Liban Abdi

Liban Abdi Ali (Somali: Liibaan Cabdi) (born 5 October 1988) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a Left winger for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq. 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.

Liban Abdi
Abdi with Ferencváros
Personal information
Full name Liban Abdi Ali
Date of birth (1988-10-05) 5 October 1988
Place of birth Burao, Somalia
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position(s) Left winger
Club information
Current team
 Al-Ettifaq
Number 23
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[1])
2010–2012 Ferencváros II 14 (7)
2012–2013 Olhanense 16 (4[2])
2013–2014 Académica de Coimbra 11 (0)
2014–2015 Çaykur Rizespor 13 (4)
2015 → Levski Sofia (loan) 9 (2)
2016–2017 Haugesund 38 (10)
2018– Al-Ettifaq 12 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:40, 18 April 2018 (UTC)

Born in Somalia, Abdi grew up in Norway and holds Norwegian citizenship.[3] He is eligible to play for the Somalia national team and for the Norway national team.

Early life

Abdi was born in Burao, 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

Club career

Abdi moved to England with his family at the age of 14, and after a year in England he joined Sheffield United's youth academy.[4] 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,[5] 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.[6] On his return, and after failing to break into the first team at Bramall Lane, he was released by Sheffield United in July 2010.[7]

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.

Career statistics
As of match played on 12 April 2018[8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ferencvárosi 2008–09[9][10] Nemzeti Bajnokság II 7 2 1 2 1 0 — 9 4
2009–10Nemzeti Bajnokság I 101104 0 —151
2010–11 1712021—212
2011–12 121301042203
Total 4657281426510
Ferencvárosi II 2009–10 Nemzeti Bajnokság III 5 0 — 5 0
2010–11Nemzeti Bajnokság II 72—72
2011–12 75—75
Total 197000000197
Olhanense2012–13Primeira Liga 1641120—195
Académica2013–14Primeira Liga 11000—110
Rizespor2013–14Süper Lig 6100—61
2014–15 7060—130
Total 131600000191
Levski Sofia (loan)2014–15A Group 9250—142
Haugesund2016Tippeligaen 14200—142
2017Eliteserien 24510—42297
Total 387100042439
Al-Ettifaq2017–18Saudi Professional League 12210—132
Career totals 15226191518418432

International career

Abdi is eligible to play for both [Somalia national football team and Norway but has not represented any of them although he has stated that he wants to play for Norway.[11] 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.[3] 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.[12] In September 2018 he stated that he would not play for Somalia, but would try and help the country off the pitch.[13]

gollark: I'm kind of tempted to try and rewrite my project in Rust except then there would inevitably be even less progress on it.
gollark: Rewrite Korean in Rust.
gollark: I have no idea if I did end up getting COVID-19 at some point or if I have it now.
gollark: Maybe you should orbital-laser-strike him.
gollark: Oh dear.

References
  1. "Abdi Liban" (in Hungarian). HLSZ. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  2. "L. Abdi". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  3. 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.
  4. Hjelvik, Eirik Nesset (14 July 2011). "Norges ukjente proff profil i ungarsk toppklubb". Sunnmørsposten. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  5. Lomas, Mark (11 September 2018). "Liban Abdi: "I'd rather help Somalia than play for them"". BBC. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  6. "Blades youngsters' switch". Sheffield United F.C. 24 June 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  7. "Transfers". Sheffield United F.C. 3 November 2011. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  8. Liban Abdi at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  9. Magyarfutball.hu. "Abdi Liban (Burao 1988.10.05 - ) • Személyek • Magyarfutball.hu - a magyar labdarúgás adatbázisa". www.magyarfutball.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  10. "ABDI LIBAN - FERENCVÁROSI TC - MLSZ adatbank". adatbank.mlsz.hu. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  11. Farshchian, Aslân W.A. (2 September 2012). "Liban Abdi scoret mot Porto: – Min største kamp". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  12. 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.
  13. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45484276
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