Nigerian footballer (born 1999)
Funsho Ibrahim Bamgboye (born 9 January 1999) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Süper Lig club Hatayspor.
Club career
Early years
Born in Lagos, Bamgboye joined the Aspire Academy Senegal youth team in 2012, when he was discovered by the Aspire Football Dreams talent search program and given a scholarship.[1] He qualified by being named one of the top three players in his age group amongst those selected from Nigeria.[2] He led his team to a victory at the 2014 Al Kass International Cup in Qatar, where they defeated Real Madrid in the final in a penalty shootout.[2][3]
He first attracted attention in April 2015, when he helped his club win that year's U16 Mediterranean International Cup in Spain, which included teams such as Villarreal and Sevilla. He supplied the game-winning assist in the final.[4]
Hungary
In late 2016, it was reported that Bamgboye had undergone trials in Hungary with top flight club Szombathelyi Haladás.[5][6]
In January 2017, on his eighteenth birthday, Bamgboye officially signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Haladás.[7][8][9] Although there was initially an issue to get him his work permit, he finally made his debut on 25 February, during a 2–0 loss to Újpest.[10] He came on as a 70' substitute for Márk Jagodics.[11] In total, Bamgboye has played in 43 games for Haladás, 36 in Hungarian league and 7 in Magyar Kupa, with 4 goals and 5 decisive passes.
On 7 July 2019, Funsho signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Fehérvár, after Haladás relegated from Nemzeti Bajnokság I to second division in 2018-19 season.[12] During his period, he made 95 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals and giving 19 assists. His contributions helped Fehérvár in domestic leagues and cup competitions. Notably, he played against Újpest in the final of the Hungarian Cup and was a key part of the team that finished Nemzeti Bajnokság I as runners-up in 2020.
He also participated in European competitions along with his team, featuring in 10 matches, two in Europa League and four in Conference League. Overall, his tenure at Fehérvár showcased his skills as a forward and winger, contributing both domestically and on the European stage.
Rapid București
After six years of playing in Hungary, on 31 January 2023, the Nigerian striker signed on a contract with the Romanian club Rapid Bucureşti until the summer of 2024, with the option of extending it for another season. He made his professional debut on 4 February, in a 4–1 victory home against FC Voluntari. Two months later, he scored his first goal in a 1–1 draw against Farul Constanţa.[13]
Hatayspor
In July 2024, Bamgboye signed a two-year contract for Süper Lig club Hatayspor.[14]
International career
In October 2015, Bamgboye was named in Nigeria's squad to represent the national under-17 team at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.[15] He made five appearances in the tournament, recording three assists.[1][2] In the final against Mali, he scored the second goal in the 2–0 victory to help the Golden Eaglets secure the world title.[1][16]
He also represented the national under-20 team at the 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualification tournament. Although one of the team's key members, he was left off the squad by head coach Emmanuel Amunike for the first leg of their third round match-up against Sudan.[17] He made his return to the team in the second leg as a part of the starting lineup.[18] He scored a 26th-minute header off a cross from teammate Samuel Chukwueze;[19] however, Nigeria lost 4–3 and were eliminated on away goals.
Career statistics
Club
- As of 5 October 2024[20]
Honours
Fehérvár
Nigeria U17
References
External links
