Riga Mustapha
Encyclopedia
Rahamat Riga Mustapha, commonly known as Mustapha Riga (born 10 October 1981 in Accra
, Ghana
), is a Ghana
ian-born Dutch
footballer who most recently played for Segunda División
club FC Cartagena
. He can play as either a winger or a striker.
, playing for Vitesse Arnhem
(1998–2003), RBC Roosendaal (2000–2001, a loan) and Sparta Rotterdam
(2003–2005), for whom he scored 26 goals in two seasons.
In 2005, he joined Spain
's Levante UD
, and was instrumental in the Valencia
side's return to the top flight
, after a one-year absence (38 matches, 11 goals). In La Liga
, Riga was also the club's top scorer in two seasons, at 9 and 8 goals respectively. During his time in Spain, he developed the name "The Bullet", due to his electric pace.
Riga signed a deal with Bolton Wanderers
on July 28, 2008. The move was only made official on August 1, 2008 when he was granted international clearance. The following day, he made his debut in a friendly against Chorley
, scoring in a 2–0 win. His Premier League debut came against Newcastle United
in a 1–0 away loss on August 23, coming on in the 85th minute as a substitute
.
Riga was unregistered and re-registered with the club in August 2009 so he could be given the squad number 10 and Ivan Klasnić
could take his previous number, 17. The season after he was changed from number 10 to number 15.
He was not included in Bolton's 24 man squad for the 2010/2011 season and had his contract terminated on 27 January 2011.
Riga signed a deal with the Spanish Segunda División
outfit FC Cartagena
on 22 March 2011.
On 28th September 2011 he played as a trialist, along with QPR
's Lee Cook
for Nottingham Forest's reserve team
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
), is a Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian-born Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
footballer who most recently played for Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
club FC Cartagena
FC Cartagena
Fútbol Club Cartagena is a Spanish football team based in Cartagena, in the autonomous community of Murcia. Founded in 1995, it currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estadio Cartagonova, with a capacity of 15,105 spectators....
. He can play as either a winger or a striker.
Career
Riga started his professional career in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, playing for Vitesse Arnhem
Vitesse Arnhem
Stichting Betaald Voetbal Vitesse is a Dutch football club from Arnhem, which was founded on 14 May 1892. Vitesse has had considerable success in the Eredivisie, and featured in the UEFA Cup competition, but has never been considered a close competitor of the top three clubs of Netherlands...
(1998–2003), RBC Roosendaal (2000–2001, a loan) and Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
(2003–2005), for whom he scored 26 goals in two seasons.
In 2005, he joined Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
, and was instrumental in the Valencia
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
side's return to the top flight
2005–06 Segunda División
-Classification 2005–06:-Relegated to Segunda División B:* UE Lleida -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 3* Ferrol -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 1* Eibar -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 4...
, after a one-year absence (38 matches, 11 goals). In La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, Riga was also the club's top scorer in two seasons, at 9 and 8 goals respectively. During his time in Spain, he developed the name "The Bullet", due to his electric pace.
Riga signed a deal with Bolton Wanderers
Bolton 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....
on July 28, 2008. The move was only made official on August 1, 2008 when he was granted international clearance. The following day, he made his debut in a friendly against Chorley
Chorley F.C.
Chorley Football Club are a football club from Chorley, Lancashire, England. They were founded as a rugby union club in 1875 but switched to football in 1883. They have reached the FA Cup second round twice in 1986–87 and 1990–91. Their best performance in the FA Trophy was in 1995–96 when they...
, scoring in a 2–0 win. His Premier League debut came against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in a 1–0 away loss on August 23, coming on in the 85th minute as a substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
.
Riga was unregistered and re-registered with the club in August 2009 so he could be given the squad number 10 and Ivan Klasnić
Ivan Klasnic
Ivan Klasnić is a Croatian footballer who plays for Bolton Wanderers of the Premier League. He is a Croatian international. In 2007, Klasnić underwent a kidney transplant, and became the first player to participate in a major tournament after a transplant.-St. Pauli:Klasnić started his...
could take his previous number, 17. The season after he was changed from number 10 to number 15.
He was not included in Bolton's 24 man squad for the 2010/2011 season and had his contract terminated on 27 January 2011.
Riga signed a deal with the Spanish Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
outfit FC Cartagena
FC Cartagena
Fútbol Club Cartagena is a Spanish football team based in Cartagena, in the autonomous community of Murcia. Founded in 1995, it currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estadio Cartagonova, with a capacity of 15,105 spectators....
on 22 March 2011.
On 28th September 2011 he played as a trialist, along with QPR
QPR
QPR usually refers to Queens Park Rangers F.C., an English football club.QPR may also refer to:*Queen + Paul Rodgers, a 2004-2009 musical supergroup*Queen's Park Rangers , a football club playing in the Grenada League...
's Lee Cook
Lee Cook
Lee Cook is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a midfielder.-Career:Born in Hammersmith, London, Cook began his career at Southampton. non-League Aylesbury United where he made 19 appearances, scoring twice, having progressed from the club's youth team. In 1999, after...
for Nottingham Forest's reserve team