Khouma Babacar

Khouma El Hadji Babacar (born 17 March 1993) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Italian club U.S. Lecce on loan from U.S. Sassuolo.

Khouma Babacar
Personal information
Full name Khouma El Hadji Babacar
Date of birth (1993-03-17) 17 March 1993
Place of birth Thiès, Senegal
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Lecce (loan from Sassuolo)
Number 30
Youth career
2005–2007 Rail
2007–2008 Pescara
2008–2009 Fiorentina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2018 Fiorentina 99 (27)
2012 → Racing Santander (loan) 8 (0)
2012–2013 → Padova (loan) 16 (1)
2013–2014 → Modena (loan) 41 (20)
2018 → Sassuolo (loan) 13 (2)
2018– Sassuolo 29 (7)
2019– → Lecce (loan) 22 (3)
National team‡
2009–2010 Senegal U17 3 (1)
2010–2012 Senegal U20 6 (1)
2017– Senegal 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:11, 8 July 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 June 2017

Club career

Born in Thiès, Babacar began his career in the academy of US Rail in his hometown. Two years later, aged only 14, he moved to Italy and signed with Delfino Pescara 1936 after a successful trial.[1]

In July 2008, Babacar signed with another club in the latter country, ACF Fiorentina,[2] after also being tracked by another Serie A side, Genoa CFC.[1] In the 2009–10 season he began training with the first team, coached by Cesare Prandelli.

On 14 January 2010, at the age of 16 years and 10 months, Babacar made his official debut for the Viola, starting against A.C. ChievoVerona in the Coppa Italia[3] and scoring the 2–2 equaliser in the 75th minute of an eventual 3–2 home win.[4] He scored his first league goal on 20 March, netting the third in a 3–0 home victory over Genoa.[5]

On 31 January 2012, Babacar was loaned to Spain's Racing de Santander.[6] He maiden appearance in La Liga took place 11 days later, when he came on as late substitute in a 0–0 home draw against Atlético Madrid.[7]

Babacar netted ten times in 22 matches in the 2016–17 campaign, helping his team finish in eighth place.[8] In January 2018, he joined U.S. Sassuolo Calcio on loan until 30 June as part of a swap deal involving Diego Falcinelli – his new club also secured an option to sign him permanently.[9][10]

On 2 September 2019, Babacar was loaned to newly promoted U.S. Lecce on a season-long move.[11]

International career

Babacar made his debut for Senegal on 27 March 2017, playing the second half of a 1–1 friendly draw with Ivory Coast that had to be abandoned in the 88th minute due to crowd trouble.[12][13]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 7 July 2020.[14]
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Europe[lower-alpha 2] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Fiorentina 2009–10 Serie A 4111—52
2010–11 18032—212
2011–12 1000—10
Racing Santander (loan) 2011–12 La Liga 8000—80
Padova (loan) 2012–13 Serie B 16111—172
Modena (loan) 2013–14 Serie B 412010—4220
Fiorentina 2014–15 Serie A 2073052289
2015–16 1851052247
2016–17 221010843114
2017–18 16421—185
Total 992711418812839
Sassuolo 2017–18 Serie A 13200—132
2018–19 29720—317
Total 4292000449
Lecce (loan) 2019–20 Serie A 22300—223
Career total 2286015518826173
  1. Includes the Coppa Italia
  2. Includes the UEFA Europa League

References
  1. "Bollini: "Babacar ricorda Weah ma deve ancora poter sbagliare"" [Bollini: "Babacar reminds of Weah but he still must be allowed to fail"] (in Italian). Fiorentina.it. 22 December 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  2. "El Babacar Khouma (16 ans), le nouveau Drogba sénégalais" [El Babacar Khouma (16 years), the new Senegalese Drogba] (in French). Seneweb. 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  3. "Formazioni ufficiali: Babacar dal 1'" [Official lineups: Babacar from the start] (in Italian). ACF Fiorentina. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  4. "Fiorentina, Udinese e Lazio ai quarti" [Fiorentina, Udinese and Lazio to the last eight]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 14 January 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  5. "Fiorentina 3–0 Genoa: Senegal teenager Babacar scores first Serie A goal in easy win". Goal. 20 March 2010. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  6. "El Racing logra la cesión de Babacar, ariete de la Fiore" [Racing get loan of Babacar, Fiore striker]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 31 January 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  7. "Toño y los postes dejan el Racing – Atlético de Madrid en empate a cero" [Toño and the posts leave Racing – Atlético de Madrid in nil draw] (in Spanish). RTVE. 11 February 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  8. "Decimo gol stagionale in 23 presenze per Babacar. Le sue reti valgono 7 punti in Serie A" [Tenth season goal in 23 appearances for Babacar. His goals equal 7 points in Serie A] (in Italian). Fiorentina.it. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  9. Matar, Daniella (31 January 2018). "Roma only top 5 Serie A club to make a move on deadline day". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  10. Wael, Youssef (1 February 2018). "Khouma Babacar joins Sassoulo from Fiorentina". KingFut. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  11. "Babacar in giallorosso" [Babacar in yellow-and-red] (in Italian). U.S. Lecce. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  12. "Ivory Coast v Senegal friendly in Paris abandoned after pitch invasions". Sky Sports. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  13. "Babacar ed un esordio con tanto di guastafeste" [Babacar and debut full of spoilsports] (in Italian). Fiorentina News. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  14. "K. Babacar". Soccerway. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
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