Ramon Azeez

Ramon Azeez
Personal information
Full name Ramon Olamilekan Azeez
Date of birth (1992-12-12) 12 December 1992
Place of birth Abuja, Nigeria
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 6 12 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
Almería
Number 18
Youth career
Future Pro Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2016 Almería B 78 (7)
2012– Almería 46 (2)
National team
2009 Nigeria U17 7 (1)
2011–2012 Nigeria U20 9 (1)
2014– Nigeria 4 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 January 2016.
† 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]

Azeez scored his first professional goal on 21 December 2013, 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]

Azeez appeared rarely during the 2014–15 campaign, as his side suffered relegation. In June 2015 he requested a transfer,[7] and after failing to sign a professional contract, he was demoted back to the reserves in August.[8]

On 26 January 2016, Azeez returned to the main squad, seriously threatened with relegation, after agreeing to a professional deal.[9]

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.[10][11] He made his debut on 5 March, playing the entire second-half in a 0–0 draw at Georgia Dome.[12]

On 6 May 2014, Azeez was named in the provisional 30-man squad ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[13] He was included in Stephen Keshi's final list for the tournament,[14] and made his debut on 16 June by starting in a 0–0 draw against Iran.[15]

Statistics

Club

As of 24 January 2016[16]
Club Season Competition League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Almería B 2011–12 Segunda División B 282282
2012–13 313313
2015–16 192192
Total 787787
Almería 2012–13 Segunda División 202040
2013–14 La Liga 30220320
2014–15 14030170
2015–16 Segunda División 000000
Total 46270532
Career totals 1249701319

International

As of 6 September 2014[17]
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 pide al club que escuche ofertas (Azeez asks the club to listen to offers); Mundo Deportivo, 16 June 2015 (Spanish)
  8. El club baja a Azeez al filial y Sergi piensa en José Ángel (The club demotes Azeez to the reserves and Sergi thinks of José Ángel); Diario AS, 10 August 2015 (Spanish)
  9. Ramón Azeez vuelve al primer equipo (Ramón Azeez returns to the first team); Marca, 26 January 2016 (Spanish)
  10. Azeez, convocado por la selección absoluta de Nigeria (Azeez, called up by Nigeria's full team); Almería's official website, 3 February 2014 (Spanish)
  11. Oluwashina Okeleji (10 February 2014). "Uncapped trio called up by Nigeria". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  12. "Nigeria cancel out Mexico again". MTN Football. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  13. Oluwashina Okeleji (6 May 2014). "World Cup 2014: Peter Odemwingie in provisional Nigeria squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  14. "World Cup 2014: Nosa Igiebor cut from Nigeria squad". BBC Sport. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  15. "Goals dry up as Iran, Nigeria draw". FIFA.com. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  16. "Ramon Azeez". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  17. Ramon Azeez at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

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