson Eels
Number	7
Senior career*
Years	Team
2023–2024	Southern United
2024–	Henderson Eels
International career‡
2023–	Solomon Islands
Medal record
Representing Solomon Islands
MSG Prime Minister's Cup
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 October 2023; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 June 2024

John Orobulu is a Solomon Islands footballer who currently plays for Telekom S-League club Henderson Eels and the Solomon Islands national team.

Club career

Orobulu took part in the 2022 Solomon Cup with Honiara Warriors FC. He went on to become top scorer in the competition.^[1] His performance included a four-goal match against Makira-Ulawa which garnered him Man of the Match honours.^[2]^[3] Later that year, he was a standout player in the IUMI Cup, a competition mostly for youth players which also features players from the Telekom S-League.^[4] Orobulu scored at least fifteen goals as the second-best scorer in the competition.^[5]

For the 2023 S-League season, Orobulu joined Southern United.^[6] In the club's first match of the season, Orobulu scored a hat-trick against defending champions Solomon Warriors. It was the first hat-trick scored by any player in the new season.^[7] In his first four league matches, the player scored five goals to take an early lead in the Golden Boot race.^[8] To open the second half of the season, Orobulu scored a brace in a 2–1 victory over Marist. The brace increased Orobulu's goal tally to fourteen, five more than second-place Gagame Feni.^[9]

Following his golden boot win at the 2023 Pacific Games, Orobulu was expected to join Ba of the Fiji Premier League during the winter 2024 transfer window.^[10] Another Fijian club, Nadroga F.C. was also reportedly close to signing the player, before Orobulu ultimately declined the deal.^[11] Shortly thereafter it was announced in late January 2024 that he had joined domestic side Henderson Eels for the 2024 season.^[12]

International career

In July 2023, while top scorer in the S-League, Orobulu was called up to the Solomon Islands national team for the first time for a training camp.^[13] The following October, head coach Felipe Vega-Arango named Orobulu as one of three new players in the senior squad that would take part in the 2023 MSG Prime Minister's Cup in New Caledonia as a preparation for the 2023 Pacific Games.^[14] Orobulu made his debut in the opening match of the tournament, an eventual 3–1 victory over Papua New Guinea on 8 October.^[15]

Orobulu was named to the Solomon's squad for the Pacific Games in November 2023. He went on to be the top scorer in the competition with eight goals.^[16] His performances included a goal against Samoa,^[17] five against American Samoa,^[18] and a brace against New Caledonia in the final. Orobulu's two goals in the championship match were not enough as the Solomon Islands drew 2–2 in regulation before falling on penalties.^[19]

International goals

Scores and results list the Solomon Islands' goal tally first.^[20]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	17 November 2023	Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands	Samoa	1–0	1–0	2023 Pacific Games
2.	23 November 2023		American Samoa	1–0	1–0
3.				7–0
4.				9–0
5.				10–0
6.				11–0
7.	2 December 2023	National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands	New Caledonia	1–1	2–2
8.	2 December 2023	National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands	New Caledonia	2–2
Last updated 23 November 2023