Haruna Babangida

Infobox Football biography
playername= Haruna Babangida
fullname = Haruna Babangida
height = height|m=1.66
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|10|01
cityofbirth = Kaduna
countryofbirth = Nigeria
currentclub = Apollon Limassol
clubnumber = 20
position = right/left Winger, Forward
youthyears =
youthclubs = Shooting Stars FC AFC Ajax FC Barcelona
years = 1997-2004
2002-2003
2004
2004-2005
2005-2007
2007-
clubs = Barcelona → Terrassa (loan)
→ Cádiz (loan)
Metalurh Donetsk
Olympiacos
Apollon Limassol
caps(goals) = 00 (0)
38 (4) [ [http://www.lfp.es/historico/segunda/plantillas/partidos_jugados.asp?jug=1539&ntemp=2002-03&equ=61&temp=102 Web Oficial de la Liga de Fútbol Profesional ] ]
14 (0) [ [http://www.lfp.es/historico/segunda/plantillas/partidos_jugados.asp?jug=1539&ntemp=2003-04&equ=22&temp=103 Web Oficial de la Liga de Fútbol Profesional ] ]
10 (2)
33 (3)
23 (9)
nationalyears = 2003
nationalteam = Nigeria
nationalcaps(goals) = 1 (0)
date=last update June 2, 2007
pcupdate = June 27, 2008
ntupdate = June 2, 2007

Haruna Babangida (born 1 October 1982 in Kaduna) is a Nigerian footballer currently playing for Cypriot club Apollon Limassol.

Babangida is a hard working, quick right wing who can also play on the left side.Greek media calls him "pithamogonatos", which means "short knees", because of his height (he's very short).

He is the younger brother of Tijani Babangida and Ibrahim Babangida. Babangida is the eighth of ten brothers.

Football career

Early career

Haruna Babangida started his youth career at Shooting Stars FC, before signed by AFC Ajax at aged of 13. He was snapped up by FC Barcelona a year later. In 1998, aged 15, Babangida made his first-team debut for the Catalan giants in a pre-season friendly against AGOVV Apeldoorn, becoming the youngest ever player to feature for Barcelona. However, he did not make the breakthrough and in 2002/03 was loaned to second division side Terrassa CF, before spending the following season playing for Barcelona's youth team and Cádiz CF (in 2nd half).

FC Metalurh Donetsk then took him to Ukraine on a permanent basis.

Greece & Cyprus

In 2005, Olympiacos CFP signed Babangida on a three-year contract after he impressed in a pre-season tournament in Spain. [cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=327570.html|title=Babangida wins over Olympiacos|date=2005-08-18|accessdate=2008-02-15|publisher=UEFA.com]

In the first season, he played 25 league appearances and started 11 times for the the double-winners. He rarely scored, but scored his first UEFA Champions League goal at home against Lyon, in the 3rd minute, but the match ended as 1-4 lost. [ [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/history/season=2005/round=2201/match=1100309/index.html uefa.com - UEFA Champions League ] ]

On May 25, 2007, Olympiakos CFP officially released Haruna Babangida.

He made his debut for Apollon Limassol on 1st of September 2007 against rival team AEL Limassol, where he scored 2 goals in an eventual 4-3 win.

International career

He made his debut for Nigeria national football team on 20 August, 2003, a friendly match that lost 0-3 to Japan in Tokyo.

References

External links