Ibrahim Ba
Encyclopedia
Ibrahim "Ibou" Ba is a Senegal
ese-born professional French football player of the 1990s and 2000s whose career as a right midfielder lasted from 1991 to 2008. In the late 1990s, particularly between 1996 and 1998, he was considered to be one of the hottest young talents in the world after consistently impressing with FC Girondins de Bordeaux
.
, Ibrahim Ngom Ba was not yet eighteen when, in 1991, he started playing for the French club Le Havre AC
, where he spent five years. In 1996 he moved to fellow Ligue 1
outfit Bordeaux, reaching the final of Coupe de la Ligue
and making his France national football team
debut on 22 January 1997 against Portugal
, as well as scoring one goal in the 2–0 victory.
club Milan
after just one season at Bordeaux. His first season in Milan was to become his best; he played 31 matches and scored one goal. His most memorable moment for the French national team came in the June 1997 friendly match with Brazil
in Paris. He took a free kick
35 yards from goal, and his swerving shot forced Brazilian goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel
to drop the ball in front of French striker Marc Keller
, who went on to score.
Ba was seen as a hot prospect, who arguably did not live up to his promise. To his great dismay, he was left out of France's 1998 FIFA World Cup
squad, when France became World Champions on home soil. That might be seen as the beginning of his downfall. Over the subsequent years, Ba did not play many games for Milan and went on loan to Italian team AC Perugia in 1999–2000 season, where he broke a leg and had to miss four matches for headbutting an opponent. He underwent another loan deal back in France with Olympique de Marseille
in 2001.
in England.
He failed to make an impression at Bolton, and moved on to Turkey
after just one season, joining Çaykur Rizespor
on a one-year deal on 24 August 2004.
In 6 February 2005, Ba was surprisingly signed by Swedish
side Djurgårdens IF on a two-year contract. He was a spectacular signing for the club, and caused much interest in Sweden, and it was thought that a less prestigious league might bring back Ba's old ability. Djurgården won the league in his first season, but Ba failed to impress fans and commentators, spending a lot of time on the bench. In early 2006, it was decided that his contract would be terminated and he subsequently left Djurgården in January of that year.
team Varese
to help with his fitness. In June 2007, after having travelled to Athens
together with the AC Milan squad to attend the UEFA Champions League
final they won against English Premiership side Liverpool
, Ibrahim Ba agreed a one-year contract with his former club.
During the 2007–2008 season, making only one appearance in the Coppa Italia
as a substitute, he retired from the game. After the season Ba accepted a job as a scout
for Milan in Africa.
Italy AC Milan
Sweden Djurgårdens IF
to promotion in 1979 and finished his career at SC Abbeville
. Ibrahima Ba's younger son, Fabien (born 22 October 1994) is also a footballer, playing in Italy with the Giovanissimi Nazionali of his brother Ibrahim's former club A.C. Milan
.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese-born professional French football player of the 1990s and 2000s whose career as a right midfielder lasted from 1991 to 2008. In the late 1990s, particularly between 1996 and 1998, he was considered to be one of the hottest young talents in the world after consistently impressing with FC Girondins de Bordeaux
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
.
Early career
Born in Senegal's capital, DakarDakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Ibrahim Ngom Ba was not yet eighteen when, in 1991, he started playing for the French club Le Havre AC
Le Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
, where he spent five years. In 1996 he moved to fellow Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
outfit Bordeaux, reaching the final of Coupe de la Ligue
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
and making his France national football team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
debut on 22 January 1997 against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, as well as scoring one goal in the 2–0 victory.
A.C. Milan
After the 1997–1998 football season he was sold to ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
after just one season at Bordeaux. His first season in Milan was to become his best; he played 31 matches and scored one goal. His most memorable moment for the French national team came in the June 1997 friendly match with Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
in Paris. He took a free kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
35 yards from goal, and his swerving shot forced Brazilian goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel
Cláudio Taffarel
Cláudio André Mergen Taffarel is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is of German and Italian descent....
to drop the ball in front of French striker Marc Keller
Marc Keller
Marc Keller is a retired French football player, who played primarily as a midfielder. In his club career he played in France, Germany and England. For the national side he played six times, scoring one goal against Brazil. He later became Director-General of RC Strasbourg and AS Monaco.-External...
, who went on to score.
Ba was seen as a hot prospect, who arguably did not live up to his promise. To his great dismay, he was left out of France's 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
squad, when France became World Champions on home soil. That might be seen as the beginning of his downfall. Over the subsequent years, Ba did not play many games for Milan and went on loan to Italian team AC Perugia in 1999–2000 season, where he broke a leg and had to miss four matches for headbutting an opponent. He underwent another loan deal back in France with Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
in 2001.
Later years
In 2003, he finally left Milan and joined Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in England.
He failed to make an impression at Bolton, and moved on to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
after just one season, joining Çaykur Rizespor
Çaykur Rizespor
Çaykur Rizespor is a Turkish sports club based in Rize. Çaykur Rizespor is currently playing in the TFF First League. The club was founded in 1953 in green-yellow colours and had professionalship status in 1968 as Rizespor and changed its colours to blue-green...
on a one-year deal on 24 August 2004.
In 6 February 2005, Ba was surprisingly signed by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
side Djurgårdens IF on a two-year contract. He was a spectacular signing for the club, and caused much interest in Sweden, and it was thought that a less prestigious league might bring back Ba's old ability. Djurgården won the league in his first season, but Ba failed to impress fans and commentators, spending a lot of time on the bench. In early 2006, it was decided that his contract would be terminated and he subsequently left Djurgården in January of that year.
Return to Italy
At the start of 2007 Ba returned to Italy to train with Serie C2Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
team Varese
A.S. Varese 1910
A.S. Varese 1910 is an Italian football club from Varese, founded 22 March 1910. It currently plays in Serie B, ranked one division below Serie A in the Italian football league.-History:...
to help with his fitness. In June 2007, after having travelled to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
together with the AC Milan squad to attend the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
final they won against English Premiership side Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Ibrahim Ba agreed a one-year contract with his former club.
During the 2007–2008 season, making only one appearance in the Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
as a substitute, he retired from the game. After the season Ba accepted a job as a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for Milan in Africa.
Honours
Italy AC MilanA.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
- Serie ASerie ASerie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
(1): 1998–99 - Coppa ItaliaCoppa ItaliaThe Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
(1): 2002–03 - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
(1): 2002–03
Sweden Djurgårdens IF
- AllsvenskanAllsvenskanAllsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
(1): 2005 - Svenska CupenSvenska CupenSvenska Cupen , is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 98 teams compete, comprising the 16 teams from Allsvenskan and the 16 teams of Superettan...
(1): 2005Svenska CupenSvenska Cupen , is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 98 teams compete, comprising the 16 teams from Allsvenskan and the 16 teams of Superettan...
Family
Ibrahim Ba is the son of 1970s Senegalese international footballer Ibrahima Ba (born 1951), who spent his late career in France, where he helped Le Havre ACLe Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
to promotion in 1979 and finished his career at SC Abbeville
SC Abbeville
Sporting Club Abbeville is a French football club based in Abbeville, Picardie. It was founded in 1901. The club currently plays in the Division d'Honneur, Picardie, the sixth tier of the French football league system.-Honours:*Champions Division 4 : 1978...
. Ibrahima Ba's younger son, Fabien (born 22 October 1994) is also a footballer, playing in Italy with the Giovanissimi Nazionali of his brother Ibrahim's former club A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
.