Haruna Babangida facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Haruna Babangida | ||
| Date of birth | 1 October 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Kaduna, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Shooting Stars | |||
| 1995–1997 | Ajax | ||
| 1997–1998 | Barcelona | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2004 | Barcelona B | 130 | (46) |
| 2002–2003 | → Terrassa (loan) | 38 | (5) |
| 2004 | → Cádiz (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Metalurh Donetsk | 10 | (2) |
| 2005–2007 | Olympiacos | 33 | (5) |
| 2007–2009 | Apollon Limassol | 54 | (18) |
| 2009 | Kuban Krasnodar | 14 | (1) |
| 2010 | Mainz 05 II | 2 | (2) |
| 2010 | Mainz 05 | 1 | (0) |
| 2011 | Vitesse Arnhem | 7 | (1) |
| 2012 | Kapfenberger SV | 24 | (2) |
| 2015 | Mosta | 11 | (4) |
| Total | 318 | (82) | |
| International career | |||
| 2003 | Nigeria | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Haruna Babangida, born on October 1, 1982, is a former professional footballer from Nigeria. He was known for playing as a winger, which is a player who runs down the sides of the field. Haruna is part of a big family; he is the eighth of ten brothers. His older brothers, Tijani Babangida and Ibrahim Babangida, were also professional footballers.
Contents
Club Career: Haruna's Football Journey
Starting Young: From Nigeria to Europe
Haruna Babangida was born in Kaduna, Nigeria. He began his football journey at a young age with a team called Shooting Stars. When he was just 13, he moved to Europe to join the famous Dutch club Ajax. A year later, at 14, he was signed by Barcelona in Spain.
In 1998, when Haruna was only 15, he played his first game for Barcelona's main team. This was a friendly match before the season started. He became one of the youngest players ever to play for Barcelona. However, he didn't get to play many official games for the main team.
Playing in Spain and Ukraine
To gain more experience, Haruna was loaned to second division team Terrassa in 2002–03. After that, he spent time playing for Barcelona's reserve team, Barcelona B, and also for Cádiz. Later, he moved to Ukraine to play for Metalurh Donetsk.
Success in Greece and Cyprus
In 2005, Haruna joined Olympiacos, a big club in Greece. He signed a three-year contract after showing his skills in a tournament. In his first season, he played 25 league games and helped Olympiacos win both the league and the cup. He also scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League against Lyon.
On May 25, 2007, Haruna left Olympiacos. He then moved to Cyprus and joined Apollon Limassol. In his first game for Apollon Limassol on September 1, 2007, he scored two goals in an exciting 4–3 win against AEL Limassol.
Time in Germany and Netherlands
On June 14, 2010, Haruna signed a one-year contract with Mainz 05 in Germany. He scored his first goal for them in a friendly match against Panathinaikos. However, he only played one official game in the German league before leaving Mainz in December that year.
In January 2011, he joined Vitesse in the Netherlands. He signed a contract to play for them until the end of the season.
International Career: Playing for Nigeria
Haruna Babangida also played for his home country, Nigeria. He made his first appearance for the Nigerian national team on August 20, 2003. This was a friendly match against Japan in Tokyo, which Nigeria lost 0–3.
Honours: What Haruna Won
Olympiacos
- Greek Championship: 2005–2006, 2006–2007
See also
In Spanish: Haruna Babangida para niños
