Biri Biri
Alhaji Momodo Njie (born 30 March 1948), also known as Biri Biri, is a Gambian former footballer who played as a right winger. He most notably played for Sevilla FC in Spain and Herfølge Boldklub in Denmark. He was also a Gambian international footballer, and is regarded by several as the best Gambian footballer of all time.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alhaji Momodo Njie | ||
| Date of birth | 30 March 1948 | ||
| Place of birth | Banjul, Gambia | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position(s) | Right winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Black Star Football Club | |||
| Black Diamonds | |||
| White Phantoms | |||
| Arrance FC | |||
| 1963–1965 | Mighty Blackpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1965–1970 | Augustinians | ||
| 1970 | Derby County | 0 | (0) |
| 1970–1972 | Wallidan Banjul | ||
| 1972–1973 | B 1901 | ||
| 1973–1978 | Sevilla | 99 | (32) |
| 1978–1981 | Herfølge Boldklub | ||
| 1981–1986 | Wallidan Banjul | ||
| National team | |||
| 1963–1987 | Gambia | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Club career
Before his time in Europe, Biri Biri played for Black Diamonds, Phomtoms and Augustines in Gambia as well as Mighty Blackpool of Sierra Leone.[1]
Biri Biri was spotted by Danish club B 1901 during a training camp in The Gambia in 1972. He left them in 1973 for Spanish team Sevilla FC. He was the first black player to play for Sevilla, and was considered one of their best players. Biri Biri returned to Denmark to play for Herfølge Boldklub in 1980, and in 1981 he signed for Wallidan F.C. back in The Gambia, for whom he played until retirement in 1987.[1]
International career
Biri Biri played on multiple occasions for The Gambia's national men's football team, starting as a youth in 1963.
Retirement
Biri Biri was appointed as Deputy Mayor of Banjul after Yahya Jammeh came to power in 1994, a post he had relinquished by 2005. He also worked as the manager of Royal Albert market in the city. In 2000, Jammeh awarded him the Order of Merit, and he was described as The Gambia's "greatest footballer of the last millennium and of all time."[1]
References
- Barrie, Mohamed Fajah (23 May 2005). "Biri Biri: Gambia's 'greatest'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 August 2018.