Azeez Abu

Abu Abolaji Azeez (born 31 May 1994) is a Nigerian beach soccer player. He plays as a forward for Nigerian Professional Football League club side Warri Wolves F.C. and for the Nigeria national beach soccer team.[1]

Abu Azeez
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-05-31) 31 May 1994
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Playing position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Warri Wolves F.C.
Number 8
Youth career
2006 - 2009 Owibeseb FC
2009 - 2010 Bridge F.C.
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013-2014 Kwara United F.C.
2014-2016 Warri Wolves F.C.
2016-2017 Enyimba F.C.
2017-2018 Shooting Stars F.C.
2018-2019 Rangers International F.C.
2019 Remo Stars F.C.
2019 - Warri Wolves F.C.
National team‡
2009- Nigeria 79 (129)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10:56, 8 April 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 09:58, 8 April 2020 (UTC)

Early life

Abu Azeez grew up in Ojo part of Lagos in Nigeria with parents who made education a priority for him. He had a strong love for football but could only watch his friends join and represent school teams as his father didn't approve of him joining them.

Unfortunately, he had to wait till his dad died in 2005 before he could join a team. He got his first pair of boot with his father's gratuity.

Club career

Abu joined amateur football team, Owibeseb FC in 2006 and spent three years with them before joining Bridge F.C. in 2009.

He turned professional in 2013 when he signed for Nigerian Professional Football League side, Kwara United F.C.[2] He spent a year with the Ilorin-based club before he was signed by Warri Wolves F.C.[3]

In 2016, he made the switch to Enyimba FC[4] of Aba but once again he moved to Shooting stars sports club of ibadan[4] the following year after a trial with Turkish club Samsunspor.[5]

After one year back in the western part of Nigeria, Azeez moved back to the east, signing for the Enugu Rangers.[6] He played one season with the Flying Antelopes before he joined Remo Stars F.C.[7]

With Remo Stars dropping to the Nigeria National League in 2019, Azeez returned to Warri Wolves for a second stint and has been an important member of the team this season.

International career

Abu Azeez made his debut for Nigeria at the 2009 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai where he scored twice as Nigeria crashed out in the group stages.

He became a vital member of the team from after that tournament and won his first trophy with the team in 2011 at the Copa Lagos.

In 2016, while he was still with Enyimba, Azeez announced that he was retiring from international beach football[8] so he could focus regular football.

He, however, returned to the team later that year to help the West African to a second-place finish at the 2016 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations which was hosted in Nigeria.

Azeez named Nigeria's captain in 2019, a year after he became the first and only Nigeria Beach soccer player to reach a century of goals.[9]

Player profile

A versatile forward player, Azeez is capable of playing on either wing or through the middle as a centre forward. He is very powerful, with skill and pace to support. while ostensibly right-footed, he is able to hit the ball well with his left foot. He is one of the most popular stars of the Nigeria professional football league.

Honours and achievements

Nigeria

Warri Wolves

Individual

References
  1. FIFA.com. "FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2019 - News - Abu Azeez, Nigeria's orchestrator - FIFA.com". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  2. - (16 December 2012). "Kwara Utd pounce on Abu Azeez". Daily Trust. Retrieved 12 April 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. "Abu Azeez excited to join Warri Wolves | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  4. VAVEL.com (30 July 2016). "Oriental Derby: Abu Azeez ready to gun down Rangers". VAVEL. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  5. Obi, George (9 May 2017). "Super Sand Eagles Star Abu Azeez Set For Turkey Move". Complete Sports. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  6. "Abu Azeez, Femi Thomas, Godwin Zaki... Rangers unveil 17 new players". TheCable. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  7. Lesley, Angu (30 March 2019). "NPFL:Remo Stars Release Team List for Rest of the Season". KICK442. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  8. "Abu Azeez quits beach football with Nigeria | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  9. "Beach Soccer: Abu Azeez becomes centurion as Nigeria reach World Cup". ACLSports. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
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