Liban Abdi Ali (Somali: Liibaan Cabdi; born 5 October 1988) is a Somali footballer who plays as a left winger. He previously played for Sheffield United in England, for Ferencváros in Hungary, for Olhanense in Portugal, and for FK Haugesund in his home country Norway.
 Abdi with Ferencváros | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Liban Abdi Ali | ||
| Date of birth | 5 October 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Burao, Somaliland | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Vålerenga | |||
| Skeid | |||
| 2004–2007 | Sheffield United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2010 | Sheffield United | 0 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | → Ferencváros (loan) | 17 | (3) |
| 2008–2010 | → Ferencváros II (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2010–2012 | Ferencváros | 29 | (2) |
| 2010–2012 | Ferencváros II | 14 | (7) |
| 2012–2013 | Olhanense | 16 | (4) |
| 2013–2014 | Académica de Coimbra | 11 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Çaykur Rizespor | 13 | (1) |
| 2015 | → Levski Sofia (loan) | 9 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Haugesund | 38 | (7) |
| 2018 | Al-Ettifaq | 12 | (2) |
| Total | 164 | (28) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:40, 23 June 2019 (UTC) | |||
Born in Somalia, Abdi grew up in Norway and holds Norwegian citizenship.[1] He is eligible to play internationally for Somaliland, Somalia, and Norway.
Early life
editAbdi was born in Burao, Somaliland, Somalia, in 1988. He spent most of his childhood in Oslo, Norway, where he attended both primary and secondary school. He lived in Stovner, an eastern borough in Oslo.
Career
editClub career
editAbdi moved to England with his family at the age of 14, and after a year in England he joined Sheffield United's youth academy.[2] Abdi was the first Somali to be awarded a professional football contract at Sheffield United after impressing with the club's Academy. Following spells with Newport Pagnell Town and Buckingham Town,[3] he was picked up by United when he subsequently moved to Sheffield with the assistance of the Football Unites, Racism Divides program.
Having signed a two-year contract in the summer of 2008, Abdi was loaned out to the Blades' sister club, Ferencváros, for the following season to gain first team experience.[4] On his return, and after failing to break into the first team at Bramall Lane, he was released by Sheffield United in July 2010.[5]
He then joined Ferencváros on a permanent basis, spending two seasons with the club, before moving to Portuguese Primeira Liga club Olhanense in the 2012 close season.
International career
editAbdi is eligible to play for both Somaliland, Somalia, and Norway but has not represented any of them although he has stated that he wants to play for Norway.[6] When Norway national team coach Egil "Drillo" Olsen announced his squad for the friendly match against Greece in August 2012, Drillo said that he had never seen Abdi in action despite the fact that he was playing in Portugal.[1] Two months later Drillo stated that Abdi was not good enough for the Norwegian team, when announcing his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Cyprus.[7] In September 2018 he stated that he would not play for Somalia, but would try and help the country off the pitch.[3]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sheffield United | 2008–09 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Ferencvárosi | 2008–09[a][10][11] | Nemzeti Bajnokság II | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 9 | 4 | |
| 2009–10[a][10][11] | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| 2010–11[10][11] | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 21 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12[10][11] | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[b] | 2 | 20 | 3 | |
| Total | 46 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 65 | 10 | ||
| Ferencvárosi II | 2009–10[a][10][11] | Nemzeti Bajnokság III | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2010–11[10][11] | Nemzeti Bajnokság II | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | ||||
| 2011–12[10][11] | Nemzeti Bajnokság II | 7 | 5 | — | — | — | 7 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 19 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 7 | ||
| Olhanense | 2012–13 | Primeira Liga | 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 19 | 5 | |
| Académica de Coimbra | 2013–14 | Primeira Liga | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Çaykur Rizespor | 2013–14 | Süper Lig | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 1 | ||
| 2014–15 | Süper Lig | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 13 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 | ||
| Levski Sofia (loan) | 2014–15 | A Group | 9 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 2 | ||
| Haugesund | 2016 | Eliteserien | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 2 | ||
| 2017 | Eliteserien | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 4[b] | 2 | 29 | 7 | ||
| Total | 38 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 43 | 9 | ||
| Al-Ettifaq | 2017–18 | Saudi Professional League | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 2 | ||
| Career totals | 164 | 28 | 21 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 203 | 36 | ||
References
edit- ^ a b Farshchian, Aslân W.A. (31 August 2012). "Spiller fast i Portugal – ikke sett av Drillo" [Playing regularly in Portugal – Drillo hasn't watched him]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 October 2012.
- ^ Hjelvik, Eirik Nesset (14 July 2011). "Norges ukjente proff profil i ungarsk toppklubb". Sunnmørsposten. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
- ^ a b Lomas, Mark (11 September 2018). "Liban Abdi: "I'd rather help Somalia than play for them"". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "Blades youngsters' switch". Sheffield United F.C. 24 June 2008. Archived from the original on 16 December 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
- ^ "Transfers". Sheffield United F.C. 3 November 2011. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
- ^ Farshchian, Aslân W.A. (2 September 2012). "Liban Abdi scoret mot Porto: – Min største kamp". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 October 2012.
- ^ Stormoen, Stein-Erik (2 October 2012). "Drillo om Portugal-Abdi: – Ikke god nok" [Drillo about Portugal-Abdi: – Not good enough]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 October 2012.
- ^ Liban Abdi at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "Abdi Liban" (in Hungarian). HLSZ. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Magyarfutball.hu. "Abdi Liban (Burao 1988.10.05 - ) • Személyek • Magyarfutball.hu - a magyar labdarúgás adatbázisa". www.magyarfutball.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "ABDI LIBAN - FERENCVÁROSI TC - MLSZ adatbank". adatbank.mlsz.hu. Retrieved 6 November 2019.