Abdisalam Abdulkadir Ibrahim (born 1 May 1991) is a footballer who last played as a midfielder for Ullensaker/Kisa in the OBOS-ligaen.[2][3] Born in Somalia, he has represented the Norway national team.

Abdisalam Ibrahim
Personal information
Full name Abdisalam Abdulkadir Ibrahim[1]
Date of birth (1991-05-01) 1 May 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Mogadishu, Somalia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1998–2002 Øyer-Tretten
2002–2005 Lørenskog
2005–2007 Fjellhamar
2007–2010 Manchester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Fjellhamar 4 (0)
2007–2014 Manchester City 1 (0)
2011Scunthorpe United (loan) 11 (0)
2011–2012NEC (loan) 8 (1)
2012–2013Strømsgodset (loan) 38 (5)
2012–2013Strømsgodset 2 (loan) 4 (1)
2014–2015 Olympiacos 1 (0)
2014Ergotelis (loan) 12 (1)
2015–2016 Veria 7 (0)
2016–2017 Viking 25 (2)
2016Viking 2 1 (1)
2017–2018 Vålerenga 33 (0)
2017–2018Vålerenga 2 14 (3)
2019–2020 Pafos 9 (0)
2019Riga (loan) 2 (0)
2021 Bisceglie 1 (0)
2022 Ullensaker/Kisa 8 (1)
International career
2007–2008 Norway U17 6 (1)
2009 Norway U18 5 (0)
2009–2010 Norway U19 5 (0)
2010–2013 Norway U21 11 (0)
2012–2013 Norway U23 3 (0)
2014 Norway 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 March 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 January 2014

Club career

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Early career

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Born in Somalia, Ibrahim moved to Norway in 1998.[4] He began his football career as a youth in Norway with Øyer-Tretten before eventually moving to Lørenskog, where he played for Fjellhamar. He got his debut for Fjellhamar's senior team in 2006.[5]

He transferred to Manchester City effective from 1 July 2007.[6] In the spring of 2008, he was on the winning team in the FA Youth Cup final, as Manchester City beat Chelsea 4–2 on aggregate.[7]

Ibrahim played as a midfielder. At the age of 18, his style of play was compared by some at the club to then teammate Patrick Vieira.[8]

Ibrahim made his senior debut starting on 24 January 2010, in the FA Cup game against Scunthorpe United.[9] He was on the bench in the 3–1 defeat to Manchester United in the League Cup semi-final at Old Trafford, as well as the match against Portsmouth at Eastlands on 31 January. On 21 February 2010, he made his Premier League debut as a substitute for Manchester City in a 0–0 draw against Liverpool. Ibrahim was rewarded with a new contract on 7 April 2010, which tied him to the club until 2014.[10] Ibrahim made his League Cup debut and first starting appearance at West Brom on Wednesday, 22 September 2010.[11]

On 14 January 2011, it was announced that he would join Scunthorpe United on loan for one month,[12] this loan period subsequently being extended in mid-February to the end of the season.[13]

On 31 July 2011, it was announced that he would join Dutch Eredivisie side NEC on a season-long loan deal.[14] Ibrahim featured in two cup matches and had eight Eredivisie spells scoring one goal before the loan deal was terminated on 22 March on mutual consent because Ibrahim had trouble with his role on the bench for most of the season.[15]

Ibrahim spent the second half of the 2012 season on loan with Strømsgodset, before he again was on six-month loan to Godset in January 2013.[16] In the 2013 season, Ibrahim played 17 matches for Strømsgodset when the team won the Tippeligaen, which was his first title as a pro.[17]

On 22 January 2014, Ibrahim's was released from his contract at Manchester City, having resided in the United Kingdom for three and a half years.

Greece

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On 24 January 2014, Ibrahim announced that he is joining Greek champions club Olympiacos for the next 3.5 years.[18] Ibrahim made just one appearance for the Greek champions and he immediately joined Superleague club Ergotelis on loan until the end of the season [19] On the beginning of 2014–15 season he returned to Olympiacos.

After being released on a free transfer from Olympiacos, Ibrahim signed a two-year contract with the Greek club Veria on 24 August 2015.[20] Ibrahim debuted on 29 August 2015 in a 2–0 away win against Panthrakikos. He was sent off against his former club, Olympiacos on the 31 October 2015.

Back to Norway

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On 13 January 2016, Ibrahim signed a contract with Norwegian Tippeligaen club Viking. His contract lasts for three years, until 31 December 2018.

Ibrahim signed with Vålerenga in March 2017, and left the club again at the end of the 2018 season.[21]

Cyprus

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He joined Cypriot team Pafos as a free agent on deadline day, 31 January 2019.[22][23] On 30 August he was substituted against AEK Larnaca only 36 minutes into Pafos' second Cypriot First Division game of the season, due to an injury.[24] He was later ruled out for six to eight months.

Italy

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On 24 March 2021, he joined Italian third-tier Serie C club Bisceglie.[25]

International career

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At international level, Ibrahim has represented Norway at every age group from Under 15 to Under 21. He is still eligible for both his native country Somalia as well as his adopted country, but has stated a desire to represent the Norwegian national team if called up.[26] On 15 January 2014, he made his debut with the national team in a 2–1 away friendly win against Moldova. Having never featured for Norway in a competitive match, Ibrahim remains potentially eligible for Somalia national team.

Personal life

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Abdisalam has an older brother, Abdirashid Ibrahim, a semi-professional footballer formerly of FC United of Manchester and Rossendale United.[27] He also has a little brother, Abdijabar Ibrahim, who attends ESSA Academy. Ibrahim was an Arsenal fan when growing up and Patrick Vieira was his hero and more recently Yaya Toure.[28] His nickname is Abdi.[29] Within a few weeks in the late spring of 2013, his younger sister died and Ibrahim became a father for the first time.[30]

References

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  1. ^ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/08/2011 and 31/08/2011" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Abdisalam vil gå foran". aftenposten.no.
  3. ^ "Abdis ensomme vei tilbake: - Når jeg spilte kamp sist? Oi, det er lenge siden". norskfotball.com.
  4. ^ Einstad, Knut Jarle (25 January 2010). "Stjernedebut for Ibrahim". Dagbladet (in Norwegian).
  5. ^ Bakkehaug, Wegard (1 November 2006). "Fjellhamars Vieira". Romerikes Blad (in Norwegian). Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  6. ^ "Dette er Abdis nye lekegrind". Romerikes Blad (in Norwegian). 19 February 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  7. ^ Bakkehaug, Wegard (18 April 2008). "Svennis feiret Abdi og gullgutta". Romerikes Blad (in Norwegian).
  8. ^ "Abdisalam Ibrahim". Manchester City F.C. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  9. ^ Ashdown, John (24 January 2010). "Scunthorpe Utd v Manchester City – as it happened". London: Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  10. ^ "Manchester City First Team News | Manchester City FC". Mcfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  11. ^ "West Brom 2–1 Man City". BBC News. 22 September 2010.
  12. ^ "Man City youngster signs on loan". scunthorpe-united.co.uk. (Scunthorpe United Football Club). 14 January 2011. Archived from the original on 20 January 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  13. ^ "Scunthorpe extend Abdisalam Ibrahim loan". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  14. ^ "Manchester City First Team News | Manchester City FC". Mcfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  15. ^ "Abdisalam Ibrahim vertrekt per direct bij N.E.C." Nec-nijmegen.nl. 22 March 2012. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  16. ^ Rasmussen, John (10 January 2013). "Abdi Ibrahim skriver under for Godset igjen" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  17. ^ Bajkowski, Simon (11 November 2013). "City loan watch: Ibrahim wins title but results go against loanees". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  18. ^ "ΠΑΕ Ολυμπιακός - Ανακοίνωση | Olympiacos.org / Official Website of Olympiacos Piraeus". Olympiacos.org. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  19. ^ "Η επίσημη ιστοσελίδα - ΠΑΕ Εργοτέλης". Ergotelis.gr. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  20. ^ Κατηγορία: Δελτία Τύπου - Ανακοινώσεις. "Υπέγραψε για 2 χρόνια ο Abdisalam Ibrahim". Veriafc.gr. Archived from the original on 26 August 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  21. ^ Abdi om exiten: – Har fått venner for livet i Vålerenga, dagsavisen.no, 9 January 2019
  22. ^ "Her er de bekreftede Deadline Day -overgangene" (in Norwegian). TV2.no. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  23. ^ "ΕΠΙΣΗΜΟ με Ibrahim" (in Greek). Kerkida.net. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  24. ^ "Πάφος-ΑΕΚ 0-2: Εκτέλεση από τα έντεκα βήματα" (in Greek). 24Sports.com.cy. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  25. ^ "Nuovo innesto per il Bisceglie Calcio, ecco Abdisalam Abdulkadir Ibrahim" (in Italian). Bisceglie. 24 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Velger Norge foran Somalia" (in Norwegian). Avisenes Nyhetsbåry/Norwegian News Agency. 12 March 2010. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  27. ^ Allcock, Alan (20 February 2010). "First North Signings". The Evo-Stick League. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  28. ^ "Scunthorpe United | News | Latest News | Latest News | YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: ABDISALAM IBRAHIM". Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  29. ^ "City TV | Manchester City FC". Mcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  30. ^ Sindre Øgar. "Det var hele livet på så kort tid. Miste søsteren og få en sønn - U21-EM 2013 - VG". Vg.no. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
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