Ridle Baku
{{short description|German footballer (born 1998)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ridle Baku
| image = XXIII Memorial Quinocho (RC Celta vs Mainz 05) - 70 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Baku with Mainz 05 in 2018
| full_name = Bote Ridle Nzuzi Baku{{cite web |url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/player/ridle-baku/profile |title=Bote Ridle Nzuzi Baku {{!}} Player profile |website=Bundesliga |publisher=Deutsche Fußball Liga |access-date=16 November 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021081840/https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/player/ridle-baku/profile |archive-date=21 October 2020}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|4|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Mainz, Germany
| position = Right-back, winger, midfielder
| currentclub = RB Leipzig
| clubnumber = 17
| youthyears1 = 2007–2018
| youthclubs1 = Mainz 05
| years1 = 2017–2019
| clubs1 = Mainz 05 II
| caps1 = 27
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2018–2020
| clubs2 = Mainz 05
| caps2 = 50
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2020–2025
| clubs3 = VfL Wolfsburg
| caps3 = 147
| goals3 = 17
| years4 = 2025–
| clubs4 = RB Leipzig
| caps4 = 19
| goals4 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2015–2016
| nationalteam1 = Germany U18
| nationalcaps1 = 10
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2016–2017
| nationalteam2 = Germany U19
| nationalcaps2 = 10
| nationalgoals2 = 3
| nationalyears3 = 2018–2019
| nationalteam3 = Germany U20
| nationalcaps3 = 3
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2019–2021
| nationalteam4 = Germany U21
| nationalcaps4 = 14
| nationalgoals4 = 2
| nationalyears5 = 2020–
| nationalteam5 = Germany
| nationalcaps5 = 4
| nationalgoals5 = 1
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{fb|GER}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|UEFA European Under-21 Championship}}
{{Medal|Winner|2021 Hungary–Slovenia|}}
| pcupdate = 17:28, 17 May 2025 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 19:57, 14 November 2021 (UTC)
}}
Bote Ridle Nzuzi Baku (born Bote Nzuzi Baku; 8 April 1998) is a German professional footballer who plays as a right-back, winger or midfielder for {{German football updater|RBLeipzi}} club RB Leipzig and the Germany national team.{{Kicker}}
Club career
=Mainz 05=
In the 2017–18 season, Baku joined the squad of Mainz 05 II, making his debut in the Regionalliga Südwest on 30 July 2017 in a 3–0 home win against FSV Frankfurt.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldfootball.net/report/regionalliga-suedwest-2017-2018-1-fsv-mainz-05-ii-fsv-frankfurt/ |title=1. FSV Mainz 05 II – FSV Frankfurt 3:0 (Regionalliga Südwest 2017/2018, 1. Round) |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HEIM:SPIEL |date=30 July 2017 |access-date=29 April 2018}} Baku scored his first goal for the reserve team on 16 September 2017, scoring Mainz's second in the 82nd minute of the 2–0 home win against Kickers Offenbach.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldfootball.net/report/regionalliga-suedwest-2017-2018-1-fsv-mainz-05-ii-kickers-offenbach/ |title=1. FSV Mainz 05 II – Kickers Offenbach 2:0 (Regionalliga Südwest 2017/2018, 9. Round) |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HEIM:SPIEL |date=16 September 2017 |access-date=29 April 2018}}
Baku made his professional debut for Mainz 05 in the 2017–18 DFB-Pokal on 19 December 2017, starting in the 3–1 home win against VfB Stuttgart.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldfootball.net/report/dfb-pokal-2017-2018-achtelfinale-1-fsv-mainz-05-vfb-stuttgart/ |title=1. FSV Mainz 05 – VfB Stuttgart 3:1 (DFB-Pokal 2017/2018, Round of 16) |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HEIM:SPIEL |date=19 December 2017 |access-date=19 December 2017}} He made his Bundesliga debut on 29 April 2018 in the 3–0 home win against RB Leipzig. Baku secured the victory for Mainz, scoring the final goal of the match in the 90th minute.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldfootball.net/report/bundesliga-2017-2018-1-fsv-mainz-05-rb-leipzig/ |title=1. FSV Mainz 05 – RB Leipzig 3:0 (Bundesliga 2017/2018, 32. Round) |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HEIM:SPIEL |date=29 April 2018 |access-date=29 April 2018}}
=VfL Wolfsburg=
==2020–21 season==
On 1 October 2020, Baku completed a move to fellow Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, for an undisclosed fee on a five-year contract.{{cite web|url=https://bulinews.com/news/6233/official-ridle-baku-joins-wolfsburg-from-mainz|title=Ridle Baku joins Wolfsburg from Mainz|website=Bulinews|date=1 October 2020|accessdate=24 March 2021}} He made his club debut three days later in a 0–0 draw with Augsburg, replacing Renato Steffen who had tested positive for COVID-19.{{cite web|url=https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1481016/Preview/Germany-Bundesliga-2020-2021-Wolfsburg-Augsburg|title=Wolfsburg 0-0 Augsburg|website=Who Scored|date=4 October 2020|accessdate=23 August 2021}} He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw with Hertha Berlin on 1 November.{{cite web|url=https://www.dfb.de/bundesliga/spieltagtabelle/?spieledb_path=%2Fmatches%2F2315153|title=Hertha BSC 1:1 VfL Wolfsburg|website=DFB|date=1 November 2020|accessdate=23 August 2021|language=German}}
Baku impressed in his first season at the club and was named to the Bundesliga Team of the Season. He contributed with a league-leading 2583 intensive runs after 31 matchdays, including an also league-leading 993 sprints, over 150 more than the second name on that particular list. He scored six goals and supplied a further four assists to go with 82 crosses, 32 shots, and 305 successful tackles.
==2021–22 season==
Baku scored in Wolfsburg's opening match of the 2021–22 season on 8 August 2021, a 3–1 win over fourth division club SC Preußen Münster in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. However, Wolfsburg used a total of six substitutes, while only five were allowed, and were disqualified after a protest by Preußen Münster.{{cite news |title=DFB wirft Wolfsburg aus dem Pokal |url=https://www.kicker.de/dfb-wirft-wolfsburg-aus-dem-pokal-868005/artikel |work=kicker |date=16 August 2021 |language=de-DE}} Baku scored again two weeks later in a come-from-behind league win over Hertha Berlin.{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/hertha-berlin-wolfsburg-live-line-ups-stats-boateng-jovetic-piatek-weghorst-16957|title=Lukas Nmecha fires Wolfsburg to victory over Hertha Berlin|website=Bundesliga|date=21 August 2021|accessdate=23 August 2021}}
=RB Leipzig=
On 10 January 2025, Baku signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with RB Leipzig.{{cite web|publisher=RB Leipzig|url=https://rbleipzig.com/en/news/transfer-rb-leipzig-vfl-wolfsburg-ridle-baku|title=RB Leipzig sign Ridle Baku|date=10 January 2025|access-date=10 January 2025}}
International career
Baku earned his first call-up for the German senior team on 8 November 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.dfb.de/news/detail/loew-nominiert-ridle-baku-nach-221576/|title=Löw nominiert Ridle Baku nach|date=8 November 2020|website=dfb.de|publisher=DFB|language=de|accessdate=8 November 2020}} His debut came on 11 November 2020, in a friendly game against the Czech Republic.{{cite web|url=https://www.dfb.de/news/detail/junges-dfb-team-siegt-gegen-tschechien-221695/|title=Junges DFB-Team siegt gegen Tschechien|date=11 November 2020|website=dfb.de|publisher=DFB|language=de|accessdate=11 November 2020}} On 6 June 2021, he won the UEFA Under-21 Euro 2021 with the Germany U21, giving the assist to the solitary goal against Portugal.{{cite web |last1=Strohschein |first1=Jörg |title=Deutschlands U21 ist Europameister |url=https://www.dw.com/de/deutschlands-u21-ist-europameister/a-57790033 |website=DW |access-date=14 July 2021 |language=de |date=6 June 2021}}
Style of play
Personal life
Born Bote Nzuzi Baku on 8 April 1998 in Mainz, Germany, Baku is of Congolese descent. He is the twin brother of Makana Baku, who is also a professional footballer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dfb.de/news/detail/makana-und-ridle-baku-unbekuemmert-und-unberechenbar-207250/|title=Makana und Ridle Baku: Unbekümmert und unberechenbar|website=DFB - Deutscher Fußball-Bund e.V.}} He was given the nickname "Ridle" by his father, who was a fan of German footballer Karl-Heinz Riedle.{{cite news |last=Schröder |first=Torben |location=Mainz |url=https://www.allgemeine-zeitung.de/api/na/vrm/sport/fussball/mainz-05/mainz-05-halt-grosse-stucke-auf-bote-baku_18320532 |title=Mainz 05 hält große Stücke auf Bote Baku |trans-title=Mainz 05 thinks very highly of Bote Baku |work=Allgemeine Zeitung |date=15 November 2017 |access-date=16 November 2020 |language=de |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430050437/http://www.allgemeine-zeitung.de/sport/top-clubs/mainz-05/mainz-05-haelt-grosse-stuecke-auf-bote-baku_18320532.htm |archive-date=30 April 2018}}{{cite news |last=Freytag |first=Johannes |url=https://www.ndr.de/sport/fussball/Wolfsburgs-Baku-ueberzeugt-auch-im-DFB-Trikot,baku238.html |title=Wolfsburgs Baku überzeugt auch im DFB-Trikot |trans-title=Wolfsburg's Baku also impresses in the DFB jersey |work=Norddeutscher Rundfunk |date=11 November 2020 |access-date=16 November 2020 |language=de}} In 2018, Baku had his name legally changed to include Ridle.{{cite news |last=Rudolf |first=Bardo |location=Mainz |url=https://www.allgemeine-zeitung.de/api/na/vrm/sport/fussball/mainz-05/fsv-mainz-05-mit-florian-muller-und-freien-kopfen-gegen-schalke-04_18577491 |title=FSV Mainz 05: Mit Florian Müller und freien Köpfen gegen Schalke 04 |trans-title=FSV Mainz 05: With Florian Müller and free spirits against Schalke 04 |work=Allgemeine Zeitung |date=9 March 2018 |access-date=16 November 2020 |language=de |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625050611/http://www.allgemeine-zeitung.de/sport/top-clubs/mainz-05/fsv-mainz-05-mit-florian-mueller-und-freien-koepfen-gegen-schalke-04_18577491.htm |archive-date=25 June 2018}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 17 May 2025}}{{Soccerway|bote-baku/414504|access-date=29 March 2021}}
| 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"|DFB-Pokal !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||
| Division||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"|Mainz 05
|rowspan="4"|Bundesliga |3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 2 | |
| 2018–19
|15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 16 | 0 | |
| 2019–20
|30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 31 | 1 | |
| 2020–21
|2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!50||3||4||0||colspan="2"|—||54||3 | |||||||
| rowspan="6"|VfL Wolfsburg
|rowspan="5"|Bundesliga |32 | 6 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 35 | 6 | |
| 2021–22
|34 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in UEFA Champions League}} | 1 | 41 | 5 |
| 2022–23
|33 | 5 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 36 | 5 | |
| 2023–24
|33 | 1 | 3 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 36 | 2 | |
| 2024–25
|15 | 2 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 18 | 2 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!147||17||13||2||6||1||166||20 | |||||||
| RB Leipzig
|Bundesliga |19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 21 | 2 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!216||21||19||2||6||1||241||24 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played 14 November 2021}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3"|Germany | |||
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 1 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 4 | 1 |
:As of match played 14 November 2021
:Germany score listed first, score column indicates score after each Baku goal{{NFT player| access-date = 11 November 2021}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Ridle Baku | |||||||
| scope=col|No.
!scope=col|Date !scope=col|Venue !scope=col|Cap !scope=col|Opponent !scope=col|Score !scope=col|Result !scope=col|Competition | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=center| 1 | |11 November 2021 | Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, Germany | align=center| 3 | {{fb|LIE}} | align=center| 7–0 | align=center| 9–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Germany U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2021{{cite news |url=https://www.uefa.com/under21/news/026a-127532d17acc-e079bf3c8a1c-1000--highlights-report-germany-beat-portugal-for-third-u21-euro-/ |title=Germany beat Portugal for third U21 EURO title |website=UEFA |publisher=Union of European Football Associations |date=6 June 2021 |access-date=6 June 2021}}
Individual
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2021{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/under21/news/026a-1276a9bfa665-fd967533142c-1000--official-squad-of-the-tournament/|title=Under-21 EURO Squad of the Tournament|publisher=UEFA|date=7 June 2021|accessdate=21 June 2021}}
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2020–21{{cite news |url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/team-of-the-season-2021-vote-fifa-21-ea-sports-haaland-lewandowski-overview-4204 |title=The 2020/21 Bundesliga Team of the Season! |publisher=Bundesliga |date=15 May 2021 |access-date=17 May 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.vfl-wolfsburg.de/en/teams/first-team/players-and-staff/spieler-profil/ridle-baku Profile] at the VfL Wolfsburg website
- {{DFB}}
- {{WorldFootball.net}}
{{RB Leipzig squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baku, Ridle}}
Category:Footballers from Mainz
Category:German men's footballers
Category:German sportspeople of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Men's association football utility players
Category:1. FSV Mainz 05 II players
Category:1. FSV Mainz 05 players
Category:VfL Wolfsburg players
Category:Germany men's youth international footballers
Category:Germany men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Germany men's international footballers