Ramon Azeez

Ramon Olamilekan Azeez (born 12 December 1992) is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Spanish club Granada CF as a central midfielder.

Ramon Azeez
Personal information
Full name Ramon Olamilekan Azeez
Date of birth (1992-12-12) 12 December 1992
Place of birth Abuja, Nigeria
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 6 1⁄2 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Granada
Number 12
Youth career
Future Pro Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2016 Almería B 78 (7)
2012–2017 Almería 71 (4)
2017–2019 Lugo 49 (2)
2019– Granada 26 (2)
National team‡
2009 Nigeria U17 7 (1)
2011–2012 Nigeria U20 9 (1)
2014– Nigeria 6 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 January 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 November 2019

He spent the vast majority of his professional career in Spain, starting at Almería B. In La Liga, he appeared for the first team of that club and Granada.

An international since 2014, Azeez represented Nigeria at the 2014 World Cup.

Club career

Almería

Born in Abuja, Azeez began playing football in the Future Pro Academy. In 2010 he agreed a move to UD Almería in Spain, but had to wait until July 2011 to complete the transfer.[1]

On 17 August 2012, after one full season with the B-side in Segunda División B, Azeez made his debut with the first team: he came on as a substitute for Javier Casquero in the 55th minute of an away fixture against FC Barcelona B for the Segunda División (5–4 win), but was himself replaced after just ten minutes after being booked and, according to manager Javi Gracia, risking a subsequent sending off.[2]

On 28 June 2013, Azeez was definitely promoted to the Andalusians' main squad, with the club having just recently promoted to La Liga.[3] He made his debut in the competition on 30 August, playing roughly 20 minutes in a 2–2 home draw against Elche CF.[4]

Azeez scored his first professional goal on 21 December 2013, netting the game's only in a win at Real Betis.[5] He repeated the feat in the second meeting between the two teams, scoring in the 94th minute for a 3–2 triumph at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos.[6]

Azeez appeared sparingly during the 2014–15 campaign, as his side suffered relegation. In June 2015 he requested a transfer,[7] and after failing to sign a professional contract, he was demoted back to the reserves in August.[8]

On 26 January 2016, Azeez returned to the main squad, seriously threatened with relegation, after agreeing to a professional deal.[9]

Lugo / Granada

On 13 July 2017, free agent Azeez signed with CD Lugo also of the Spanish second level.[10] On 1 February 2019, he joined fellow league team Granada CF on a three-and-a-half-year deal.[11]

On 21 September 2019, Azeez headed home from close range following an Antonio Puertas cross, in the first minute of an eventual 2–0 home win against defending champions FC Barcelona.[12]

International career

Azeez appeared with the Nigeria under-17's in 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, and was a regular in the team which eventually finished runner-up. Two years later he appeared in the youth World Cup, also as a starter.

On 3 February 2014, Azeez was called up to the full side for a friendly against Mexico.[13][14] He made his debut on 5 March, playing the entire second half in a 0–0 draw at Georgia Dome.[15]

On 6 May 2014, Azeez was named in the provisional 30-man squad ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[16] He was included in Stephen Keshi's final list for the tournament,[17] and made his debut on 16 June by starting in a 0–0 draw against Iran.[18]

In September 2019, Azeez was recalled to the national team after five years.[19]

Career statistics

Club
As of 10 June 2017[20]
Club Season Competition League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Almería B 2011–12 Segunda División B 282—282
2012–13 313—313
2015–16 192—192
Total 787—787
Almería 2012–13 Segunda División 2020—40
2013–14 La Liga 30220—320
2014–15 14030—170
2015–16 Segunda División 3000—30
2016–17 22200—222
Total 71470—784
Career totals 1491170—15611

International
As of 13 October 2019[21]
Nigeria
YearAppsGoals
201440
201910
Total50

References
  1. Ramon Azeez sigue mostrando un excelente nivel en el Mundial sub-20 con Nigeria (Ramon Azeez keeps showing excellent level at the under-20 World Cup with Nigeria); Ideal, 12 August 2011 (in Spanish)
  2. Festival goleador para abrir la Liga Adelante (Goalscoring party to open Liga Adelante); Marca, 17 August 2012 (in Spanish)
  3. Dieciséis jugadores tienen actualmente contrato en vigor con la primera plantilla de la UD Almería (Sixteen players currently on contract with UD Almería's first team) Archived 1 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine; UD Almería, 28 June 2013 (in Spanish)
  4. Almeria denied first win Archived 10 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN FC, 17 August 2013
  5. Azeez effort enough for Almeria Archived 3 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN FC, 21 December 2013
  6. El Almería nunca se rinde (Almería never surrender); Marca, 4 May 2014 (in Spanish)
  7. Azeez pide al club que escuche ofertas (Azeez asks the club to listen to offers); Mundo Deportivo, 16 June 2015 (in Spanish)
  8. El club baja a Azeez al filial y Sergi piensa en José Ángel (The club demotes Azeez to the reserves and Sergi thinks of José Ángel); Diario AS, 10 August 2015 (in Spanish)
  9. Ramón Azeez vuelve al primer equipo (Ramón Azeez returns to the first team); Marca, 26 January 2016 (in Spanish)
  10. El Lugo ficha a Ramón Azeez (Lugo sign Ramón Azeez); La Voz de Galicia, 13 July 2017 (in Spanish)
  11. Lamelas, Rafael (1 February 2019). "El Granada ficha a Azeez 'in extremis'" [Granada sign Azeez 'in extremis'] (in Spanish). Ideal. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  12. "Granada stun Barcelona to go top despite Lionel Messi's rescue effort". The Guardian. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  13. Azeez, convocado por la selección absoluta de Nigeria (Azeez, called up by Nigeria's full team) Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine; UD Almería, 3 February 2014 (in Spanish)
  14. Okeleji, Oluwashina (10 February 2014). "Uncapped trio called up by Nigeria". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  15. "Nigeria cancel out Mexico again". MTN Football. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  16. Okeleji, Oluwashina (6 May 2014). "World Cup 2014: Peter Odemwingie in provisional Nigeria squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  17. "World Cup 2014: Nosa Igiebor cut from Nigeria squad". BBC Sport. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  18. "Goals dry up as Iran, Nigeria draw". FIFA. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  19. Okeleji, Oluwashina (26 September 2019). "Ramon Azeez: Granada's 'faith and belief' leads to Nigeria recall". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  20. "R. Azeez". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  21. "R. Azeez – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
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