Abdul Majeed Waris

Majeed Waris

With Spartak in 2013
Personal information
Full name Abdul Majeed Waris[1]
Date of birth (1991-09-19) 19 September 1991
Place of birth Tamale, Northern region, Ghana
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Striker / Winger
Club information
Current team
 Lorient
Number 9
Youth career
2007–2008 Right to Dream Academy
2008–2009 Hartpury College
2009–2010 Nike Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 BK Häcken 55 (26)
2013–2014 Spartak Moscow 15 (1)
2014 → Valenciennes (loan) 16 (9)
2014–2015 Trabzonspor 18 (0)
2015– Lorient 51 (19)
National team‡
2012– Ghana 22 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 April 2017.
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 April 2015

Abdul Majeed Waris (born 19 September 1991)[2] is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a striker for FC Lorient in the French Ligue 2, and the Ghanaian national team.[3]

Club career

Born in Tamale, Waris started his career at the Ghanaian Right to Dream Academy when he was twelve.[4] He moved to England and joined Hartpury College, while simultaniously gaining a place at the Nike Academy, where he would go on to feature in the reserves side at Forest Green Rovers.[5][6]

BK Häcken

In October 2009, Waris signed a four-year contract with Swedish Allsvenskan side BK Häcken for an undisclosed fee.[7] He made his début in March 2010 as a substitute for Dominic Chatto, in a 4–2 home win against Trelleborgs FF.[8] In May 2012, he netted his first hat-trick, scoring five goals, in a 6–0 home win against IFK Norrköping.[9] As a result, he became the first player in Allsvenskan to score five goals in one match in the 21st century.[9] He also became the first Ghanaian to score five goals in single top-flight game in Europe as well as becoming the leading goalscorer in the Allsvenskan with 12 goals in nine games.[10] In conclusion of the Allsvenskan season, Waris was named the Swedish Premier League's player of the year, which GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi quoted: "His achievements have brought honour to our country."[11]

His performance at Häcken earned him a transfer speculation by being linked with Bundesliga clubs, such as Werder Bremen,[12] Hamburg,[12] Saint-Étienne,[12] Catania[12] and Arsenal.[13]

Spartak Moscow

Waris playing for Spartak Moscow in 2013.

In November 2012, Waris was transferred to Spartak Moscow for an undisclosed fee.[14] He made his RFPL debut on 10 March 2013, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute in Spartak's 3–1 win over FC Terek Grozny. However, his first team chance at Spartak Moscow was limited, due to the dominance of strikers, such as Emmanuel Emenike, Yura Movsisyan, Artyom Dzyuba and Ariclenes da Silva Ferreira.

Waris scored his first PFPL goal on 8 December 2013, in a 1-0 away victory over FC Rostov, and was voted the Russian Premier League player of the week.[15] Following the start of the winter break, he stated he wanted to leave the club, citing earning a first team place in the World Cup.[16]

Valenciennes (loan)

In January 2014, Waris was loaned to Ligue 1 club Valenciennes, until 30 June 2014.[17] He scored on his debut for the club in a 3-2 win over Bastia on 14 January 2014[18] and was named Goal.com Ghana Player of the Week.[19] After scoring two goals in six appearances, he scored twice on 22 February 2014 in a 2–2 draw against Sochaux.[20] He scored five times in four consecutive games.

Initially aiming to score eleven goals, Waris went on to score nine goals in his loan spell at Valenciennes.[21] Despite the relegation, he expressed his desire to stay in France by making the move a permanent one.[22] He returned to Spartak Moscow, but said he hoped that the club would bounce back to Ligue 1.[23]

Trabzonspor

On 1 September 2014, Waris joined Turkish Süper Lig side Trabzonspor on a four-year contract for a transfer fee of €5.5 million.[24][25] He had previously been linked with a move to Lille, but Spartak Moscow rejected a bid from the club.[26]

He made his Trabzonspor debut on 14 September 2014, in a 0-0 draw against Fenerbahçe, where he played 90 minutes and as a left winger in attack.[27] Two months later, on 6 November 2014, he scored his first goal for the club, which came in the Europa League, in a 1-1 draw against Lokeren.[28]

Lorient

On 6 August 2015, Waris’ transfer to French Ligue 1 side Lorient was announced. Media reported the transfer fee as €5 million and the duration of the contract as four years.[29]

International career

Waris was called up to the Ghana squad against Chile in February 2012, replacing the both injured André and Jordan Ayew.[30] He came on as a substitute for Richard Mpong as Ghana earned a 1–1 away draw at the PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.[31][32] He scored the third goal in Ghana's 4–0 in World Cup Qualifying against Sudan on 24 March 2013 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. He also scored a goal against Egypt when Ghana defeated Egypt 6–1 in Kumasi in the first leg of the final World Cup qualifier.

On 12 May 2014, Waris was named in a provisional 26-man squad in the 2014 FIFA World Cup by Ghana manager James Kwesi Appiah.[33] On 2 June 2014, he made the cut to be named in Ghana's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[34]

Career statistics

Club

As of 15 April 2017[35]
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
BK Häcken 2010 Allsvenskan 1001100111
2011 1631000173
2012 292312513526
Total 552633516330
Spartak Moscow 2012–13 Russian Premier League 70000070
2013–14 41001051
2014–15 40000040
Total 1510010161
Valenciennes (loan) 2013–14 Ligue 1 1690000169
Total 1690000169
Trabzonspor 2014–15 Süper Lig 1803351264
2015–16 00003030
Total 1803381294
Lorient 2015–16 Ligue 1 211141002512
2016–17 3083100339
Total 511972005821
Career total 1555513814218265

Personal life

Waris is a practicing Muslim.[36]

Honors

Club

BK Häcken

References

  1. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2014. p. 17. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Terneborn, Erik (22 April 2012). "Bönerna bakom styrkan på plan". Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Majeed Waris SvFF profile" (in Swedish). Svenkfotboll.se. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  4. ↑ Vodafone Ghana (26 July 2011). "Vodafone's partnership with Right to Dream Football Academy produces world class footballers". Modernghana.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  5. ↑ "Ex-Hartpury College footballer Abdul Majeed Waris in frame for World Cup call-up". Gloucestershire Echo. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  6. ↑ "From Hartpury to Brazil: Waris’ extraordinary journey". Gloucestershire Gazette. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  7. ↑ Lundgren, Henrik (15 October 2009). "Häcken värvar afrikansk talang". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Häcken i topp inför usel publiksiffra". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  9. 1 2 Lindström, Håkan (16 May 2012). "Waris bjöd på målfyrverkeri". Sveriges Television (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  10. ↑ "Graduates Waris and Boateng Reach for the Stars!". Right to Dream Academy. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  11. ↑ "Abdul Waris's player of the year award 'honours' Ghana". BBC Sport. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Hamburg, Werder Bremen bid for Ghana striker Waris". Ghana Soccernet. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "Hacken coach prefers Arsenal move for in-form Ghana striker Waris". Ghana Soccernet. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  14. ↑ ""СПАРТАК" И "ХЭКЕН" ДОСТИГЛИ СОГЛАШЕНИЯ О ПЕРЕХОДЕ УОРИСА". spartak.com. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  15. ↑ "Majeed Waris voted Russian Premier League player of the week". Spy Ghana. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "Ghana striker Abdul-Majeed Waris set to leave Russia league ahead of 2014 World Cup". Ghana Soccernet. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  17. ↑ "Officiel : Abdul Majeed Waris prêté au VAFC !" (in French). Valenciennes. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Valenciennes 3-2 Bastia". ESPN Soccernet. 11 January 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "Ghana Player of the Week: Abdul Majeed Waris - Valenciennes". Goal.com. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  20. ↑ "These four will count" [Football Ligue 1 26e journée Valenciennes-Sochaux, 20 heures Ces quatre-là vont compter] (in French). L'Equipe. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  21. ↑ "Waris sets 11-goal target in Ligue 1". Goal.com. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  22. ↑ "Waris: I want to stay in France". Goal.com. 4 March 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  23. ↑ "Waris backs relegated Valenciennes to make quick Ligue 1 return". Goal.com. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  24. ↑ "Ghanaian Waris and Malian Yatabare join Trabzonspor". BBC Sport. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  25. ↑ "Ghana’s Waris joins Trabzonspor". Goal.com. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  26. ↑ "Transfert Ni Waris, ni Yatabaré à Lille" (in French). L'Equipe. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  27. ↑ "Trabzonspor 0-0 Fenerbahçe" (in Turkish). Hurriyet Website. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  28. ↑ "KSC Lokeren 1-1 Trabzonspor". ESPN. 6 November 2014. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  29. ↑ "Majeed Waris (Trabzonspor) signe à Lorient (officiel)". L'Equipe. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  30. ↑ Mensah, Kent (29 February 2012). "Ghana FA confirms Ayew brothers are out of Chile friendly". Goal.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  31. ↑ Gabriel, Kerith (1 March 2012). "Exciting night for Ghana, Chile at PPL Park". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  32. ↑ MTNfootball (1 March 2012). "Ghana share spoils with Chile in friendly". Mtnfootball.com. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  33. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Jeffery Schlupp selected in 26-man squad". BBC Sport. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  34. ↑ "Ghana World Cup 2014 squad". The Telegraph. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  35. ↑ "A. Waris". soccerway.com. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  36. ↑ "Prayers behind the strength of the plan" [Bönerna bakom styrkan på plan] (in Swedish). expressen.se. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
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