Haruna Babangida (born 1 October 1982 in Kaduna) is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Russian club FC Kuban Krasnodar.

Babangida is a hard working, quick right wing who can also play on the left side.

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

[edit] Football career

[edit] 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.

[edit] Greece & Cyprus

In 2005, Olympiacos CFP signed Babangida on a three-year contract after he impressed in a pre-season tournament in Spain.^[3]

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.^[4]

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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Haruna Babangida FIFA competition record

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