Asumah Abubakar
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Asumah Abubakar-Ankrah | ||
Date of birth | 10 May 1997 | ||
Place of birth | Kumasi, Ghana | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Grasshoppers | ||
Number | 27 | ||
Youth career | |||
Corners Babies | |||
2015–2016 | Willem II | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2018 | Willem II | 16 | (0) |
2018–2019 | MVV Maastricht | 27 | (0) |
2019–2021 | Kriens | 47 | (22) |
2021–2022 | Lugano | 37 | (5) |
2022–2024 | Luzern | 53 | (9) |
2024– | Grasshoppers | 11 | (1) |
International career | |||
2016 | Portugal U19 | 2 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 May 2024 |
Asumah Abubakar-Ankrah (born 10 May 1997) is a footballer who plays as a forward for Swiss club Grasshoppers. Born in Ghana, he is a youth international for Portugal.
Club career[edit]
Born in Kumasi, Ghana, Abubakar had a successful trial with Willem II in the summer of 2015, but he had to wait to the following year to sign a contract due to work permit problems. He eventually received a Portuguese passport as his father had been working in the nation for several years,[1][2] and on 2 March 2016 he committed to the Dutch club on a short-term deal.[3]
On 2 April 2016, whilst still a junior, Abubakar made his senior debut, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–3 Eredivisie home loss against FC Twente.[4] He transferred to MVV Maastricht for the 2018-2019 season on a free transfer.[5] After 27 appearances and another goalless season Abubakar transferred to Swiss club SC Kriens.[6] On 28 July 2019, he would score his first professional goal against FC Aarau after being subbed on in the 71st minute.[7] He ended the season third in the top scorer rankings.[6] In his second season, despite Kriens finishing mid-table, he again finished third in the scoring charts and won the Switzerland Challenge League Best Player Award.[8][9] Abubakar transferred to Swiss Super League club FC Lugano at the start of the 2021-2022 season for 100,000 Euros.[10] He scored his first goal for Lugano on his third appearance in a 1–1 draw with FC Basel.[11]
On 14 January 2022, Abubakar signed a contract with Luzern until 30 June 2024.[12]
On 29 January 2024, he transferred to Grasshoppers for an undisclosed fee.[13] He signed a one and half year contract, running until summer 2025, and rejoins his former coach Bruno Berner, whom he had worked with at Kriens. He debuted two days later in a midweek league match against his former club FC Lugano, coming on for the final 30 minutes of the 0–0 draw.[14] After bringing some much needed offensive power in his debut, he was nominated to the starting lineup for the next two games. However, in the second, a Zürich Derby match, he was sent off after pushing over FC Zürich midfielder Bledian Krasniqi during a confrontation after only twelve minutes played.[15] This was his first career sending off. He finally scored his first goal in the Grasshopper dress on 4 May 2024, scoring the team's first goal in 3–2 home win over FC Stade Lausanne Ouchy.[16] In the same game he also scored two disallowed goals from offside positions.
International career[edit]
Having acquired Portuguese citizenship, Abubakar chose to represent that country.[17] On 16 June 2016, he was selected for a 23-man preliminary list for the 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship[18] and also made the final squad, scoring in a 4–3 group stage win over the hosts Germany.[19] Shortly after, however, after doubts arose regarding his eligibility, the Portuguese Football Federation opted to immediately remove him from the competition pending further approval.[20]
Career statistics[edit]
Club[edit]
- As of 4 May 2024[21]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Willem II | 2015–16 | Eredivisie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
2016–17 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||||
2017–18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
Total | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||
MVV | 2018–19 | Eerste Divisie | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | ||
Kriens | 2019–20 | Challenge League | 36 | 15 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 15 | ||
2020–21 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 7 | ||||
Total | 47 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 22 | ||
Lugano | 2020–21 | Super League | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 2 | ||
2021–22 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 18 | 4 | ||||
Total | 36 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 6 | ||
Luzern | 2021–22 | Super League | 18 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 22 | 6 | |
2022–23 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 3 | ||||
2023–24 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | |||
Total | 53 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 10 | ||
Grasshopper | 2023–24 | Super League | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
Career total | 190 | 37 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 207 | 39 |
- ^ Matches in the relegation play-offs.
- ^ Matches in 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying.
References[edit]
- ^ "Asumah: o luso-ganês que entusiama na Holanda e vem à seleção" [Asumah: the Portuguese-Ghanaian who thrills in the Netherlands and comes to the national team] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
- ^ "Asumah: do Gana ao Europeu sub-19, via Ermesinde" [Asumah: from Ghana to the under-19 European Championship, via Ermesinde] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
- ^ "Ghanaian teenager Asumah Abubakar signs for Dutch Eredivise [sic] Willem II Tilburg". Ghana Soccernet. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "FC Twente vecht zich terug en wint in Tilburg" [FC Twente fight back and win in Tilburg] (in Dutch). FC Twente. 2 April 2016. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
- ^ "MVV Maastricht sign Asumah in a two-year deal | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b admin. "Big blow for SC Kriens: top striker Asumah Abubakar is storming for Lugano with immediate effect". Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ LiveScore, SofaScore com. "SC Kriens FC Aarau live score, video stream and H2H results - SofaScore". www.sofascore.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "SFL-Awards bleiben in YB-Hand". Bote der Urschweiz (in German). 21 January 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Ghanaian youngster Asumah Abubakar wins Swiss Challenge League Best Player award for 2020". GhanaSoccernet. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Ghanaian striker Asumah Abubakar completes move to Swiss top-tier side Lugano". GhanaSoccernet. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Asumah Abubakar-Ankrah nets debut Swiss Super League goal to help Lugano draw at FC Basel". GhanaSoccernet. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "WILLKOMMEN, ASUMAH!" (Press release) (in German). Luzern. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "GC Zurich signs Asumah Abubakar". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "Torloses Unentschieden gegen Lugano". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Vier Spiele für Crivelli, drei für Abubakar". sfl.ch. 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Sieg in letzter Minute". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Asumah delighted with Portugal chance". Goal. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Convocatória pré-Europeu com 23 jogadores" [Preliminary European Championship call-up with 23 players] (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Portugal put paid to Germany hopes". UEFA. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
- ^ "Asumah retirado da convocatória" [Asumah removed from selection]. Record (in Portuguese). 16 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
- ^ Asumah Abubakar at Soccerway
External links[edit]
- Asumah Abubakar at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- National team data (in Portuguese)
- Asumah Abubakar at Soccerway
- Asumah Abubakar at WorldFootball.net
- 1997 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Kumasi
- Portuguese men's footballers
- Portugal men's youth international footballers
- Ghanaian men's footballers
- Portuguese people of Ghanaian descent
- Ghanaian emigrants to Portugal
- Black Portuguese sportspeople
- Men's association football forwards
- Eredivisie players
- Eerste Divisie players
- Willem II (football club) players
- MVV Maastricht players
- Swiss Challenge League players
- Swiss Super League players
- SC Kriens players
- FC Lugano players
- FC Luzern players
- Grasshopper Club Zürich players
- Portuguese expatriate men's footballers
- Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands
- Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland
- Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
- Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
- Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
- Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
- Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland