Olalekan Ibrahim Babatunde (born 29 December 1984) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Swiss 4. Liga club FC Ravecchia.

Career

Babatunde, a striker, began his career in Italy, where he entered the youth system at Parma in 2008. After a brief stint with Arezzo, he made his Serie A debut in the 2002–03 season for Piacenza against his former club Parma, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute for Claudio Ferrarese in a 2–3 away loss at Stadio Ennio Tardini.[2]

After only two appearances in Serie A,[3] and three in the Serie B the following season, after Piacenza had suffered relegation,[4] Babatunde had spells in Belgium, at Mons, and then in Malta, at Msida St. Joseph. At the latter, he was voted for the Malta Football Best Foreign Player award.[5] In 2007, he signed with Danish Superliga club AC Horsens.[6] He was first the subject of racist taunts in a match on 26 September 2007 against Næstved Boldklub.[7] Babatunde was the subject of racism again in a friendly against Holstein Kiel in January 2018, when Kiel player Peter Schyrba called him "an animal".[8]

In 2008, Babatunde returned to Italy to play for Nocerina. He won the 2008–09 Serie D title with the Campania-based team and was promoted to the Lega Pro Prima Divisione.[9] Following an injury, he left the club in 2010.[10]

In February 2011, Babatunde returned to Malta, reaching an agreement with Birkirkara.[5] At the end of the season, he left the club when his contract expired,[11] and in March 2013, he joined Latvian Higher League champions Daugava and helped them win the Latvian Supercup.[12] In September 2014, he moved to the Lebanese Premier League side Racing Beirut[13] before returning to Italy in 2015, playing for amateur clubs Saronno, Garda, Vedeggio, Novazzano and Real Melegnano the following years.[14][15][16]

In July 2021, Babatunde made his footballing comeback, signing for FC Locarno in the sixth-tier Swiss 2. Liga.[14]

Honours

Daugava

References

  1. ^ "Ibrahim Babatunde, statistik fra superligaen, all-time - SuperStats". superstats.dk. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Parma AC - Piacenza Calcio 3:2 (Serie A 2002/2003, 33. Round)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  3. ^ "La rosa 2002/2003". Storia Piacenza 1919. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  4. ^ "La rosa 2003/2004". Storia Piacenza 1919. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Birkirkara FC - Player Profile". Birkirkara FC. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  6. ^ Nielsen, Kasper (31 August 2007). "Horsens henter nigeriansk angriber". bold.dk (in Danish).
  7. ^ Helmin, Jesper (27 September 2007). "Abelyde mod Horsens-spiller". bold.dk (in Danish).
  8. ^ Helmin, Jesper (30 January 2008). "Horsens-angriber udsat for racisme". bold.dk (in Danish).
  9. ^ "La Nocerina vince la finale play-off". Spezia Calcio - Sito ufficiale (in Italian). 30 June 2009.
  10. ^ Esposito, Luca (8 September 2010). "Nocerina, Babatunde verso l'addio". TuttoC.com (in Italian).
  11. ^ "Birkirkara FC - First Team Transfers". Birkirkara FC. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Virslīgas pieteikumi: Gongadze "Ilūkstē", komandām jauni leģionāri". Sportacentrs.com. 24 March 2013.
  13. ^ "Exclusive : Racing Club Beirut Snap Up Babatunde On One - Year Deal:: All Nigeria Soccer - The Complete Nigerian Football Portal". All Nigeria Soccer. 25 September 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Locarno, altro colpo: preso Babatunde". laborsport.com (in Italian). 20 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Colpo Novazzano: dal Vedeggio arriva l'esperto Babatunde". laborsport.com (in Italian). 8 August 2018.
  16. ^ "Benvenuto a Ibrahim Babatunde". Real Melegnano (in Italian). 11 January 2019.
  17. ^ "Daugavpils "Daugava" kļūst par pirmo Latvijas Superkausa ieguvēju". Sportacentrs.com (in Latvian). 9 March 2013.
Allikas: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Babatunde
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