Ramon Azeez

Ramon Azeez
Personal information
Full nameRamon Olamilekan Azeez
Date of birth12 December 1992
Place of birthAbuja, Nigeria
Height1.69 m (5 ft 6 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Almería
Number31
Youth career
Future Pro Academy
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2011–2013Almería B59(5)
2012–Almería40(2)
National team‡
2009Nigeria U177(1)
2011–2012Nigeria U209(1)
2014–Nigeria4(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 December 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 September 2014

Ramon Olamilekan Azeez (born 12 December 1992) is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Spanish club UD Almería as a central midfielder.

Club career

Born in Abuja, Azeez began playing football in the Future Pro Academy. In 2010 he agreed a move to UD Almería in Spain, but had to wait until July 2011 to complete the transfer.[1]

On 17 August 2012, after one full season with the B-side in Segunda División B, Azeez made his debut with the first team: he came on as a substitute for Javier Casquero in the 55th minute of an away fixture against FC Barcelona B for the Segunda División championship (5–4 win), but was himself replaced after just ten minutes after being booked and, according to manager Javi Gracia, risking a subsequent sending off.[2]

On 28 June 2013 Azeez was definitely promoted to the Andalusians' main squad, with the club having just recently promoted to La Liga.[3] He made his debut in the competition on 30 August, playing roughly 20 minutes in a 2–2 home draw against Elche CF.[4]

On 21 December 2013 Azeez scored his first professional goal, netting the game's only in a win at Real Betis.[5] He repeated the feat in the second meeting between the two teams, scoring in the 94th minute for a 3–2 triumph at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos.[6]

International career

Azeez appeared with the under-17's in 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, and was a regular in the team which eventually finished runner-up. Two years later he appeared in another World Cup in the category, also as a starter.

On 3 February 2014 Azeez was called up to the full side for a friendly against Mexico.[7][8] He made his debut on 5 March, playing the entire second-half in a 0–0 draw at Georgia Dome.[9]

On 6 May 2014, Azeez was named in the provisional 30-man squad ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[10] He was included in Stephen Keshi's final list for the tournament,[11] and made his debut on 16 June by starting in a 0–0 draw against Iran.[12]

Statistics

Club

As of 9 December 2014[13]
Club Season Competition League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Almería B 2011–12 Segunda División B 282—282
2012–13 313—313
Total 595—595
Almería 2012–13 Segunda División 2020—40
2013–14 La Liga 30220—320
2014–15 8000—80
Total 40240—442
Career totals 99740—1037

International

As of 6 September 2014[14]
Nigeria
YearAppsGoals
201440
Total40

References

  1. ↑ Ramon Azeez sigue mostrando un excelente nivel en el Mundial sub-20 con Nigeria (Ramon Azeez keeps showing excellent level at the under-20 World Cup with Nigeria); Ideal, 12 August 2011 (Spanish)
  2. ↑ Festival goleador para abrir la Liga Adelante (Goalscoring party to open Liga Adelante); Marca, 17 August 2012 (Spanish)
  3. ↑ Dieciséis jugadores tienen actualmente contrato en vigor con la primera plantilla de la UD Almería (Sixteen players currently on contract with UD Almería's first team); Almería's official website, 28 June 2013 (Spanish)
  4. ↑ Almeria denied first win; ESPN FC, 17 August 2013
  5. ↑ Azeez effort enough for Almeria; ESPN FC, 21 December 2013
  6. ↑ El Almería nunca se rinde (Almería never surrenders); Marca, 4 May 2014 (Spanish)
  7. ↑ Azeez, convocado por la selección absoluta de Nigeria (Azeez, called up by Nigeria's full team); Almería's official website, 3 February 2014 (Spanish)
  8. ↑ Oluwashina Okeleji (10 February 2014). "Uncapped trio called up by Nigeria". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "Nigeria cancel out Mexico again". MTN Football. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  10. ↑ Oluwashina Okeleji (6 May 2014). "World Cup 2014: Peter Odemwingie in provisional Nigeria squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Nosa Igiebor cut from Nigeria squad". BBC Sport. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Goals dry up as Iran, Nigeria draw". FIFA.com. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "Ramon Azeez". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "Ramon Azeez". National Football Teams. Retrieved 6 September 2014.

External links