Robel Teklemichael

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Robel Teklemichael

| fullname = Robel Teklemichael Bahta

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|7|14|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Asmara, Eritrea

| height = 1.80 m

| position = Defender

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2019–2021

| clubs1 = Red Sea

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2021–2024

| clubs2 = Ethiopian Coffee

| caps2 = 48

| goals2 = 8

| nationalyears1 = 2019–

| nationalteam1 = Eritrea

| nationalcaps1 = 9

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalteam-update = 19:56, 11 July 2021 (UTC)

| club-update = 17:14, 25 June 2023 (UTC)

}}

Robel Teklemichael Bahta (Tigrinya: ሮቤል ተኽለሚካኤል; born 11 July 2000) is an Eritrean professional footballer who plays as a defender for and captains the Eritrea national team.

Club career

In April 2021 Teklemichael left domestic club Red Sea FC and joined Ethiopian Coffee of the Ethiopian Premier League.{{cite web |title=Eritrea’s Teklemichael joins Ethiopia’s Coffee |url=https://www.cecafaonline.com/eritreas-teklemichael-joins-ethiopias-coffee/ |publisher=CECAFA |access-date=11 July 2021}} By signing the deal, Teklemichael became the second Eritrean player to join an Ethiopian club (after Samyoma Alexander) following the 2018 Eritrea–Ethiopia summit.{{cite web |last1=Aarons |first1=Ed |last2=Czmic |first2=Alex |title=Eritrean footballers on the run face anxious wait in push for safe haven |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jul/21/eritrean-footballers-on-the-run-face-anxious-wait-in-push-for-safe-haven |publisher=The Guardian |access-date=12 August 2021}}

International career

In December 2018 Teklemichael was part of the Eritrea youth team that beat South Sudan 3–0. He was named Man of the Match following the friendly victory.{{cite web |title=Football for Development and Peace: Eritrea vs. South Sudan |url=https://shabait.com/2018/12/19/football-for-development-and-peace-eritrea-vs-south-sudan/ |publisher=shabait.com |access-date=11 August 2021}} He made his senior international debut on 4 September 2019 in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Namibia.{{cite web |title=NFT profile |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/75209/Robel_Teklemichael.html |publisher=National Football Teams |access-date=11 July 2021}}

Later that month Teklemichael took part in the 2019 CECAFA U-20 Championship, the first regional tournament in which the team participated in a decade. The team went on to win the bronze medal overall with Teklemichael serving as the team captain.{{cite web |title=History Makers: The Red Sea Camels win Silver at the Cecafa Seniors Challenge Cup |url=https://shabait.com/2019/12/21/history-makers-the-red-sea-camels-win-silver-at-the-cecafaseniors-challenge-cup/ |publisher=shabait.com |access-date=11 July 2021}} He scored two goals in the group stage of the tournament, one against Sudan and the other against Djibouti.{{cite web |title=CECAFA U20 Eritrea 3 – Sudan 3 |url=http://www.eastafro.com/2019/09/23/cecafa-u20-eritrea-3-sudan-3/ |publisher=eastafro.com |access-date=11 July 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Isabirye |first1=David |title=Eritrea humiliates Djibouti to register biggest score-line at 2019 CECAFA U-20 |url=https://kawowo.com/2019/09/25/eritrea-humiliates-djibouti-to-register-biggest-score-line-at-2019-cecafa-u-20/ |publisher=kawowo.com |access-date=11 July 2021}}

Because of his performance at the Under-20 Championship, Teklemichael was called up for the 2019 CECAFA Cup later that year. He once again captained the Eritrea side that went on to win the silver medal, losing to Uganda in the final. Teklemichael was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player for his performance.{{cite web |title=McKinstry lands Uganda record 15th Cecafa title |url=https://sportsoceanuganda.com/2019/12/19/mckinstry-lands-uganda-record-15th-cecafa-title/ |publisher=sportsoceanuganda.com |access-date=11 July 2021}}

In July 2021 he Teklemichael captained his national side once again, this time at the 2021 CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup: Ibrahim nets hat-trick as Eritrea hold Ethiopia |url=https://enffonline.com/striker-ibrahim-nets-hat-trick-as-eritrea-hold-hosts-ethiopia/ |publisher=Eritrea National Football Federation |access-date=18 July 2021}}

Career statistics

= Club =

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Domestic Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3"\|Ethiopian Coffee \|2021–22 \|Ethiopian Premier League \|24	2	?	?	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	24	2
2022–23 \|Ethiopian Premier League \|24	6	?	?	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	24	6
2023–24 \|Ethiopian Premier League \|25	4	?	?	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	25	4{{efn\|Did not played for the entire season due to a season ending injury}}
colspan="3"\|Career total !73	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	73	12