Reuben Gabriel

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Reuben Gabriel

| image =

| full_name = Reuben Shalu Gabriel

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|9|25|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Kaduna, Nigeria

| height = {{Height|m=1.95|precision=0}}

| position = Defensive midfielder

| currentclub = Shabab Sahel

| clubnumber = 42

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2007–2009

| years2 = 2009–2010

| years3 = 2011–2013

| years4 = 2013–2014

| years5 = 2014

| years6 = 2014–2016

| years7 = 2016

| years8 = 2017–2019

| years9 = 2019

| years10 = 2019–2020

| years11 = 2020–2021

| years12 = 2021

| years13 = 2024-

| clubs1 = Kaduna United

| clubs2 = Enyimba International

| clubs3 = Kano Pillars

| clubs4 = Kilmarnock

| clubs5 = Waasland-Beveren

| clubs6 = Boavista Porto

| clubs7 = AS Trenčín

| clubs8 = KuPS

| clubs9 = Najran

| clubs10 = Abha

| clubs11 = Al-Fayha

| clubs12 = Al-Ain

| clubs13 = Shabab Sahel

| caps1 =75

| caps2 = 44

| caps3 = 67

| caps4 = 3

| caps5 = 5

| caps6 = 36

| caps7 = 11

| caps8 = 38

| caps9 = 12

| caps10= 16

| caps11= 35

| caps12 = 0

| caps13 = 1

| goals1 = 2

| goals2 =1

| goals3 = 1

| goals4 = 0

| goals5 = 3

| goals6 = 1

| goals7 = 1

| goals8 = 7

| goals9 = 4

| goals10= 1

| goals11= 2

| goals12 = 0

| goals13 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2010–2014

| nationalteam1 = Nigeria

| nationalcaps1 = 12

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 25 November 2018

| nationalteam-update = 30 June 2014

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{fb|NGA}}}}

}}

Reuben Shalu Gabriel {{post-nominals|country=NGA|MON}} (born 25 September 1990) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Shabab Sahel.

Club career

=Nigeria=

Gabriel was born in Kaduna. In his country he played for Kaduna United FC, Enyimba International F.C. and Kano Pillars FC.[http://westafricanfootball.com/2012/01/16/new-players-at-the-nigeria-national-football-team/ New players at the Nigeria national football team]; West African Football, 16 January 2012

In October 2012, Gabriel was named both the Player of the Year and the National Team Player of the Year at the 2012 League Bloggers Awards (LBA), held in Lagos.{{cite web|url=http://www.kickoff.com/news/31042/reuben-gabriel-wins-lba-player-of-the-year|title=Gabriel wins LBA Player of the Year|publisher=Kick Off|date=29 October 2012|accessdate=29 October 2012|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028060326/http://www.kickoff.com/news/31042/reuben-gabriel-wins-lba-player-of-the-year|archivedate=28 October 2014|df=dmy-all}}

=Kilmarnock=

On 2 April 2013, Gabriel joined Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock as a free agent, signing a three-year contract.[http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/articles/20130402/signing-of-reuben-gabriel-completed_85961_3129367 Signing of Reuben Gabriel completed] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406114323/http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/articles/20130402/signing-of-reuben-gabriel-completed_85961_3129367|date=6 April 2013}}; Kilmarnock FC, 2 April 2013{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22008836|title=Kilmarnock sign Nigeria midfielder Reuben Gabriel|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 April 2013|accessdate=2 April 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405033531/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22008836|archivedate=5 April 2013|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4093/nigeria/2013/04/02/3872496/midfielder-reuben-gabriel-set-to-make-debut-for-Kilmarnock|title=Midfielder Reuben Gabriel set to make debut for Kilmarnock|publisher=Goal|date=2 April 2013|accessdate=11 April 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406211452/http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4093/nigeria/2013/04/02/3872496/midfielder-reuben-gabriel-set-to-make-debut-for-Kilmarnock|archivedate=6 April 2013|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/kilmarnock/219810-kilmarnock-sign-gabriel-reuben-and-papa-idris-on-three-year-deals/|title=Midfielder Kilmarnock sign Gabriel Reuben and Papa Idris on three-year deals|publisher=STV News|date=2 April 2013|accessdate=11 April 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407005650/http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/kilmarnock/219810-kilmarnock-sign-gabriel-reuben-and-papa-idris-on-three-year-deals/|archivedate=7 April 2013|df=dmy-all}} He made his debut for his new team on 29 November, in a Scottish Cup tie against Dundee United where he conceded a penalty in a 2–5 away defeat.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25063966|title=Dundee United 5–2 Kilmarnock|publisher=BBC Sport|date=29 November 2013|accessdate=30 November 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129214057/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25063966|archivedate=29 November 2013|df=dmy-all}}

In November 2013, Reuben demanded to leave Kilmarnock in the January 2014 window.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25121563|title=Nigeria's Gabriel Reuben demands to leave Kilmarnock|publisher=BBC Sport|date=27 November 2013|accessdate=30 November 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131130042156/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25121563|archivedate=30 November 2013|df=dmy-all}} He was released in January, after the club accepted his request.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25576955|title=Nigerian Gabriel Reuben released by Kilmarnock|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 January 2014|accessdate=2 January 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104031840/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25576955|archivedate=4 January 2014|df=dmy-all}}

=Waasland-Beveren=

In January 2014, Reuben went on trial with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.{{cite web|url=http://www.nigerianwatch.com/sport/3661-super-eagles-midfielder-reuben-gabriel-begins-trials-with-tottenham-hotspurs|title=Super Eagles midfielder Reuben Gabriel begins trials with Tottenham Hotspurs|publisher=Nigeria Watch|date=18 January 2014|accessdate=31 January 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219022147/http://www.nigerianwatch.com/sport/3661-super-eagles-midfielder-reuben-gabriel-begins-trials-with-tottenham-hotspurs|archivedate=19 February 2014|df=dmy-all}} However, nothing came of it, and he joined Belgian Pro League side Waasland-Beveren on a one-and-a-half-year contract late in the month.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25841776|title=Waasland-Beveren sign Nigeria midfielder Reuben Gabriel|publisher=BBC Sport|date=23 January 2014|accessdate=23 January 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140123234040/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25841776|archivedate=23 January 2014|df=dmy-all}}

=Al-Ain=

On 3 September 2021, Gabriel joined Al-Ain.{{cite web |title=#روبن |url=https://twitter.com/alain_ksa/status/1433878356848693250}}

International career

Gabriel made his debut for Nigeria in March 2010, in a 5–2 win against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Previously, he was a member of the national B-team that won the 2010 WAFU Nations Cup.

Reuben scored his first international on 9 June 2012, netting the opener in an eventual 1–1 away draw against Malawi for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[http://www.mtnfootball.com/africa/nigeria/news/2012/june/19-reuben-targets-npl-title-with-pillars.html Reuben targets NPL title with Pillars] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225215931/http://mtnfootball.com/africa/nigeria/news/2012/june/19-reuben-targets-npl-title-with-pillars.html|date=25 December 2015}}; MTN Football, 19 June 2012 He was called to the 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20970786|title=Nations Cup 2013: Nigeria pick six locally-based players|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Okeleji|first=Oluwashina|date=10 January 2013|accessdate=10 January 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113015637/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20970786|archivedate=13 January 2013|df=dmy-all}} being an unused player as the Super Eagles won the tournament in South Africa.

Reuben was also selected to the 2014 World Cup by coach Stephen Keshi.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/nigeria/10810433/Nigeria-World-Cup-2014-squad.html|title=Nigeria World Cup 2014 squad|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=2 June 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602191037/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/nigeria/10810433/Nigeria-World-Cup-2014-squad.html|archivedate=2 June 2014|accessdate=30 June 2014|df=dmy-all}} He made his debut in the tournament on 30 June, replacing injured Ogenyi Onazi in the 59th minute of an eventual 0–2 loss to France for the round-of-16.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255951/match=300186462/match-report.html|title=France sink Super Eagles|publisher=FIFA|date=30 June 2014|accessdate=30 June 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630204005/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255951/match=300186462/match-report.html|archivedate=30 June 2014|df=dmy-all}}

Honours

Orders

60x60px Member of the Order of the Niger{{cite news |last=Okeleji |first=Oluwashina |author-link=Oluwashina Okeleji |date=13 February 2013 |title=Presidential reward for Super Eagles |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/21450619 |department=Sport |work=BBC |location=Lagos |access-date=19 March 2024}}

Individual

Veikkausliiga Player of the Month: September 2017[https://jpy.fi/fi/uutiset/ruben-gabriel-veikkausliigan-kuukauden-pelaaja Ruben Gabriel Veikkausliigan kuukauden pelaaja], JPY, 11 October 2017