Najeeb Yakubu
{{short description|Nigerien footballer}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Najeeb Yakubu
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|05|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Accra, Ghana
| height = {{height|m=1.78}}
| position = Right back
| currentclub = Prishtina
| clubnumber = 55
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = UniStar Academy
| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–2017
| youthclubs2 = New Town Youth
| years1 = 2018
| clubs1 = Niger Tornadoes
| caps1 = ?
| goals1 = ?
| years2 = 2018–2024
| clubs2 = Vorskla Poltava
| caps2 = 66
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = → Ilves (loan)
| caps3 = 17
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2024–
| clubs4 = Prishtina
| caps4 = 11
| goals4 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2017
| nationalteam1 = Ghana U17
| nationalcaps1 = 9
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2022–
| nationalteam2 = Niger
| nationalcaps2 = 15
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 5 January 2025
| nationalteam-update = 18 November 2024
}}
Najeeb Yakubu (born 1 May 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a right back for Kosovo Superleague side Prishtina. Born in Ghana, he plays for the Niger national team.
Club career
On 20 April 2022, Yakubu joined CD Lugo in Spain under the special FIFA regulations related to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, he only participated in training and did not appear in any league games.{{cite web|publisher=FIFA|url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/organisation/fifa-council/media-releases/fifa-adopts-temporary-employment-and-registration-rules-to-address-several|title=FIFA adopts temporary employment and registration rules to address several issues in relation to war in Ukraine|date=7 March 2022}}{{cite press release|publisher=CD Lugo|url=https://www.cdlugo.com/noticia/najeeb-yakubu-se-incorpora-a-la-dinamica-de-trabajo-del-primer-equipo|title=Najeeb Yakubu se incorpora a la dinámica de trabajo del primer equipo|date=20 April 2022|access-date=2 May 2022|language=es}}
In August 2022 he once again suspended his contract with Vorskla under the same regulations, this time until 30 June 2023, and moved to Ilves in Finnish Veikkausliiga.{{cite web|title=Колись хотів грати за збірну України: лідер "Ворскли" пішов з команди |url=https://sportyvka.com.ua/khotiv-hraty-za-zbirnu-ukrainy-lider-vorskly-pishov-z-komandy.html? |website=sportyvka.com.ua |access-date=21 August 2022}}{{cite web|publisher=Ilves|url=https://ilvesedustus.fi/yakubu-keltavihreisiin/|title=MONIPUOLINEN NAJEEB YAKUBU KELTAVIHREISIIN – "MINULLA ON KOKEMUSTA EUROPELEISTÄ"|date=20 August 2022|access-date=25 August 2022|language=fi}}
International career
Born in Ghana, Yakubu is of Nigerien descent.
He has expressed interest in playing for the Ukraine national team.{{cite web |url=https://sportscorna.com/2021/02/17/ukraine-national-team-eyeing-najeeb-yakubu/ |title=Ukraine National Team Eyeing Najeeb Yakubu {{!}} Sports Corna |website=sportscorna.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217192650/https://sportscorna.com/2021/02/17/ukraine-national-team-eyeing-najeeb-yakubu/ |archive-date=2021-02-17}}
He was called up to the Niger national team for a set of friendlies in March 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/exclusive-former-ghana-u17-defender-najeeb-yakubu-gets-niger-national-team-invitation|title=EXCLUSIVE: Former Ghana U17 defender Najeeb Yakubu gets Niger national team invitation|date=March 17, 2022|website=GhanaSoccernet}} He debuted with Niger as a late substitute in a 3–0 friendly loss to Egypt on 23 September 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/egypt-vs-niger/live/477714|title=%competition_name% (Sky Sports)|website=Sky Sports}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|27 November 2024}}{{Soccerway|najeeb-yakubu/513950|access-date=28 November 2018}}[https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/najeeb-yakubu/181899/ Najeeb Yakubu], Global Sports Archive
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup{{efn|Includes Ukrainian Cup and Suomen Cup}} !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | |||||||||
| rowspan="7"|Vorskla Poltava
|5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2Appearances in the UEFA Europa League | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 6 | 1 | |
| 2019–20
|Ukrainian Premier League |13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 15 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21
|Ukrainian Premier League |19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 21 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22
|Ukrainian Premier League |16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 19 | 0 | |
| 2022–23
|Ukrainian Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023–24
|Ukrainian Premier League |13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 15 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2" |Total
!66 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 2 |
| rowspan="3"|Ilves (loan)
|2022 |8 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2023
|Veikkausliiga |9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 1{{efn|Includes Finnish League Cup|name=flc}} | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| colspan="2" |Total
!17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Prishtina
|9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 9 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3" |Career total
!92 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 106 | 2 |
;Notes
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
=International=
{{updated|match played 18 November 2024}}{{NFT player|id=88711}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center | ||
| colspan=4|Niger | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 |
| colspan=1|Total||15||0 |
Honours
Ilves
External links
- {{FFU}}
- {{Soccerway}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{FC Prishtina squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yakubu, Najeeb}}
Category:Naturalized citizens of Niger
Category:Nigerien men's footballers
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:Niger Tornadoes F.C. players
Category:FC Vorskla Poltava players
Category:Ilves (football) players
Category:Ukrainian Premier League players
Category:Veikkausliiga players
Category:Niger men's international footballers
Category:Nigerien expatriate men's footballers
Category:Nigerien expatriate sportspeople in Nigeria
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Nigeria
Category:Nigerien expatriate sportspeople in Ukraine
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Ukraine
Category:Nigerien expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain
Category:Nigerien expatriate sportspeople in Finland
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Finland
Category:Nigerien expatriate sportspeople in Kosovo
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Kosovo
Category:Footballers from Accra
Category:Ghanaian men's footballers
Category:Ghana men's youth international footballers
Category:Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Nigeria
Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Ukraine
Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Finland
Category:Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Kosovo