Iddrisu Baba
{{short description|Ghanaian footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Iddrisu Baba
| image =
| full_name = Iddrisu Baba Mohammed
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|1|22|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Accra, Ghana
| height = 1.85 m{{cite web |url=https://www.laliga.com/en-ES/player/baba-1 |title=Iddrisu Baba |publisher=LaLiga Santander |access-date=15 October 2022}}
| position = Defensive midfielder
| currentclub = Almería
| clubnumber = 15
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Leganés
| youthyears2 = 2014–2015
| youthclubs2 = → Mallorca (loan)
| years1 = 2015–2016
| clubs1 = Leganés B
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2015–2016
| clubs2 = → Mallorca B (loan)
| caps2 = 32
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2016–2018
| clubs3 = Mallorca B
| caps3 = 61
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 2017–2018
| clubs4 = → Barakaldo (loan)
| caps4 = 30
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2018–2024
| clubs5 = Mallorca
| caps5 = 140
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2023–2024
| clubs6 = → Almería (loan)
| caps6 = 25
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2024–
| clubs7 = Almería
| caps7 = 10
| goals7 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2019–
| nationalteam1 = Ghana
| nationalcaps1 = 18
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 31 March 2025
| nationalteam-update = 10 December 2022
}}
Iddrisu Baba Mohammed (born 22 January 1996) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for {{Spanish football updater|Almería}} club Almería and the Ghana national team.
Club career
Born in Accra, Baba moved to Spain at an early age and joined RCD Mallorca's youth setup in January 2014, from CD Leganés. He made his senior debut for the former's reserves on 29 August 2015, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 7–1 Tercera División home routing of Penya Ciutadella.
Baba scored his first senior goal on 8 May 2016, netting the opener in a 2–1 home win against CF Platges de Calvià. On 23 June, after achieving promotion, he was bought outright by the Bermellones.{{cite web|url=http://www.rcdmallorca.es/en/content/news/news/baba-and-stephen-are-now-rcd-mallorca-players|title=Baba and Stephen are now RCD Mallorca players|publisher=RCD Mallorca|date=23 June 2016|access-date=27 June 2018}}
On 25 August 2017, Baba was loaned to Barakaldo CF in Segunda División B, for one year.{{cite web|url=http://www.rcdmallorca.es/en/content/news/news/baba-will-play-in-barakaldo-this-season|title=Baba will play in Barakaldo this season|publisher=RCD Mallorca|date=25 August 2017|access-date=27 June 2018}} Upon returning, he was promoted to the main squad in Segunda División, and made his professional debut on 19 August 2018, replacing Carlos Castro in a 1–0 home win against CA Osasuna.{{cite web|url=http://www.marca.com/futbol/segunda-division/2018/08/19/5b799fd8468aeb57088b45cf.html|title=Abdón Prats guía a un Mallorca que convence en su vuelta a Segunda|trans-title=Abdón Prats leads a Mallorca which convince in their return to Segunda|publisher=Marca|language=es|date=19 August 2018|access-date=19 August 2018}}
On 3 July 2019, after contributing with 28 matches (play-offs included) as his side achieved promotion to La Liga, Baba renewed his contract until 2022.{{cite web|url=http://www.rcdmallorca.es/contenidos/noticias/noticia/baba-renueva-con-el-rcd-mallorca-hasta-2022|title=Baba renueva con el RCD Mallorca hasta 2022|trans-title=Baba renews with RCD Mallorca until 2022|publisher=RCD Mallorca|language=es|date=3 July 2019|accessdate=4 July 2019}} He made his debut in the category on 17 August, starting in a 2–1 home win over SD Eibar.
Baba scored his first professional goal on 31 October 2021, netting the opener in a 1–1 away draw against Cádiz CF. On 10 August 2023, he moved to fellow top tier side UD Almería in a season-long loan deal, with a buyout clause.{{cite web|url=https://www.rcdmallorca.es/noticias/el-rcd-mallorca-y-la-ud-almeria-acuerdan-la-cesion-de-baba|title=El RCD Mallorca y la UD Almería acuerdan la cesión de Baba|trans-title=RCD Mallorca and UD Almería agree the loan of Baba|publisher=RCD Mallorca|language=es|date=10 August 2023|accessdate=10 August 2023}}
On 4 July 2024, Almería announced the permanent signing of Baba on a three-year contract following their relegation from the top flight.{{cite web|url=https://www.udalmeriasad.com/noticias/baba-tambien-se-convierte-en-jugador-en-propiedad-del-almeria-como-langa-y-maximiano|trans-title=Baba also becomes a player owned by Almería like Langa and Maximiano|title=Baba también se convierte en jugador en propiedad del Almería como Langa y Maximiano|language=Spanish|website=www.udalmeriasad.com|date=4 July 2024|accessdate=4 July 2024}}
International career
On 13 November 2019, Baba was called up for the Ghana national team to 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against South Africa and São Tomé and Príncipe.{{cite web|url=https://www.rcdmallorca.es/en/content/news/news/five-players-receive-international-call-ups|title=Five players receive international call-ups|publisher=RCD Mallorca|date=13 November 2019|accessdate=1 August 2021}} He made his full international debut in the following day, starting in a 2–0 win over the former.{{cite web|url=https://www.rcdmallorca.es/en/content/news/news/iddrisu-baba-playing-with-ghana-was-a-dream-come-true|title=Iddrisu Baba: "Playing with Ghana was a dream come true"|publisher=RCD Mallorca|date=13 December 2019|accessdate=1 August 2021}} He was part of the Ghanaian team in the 2021 African Cup of Nations and sustained an injury in the match against Gabon.{{Cite news|date=18 January 2022|title=AFCON 2021: Blow for Ghana as Baba Iddrisu is ruled out of Comoros clash|language=en-US|work=GhanaWeb|url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/AFCON-2021-Blow-for-Ghana-as-Baba-Iddrisu-is-ruled-out-of-Comoros-clash-1447282|access-date=6 February 2022}}{{Cite web|date=18 January 2022|title=AFCON 2021: Baba Iddrisu ruled out of Comoros game with injury|url=https://citisportsonline.com/2022/01/18/afcon-2021-baba-iddrisu-ruled-out-of-comoros-game-with-injury/|access-date=6 February 2022|website=Citi Sports Online|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Annang|first=Evans|date=18 January 2022|title=AFCON 2021: Baba Iddrisu ruled out of Ghana's decider against Comoros|url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/football/afcon-2021-baba-iddrisu-ruled-out-of-ghanas-decider-against-comoros/wzcp400|access-date=6 February 2022|website=Pulse Ghana|language=en}}
Career statistics
= Club =
{{updated|match played 5 May 2024}}{{Soccerway|iddrisu-baba-mohammed/459825}}
| 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"|Copa del Rey !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Leganés B
|2015–16{{LaPreferente|198147}} |0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 0 | 0 | |||
| Mallorca B (loan)
|32 | 1 | colspan="2" |— | 2{{efn|Appearance(s) in Promotion Playoffs|name=pro}} | 0 | 34 | 1 | ||
| rowspan="3" |Mallorca B
|29 | 1 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 29 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18
|Tercera División |32 | 1 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 32 | 1 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!61 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 2 | |
| Barakaldo (loan)
|Segunda División B |30 | 1 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 30 | 1 | |||
| rowspan="6"|Mallorca
|25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=pro}} | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| 2019–20
|36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21
|Segunda División |24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22
|rowspan="2"|La Liga |26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 26 | 1 | ||
| 2022–23
|29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 30 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!140 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 149 | 1 | |
| Almería (loan)
|La Liga |25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 26 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!288 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 300 | 5 |
{{notelist}}
= International =
{{updated|match played 11 June 2021}}{{NFT|76142}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3"|Ghana
|2019 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 5 | 0 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.rcdmallorca.es/en/player/baba Profile] at the RCD Mallorca website
- {{BDFutbol|23373}}
{{UD Almería squad}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Ghana squads
| bg = #CA1118
| fg = #FBE816
| bordercolor = black
| list =
{{Ghana squad 2021 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Ghana squad 2023 Africa Cup of Nations}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baba, Iddrisu}}
Category:Footballers from Accra
Category:Ghanaian men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Ghana men's international footballers
Category:Segunda División players
Category:Segunda División B players
Category:Tercera División players
Category:RCD Mallorca B players
Category:Barakaldo CF footballers
Category:Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain
Category:2021 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:2023 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:21st-century Ghanaian sportsmen
{{Ghana-footy-bio-stub}}