Baba Kourouma
{{short description|Spanish footballer (born 2009)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Baba Kourouma
|image =
|fullname = Baba Kourouma Kourouma{{WorldFootball.net|baba-kourouma}}
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2009|3|23|df=y}}
|birth_place = Guinea
|height = 1.76 m
|position = Centre-back
|currentclub = Barcelona
|clubnumber =
|youthyears1 = 2021–2025
|youthclubs1 = Barcelona
|years1 = 2025– |clubs1 = Barcelona B |caps1 = 0 |goals1 = 0
|nationalyears1 =
|nationalteam1 =
|nationalcaps1 =
|nationalgoals1 =
|club-update = 17:44, 24 May 2025 (UTC)
|nationalteam-update =
}}
Baba Kourouma Kourouma (born 23 March 2009) is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a centre-back for Barcelona.
Early and personal life
Born in Guinea,{{cite web|url=https://www.relevo.com/futbol/mercado-fichajes/barca-respira-blindar-ultima-joya-20250129164147-nt.html|title=El Barça respira al blindar a su última joya, Baba Kourouma, un cañón tan bueno que nadie sabe dónde acabará jugando|trans-title=Barça breathes a sigh of relief by securing its latest gem, Baba Kourouma, a cannon so good that no one knows where he will end up playing|first1=Hugo|last1=Cerezo|first2=Matteo|last2=Moretto|date=29 January 2025|access-date=26 May 2025|website=relevo.com|language=es}} Kourouma is the brother of fellow professional footballers Ilaix Moriba and Lass Kourouma.{{cite web|url=https://www.relevo.com/futbol/liga-primera/saga-moriba-continua-central-disfrazado-20240329201848-nt.html|title=La saga de Ilaix Moriba continúa en el Barça con un mediapunta disfrazado de central: "El bueno será el pequeño"|trans-title=The Ilaix Moriba saga continues at Barça with a playmaker disguised as a center back: "The best one will be the small one."|first=Jordi|last=Cardero|date=30 March 2024|access-date=26 May 2025|website=relevo.com|language=es}}
Club career
Kourouma moved to Spain as a child, but due to bureaucratic issues, he was unable to join any clubs for a year, playing football on the streets instead.{{cite web|url=https://as.com/futbol/primera/baba-kouroma-el-hermano-de-ilaix-que-apunta-muy-alto-en-la-masia-azulgrana-n/|title=Baba Kouroma (sic), el hermano de Ilaix que apunta muy alto en La Masia azulgrana|trans-title=Baba Kouroma (sic), Ilaix's brother, is aiming high for Barcelona's La Masia|first=Sergi|last=de Juan|date=13 February 2025|access-date=26 May 2025|website=as.com|language=es}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/futbol-base/baba-kourouma-prodigio-tecnica-polivalencia-115645658|title=Baba Kourouma: un prodigio de técnica, polivalencia y carácter|trans-title=Baba Kourouma: a prodigy of technique, versatility and character|first=Jaume|last=Marcet|date=26 March 2025|access-date=26 May 2025|website=sport.es|language=es}} He joined Barcelona's La Masia academy in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20250319/1002428840/baba-kourouma-polivalente-hermano-ilaix-moriba-convocado-copa-catalunya.html|title=¿Quién es Baba Kourouma? El polivalente hermano de Ilaix Moriba, convocado para la Copa Catalunya|trans-title=Who is Baba Kourouma? Ilaix Moriba's versatile brother, called up for the Copa Catalunya|first=Pau|last=Galceran|date=19 March 2025|access-date=26 May 2025|website=mundodeportivo.com|language=es}} In January 2025, following interest from English Premier League club Manchester City, Barcelona began contract discussions with Kourouma.{{cite web|url=https://tribuna.com/es/news/fcbarcelona-2025-01-05-el-barcelona-negocia-con-baba-kourouma-de-15-anos-en-medio-del-interes-del-manchester-cit/|title=El Barcelona negocia con Baba Kourouma, de 15 años, en medio del interés del Manchester City|trans-title=Barcelona is negotiating with 15-year-old Baba Kourouma amid interest from Manchester City|date=5 January 2025|access-date=26 May 2025|website=tribuna.com|language=es}} Later in the same month, Kourouma agreed a three-year deal with Barça, effective as soon as he turned sixteen.
Having progressed to the Juvenil B side, he was called up to Barcelona's B team in March 2025 for their Copa Catalunya match against Espanyol B, playing the entire second half in Barcelona's 5–0 loss on 19 March. Three days later he made his first start for the club's Juvenil A side, featuring in their 1–1 draw with Gimnàstic de Tarragona on 22 March.{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/futbol-base/baba-sama-debutan-juvenil-tarragona-115581401|title=Baba y Sama debutan con el Juvenil A en Tarragona|trans-title=Baba and Sama make their debut with the U19s in Tarragona|first=Jaume|last=Marcet|date=22 March 2025|access-date=26 May 2025|website=sport.es|language=es}} On 14 May 2025 he signed a contract renewal with Barcelona, keeping him with the club until July 2028.{{cite web|url=https://www.relevo.com/futbol/mercado-fichajes/baba-kourouma-perla-cantera-barcelona-20250514194808-nt.html|title=Baba Kourouma, la perla de la cantera del Barcelona, firma su contrato de renovación|trans-title=Baba Kourouma, the pearl of the Barcelona youth academy, signs his contract renewal|first=Matteo|last=Moretto|date=14 May 2025|access-date=26 May 2025|website=relevo.com|language=es}}{{cite web|url=https://as.com/futbol/primera/el-barcelona-renueva-a-baba-kourouma-otra-perla-de-la-masia-n/|title=El Barcelona renueva a Baba Kourouma, otra perla de La Masia|trans-title=Barcelona renews Baba Kourouma, another La Masia gem|first=Sergi|last=de Juan|date=15 May 2025|access-date=26 May 2025|website=as.com|language=es}}
Style of play
Predominantly a centre-back, Kourouma has featured at left-back for Barcelona's youth teams, and is also comfortable playing in midfield.
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|24 May 2025.}}{{Soccerway|baba-kourouma-kourouma/1031591}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Barcelona B
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearances in the Copa Catalunya}} | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
;Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{LaPreferente|445086}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kourouma, Baba}}
Category:Spanish people of Guinean descent
Category:Spanish men's footballers