Habib Habibou

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Habib Habibou

| image = Stade rennais vs USM Alger, July 16th 2016 - Habib Habibou.jpg

| caption = Habibou while at Rennes in 2016

| fullname = Mouhamadou Habib Habibou

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1987|04|16}}

| birth_place = Bria, Central African Republic

| height = 1.92 m

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Paris Saint-Germain

| years1 = 2005–2010 | clubs1 = Charleroi | caps1 = 68 | goals1 = 16

| years2 = 2007 | clubs2 = → Tubize (loan) | caps2 = 11 | goals2 = 12

| years3 = 2008 | clubs3 = → Steaua București (loan) | caps3 = 8 | goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2010–2013 | clubs4 = Zulte Waregem | caps4 = 76 | goals4 = 29

| years5 = 2013 | clubs5 = → Leeds United (loan)| caps5 = 4 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2014 | clubs6 = Gent | caps6 = 18 | goals6 = 12

| years7 = 2014–2017 | clubs7 = Rennes | caps7 = 27 | goals7 = 3

| years8 = 2015–2016 | clubs8 = Rennes B | caps8 = 4 | goals8 = 2

| years9 = 2016 | clubs9 = → Gaziantepspor (loan) | caps9 = 9 | goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2017 | clubs10 = Lens | caps10 = 13 | goals10 = 7

| years11 = 2017–2018 | clubs11 = Qatar SC | caps11 = 9 | goals11 = 1

| years12 = 2018–2019 | clubs12 = Maccabi Petah Tikva | caps12 = 8 | goals12 = 1

| years13 = 2019–2020 | clubs13 = Lokeren | caps13 = 10 | goals13 = 1

| years14 = 2020 | clubs14 = Politehnica Iași | caps14 = 5 | goals14 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2016–2018

| nationalteam1 = Central African Republic

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| club-update = 20:40, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 21:30, 31 January 2017 (UTC)

}}

Mouhamadou Habib Habibou (born 16 April 1987) is a Central African professional footballer who plays as a striker.

Club career

=Early career=

Habibou started his career with Ligue 1 club Paris Saint Germain progressing through the youth setup. After failing to break into the first team he moved to Belgian club R. Charleroi S.C. During his spell at Charleroi he joined Tubize on loan in 2007 scoring 10 goals in just 13 appearances, his form led to him earning a loan move to Romanian side Steaua București in 2008.{{Citation needed|date=March 2014}}

=Zulte Waregem=

In 2010, Habibou joined fellow Belgian side S.V. Zulte Waregem from Charleroi. he was given the squad number 7 shirt. In 2011, Habibou joined English side Brighton & Hove Albion on trial, In December 2011 he also had a trial spell at West Ham United,{{cite news | url = http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11685/7357059/Hammers-eye-African-ace | title = Habib Habibou training with West Ham | publisher = Sky Sports | date = 7 December 2011 }} however he stayed at Zulte Waregem.{{cite news | url = https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11065/8389660/leeds-and-queens-park-rangers-both-considering-bids-for-striker-habib-habibou | title = Leeds and Queens Park Rangers both considering bids for striker Habib Habibou | publisher = Sky Sports | date = 11 January 2013 }}

After scoring six goals in 13 games in the first half of the 2012–13 season, Habibou interested Premier League side Queens Park Rangers and joined them on trial, also training with Leeds United.{{cite web|title=Zulte Waregem striker Habib Habibou admits to being in talks with English club|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11711/8391978/Zulte-Waregem-striker-Habib-Habibou-admits-to-being-in-talks-with-English-club|publisher=Sky Sports|access-date=5 February 2013}} After QPR signed French international striker Loïc Rémy the move for Habibou was put on the backburner as he edged closer to a move.{{cite news | url = http://www.lavenir.net/sports/cnt/DMF20130116_00256154 | title = Loic Remy rather than Habib Habibou to QPR | publisher = Sport Lavenir | date = 16 January 2013 }} With Leeds striker Luciano Becchio handing in a transfer request, Habibou was lined up as a replacement for Becchio in the January window.{{cite web|title=Squad|url=http://www.leedsunited.com/page/PlayerProfiles/0,,10273~51133,00.html|publisher=www.leedsunited.com|access-date=24 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205154003/http://www.leedsunited.com/page/PlayerProfiles/0,,10273~51133,00.html|archive-date=5 February 2013|url-status=dead}}

=Leeds United=

On 31 January 2013, transfer deadline day, Habibou completed his move to Leeds United on a six-month loan with the option to make the move permanent.{{cite news | url = http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20130131/habibou-has-the-chance-to-impress_2247585_3060790 | title = HABIBOU HAS THE CHANCE TO IMPRESS | publisher = Leeds United | date = 31 January 2013 }} Habibou made his debut as a second-half substitute in Leeds' 1–0 defeat against Cardiff City on 2 February.{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21209263 | title = Leeds Vs Cardiff | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 2 February 2013 }} Habibou's only start came in Leeds' Yorkshire Derby against Huddersfield Town.

On 3 May, Leeds announced that they would not be making Habibou's loan deal permanent.{{cite news | url = http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20130503/10-players-not-offered-new-deals_2247585_3166156 | title = 10 PLAYERS NOT OFFERED NEW DEALS | publisher = Leeds United Official Website | date = 3 May 2013 }}

=Later career=

On 1 September 2014, transfer deadline day, Habibou joined Rennes on a three-year deal.{{cite news | url = http://www.staderennais.com/index.php?rb=22&id=BR8070 | title = Habib Habibou rejoint le SRFC | publisher = Stade Rennais | language = French | date = 1 September 2014 }} After 26 appearances and 3 goals in his first season with Rennes, Habibou departed in January 2016 to join Süper Lig team Gaziantepspor on loan. He played nine times but failed to score for the Gaziantep-based club before returning to Rennes. A year later, in January 2017, Habibou joined Ligue 2 side Lens on a two-year contract.{{cite news |url = http://www.rclens.fr/infos_2017/01/31_arrivee_habibou/index.php |title = Officiel : Habib Habibou rejoint les rangs lensois ! |publisher = RC Lens |language = French |date = 31 January 2017 |access-date = 31 January 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170203020207/http://www.rclens.fr/infos_2017/01/31_arrivee_habibou/index.php |archive-date = 3 February 2017 |url-status = dead}}

International career

Habibou was called up to the Central African Republic for 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burkina Faso on 14 October 2012.{{cite news | url = http://www.supersport.com/football/africa/news/121009/Central_African_Republic_drops_captain | title = Central African Republic drops captain | publisher = Supersport | date = 9 October 2012 }} He made his debut in an AFCON qualifying 4–1 loss to DR Congo national football team on 4 September 2016.{{cite web| url = http://www.cafonline.com/fr-fr/competitions/qcan2017.aspx/MatchDetails?MatchId=nC%2fKnLtstKL212uKijbq5trIiWwK2PFu8WgJ6EY1hGDjpM9Y05DdGZOxZiEzwWs5| title = CAFOnline.com}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|31 January 2017}}.{{cite news|title=Habib Habibou profile|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/mahamadou-habibou/18524/|access-date=31 January 2017|work=Soccerway|date=31 January 2017}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|CupIncludes the Coupe de France. !colspan="2"\|League CupIncludes the Coupe de la Ligue. !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Club statistics
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="2"\|Lens \|2016–17 \|rowspan="1"\|Ligue 2 \|5	4	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	0	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	0	0

=International=

{{updated|18 November 2018}}.

National team	Year	Apps
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="4"\|Central African Republic
2016	1	0
2017	0	0
2018	1	1
colspan=2\|Total	2	1

=International goals=

:Scores and results list Central African Republic's goal tally first.{{cite web|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/65145/Habib_Habibou.html|title=Habibou, Habib|publisher=National Football Teams|access-date=22 November 2018}}

class="wikitable"

! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition

18 November 2018

Stade Huye, Butare, Rwanda

align=center | 1–1

align=center | 2–2

2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Trivia

In 2010, during a Zulte Waregem game against Lokeren, Habibou grabbed and threw a duck over advertising hoardings because it had wandered onto the field.{{cite web|title=Owls, bats, the Highbury squirrel and kangaroos: it's the top 10 animal pitch invasions! |url=http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine/features/2011-11-14/owls-bats-highbury-squirrel-and-kangaroos-its-top-10-animal-pitch-invasions |publisher=www.talksport.co.uk |access-date=7 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219115257/http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine/features/2011-11-14/owls-bats-highbury-squirrel-and-kangaroos-its-top-10-animal-pitch-invasions |archive-date=19 December 2011 }}