Celestine Babayaro

Celestine Babayaro ( born August 29, 1978 in Kaduna, Nigeria ) is a former Nigerian football player. Moreover, he holds a British passport. Babayaros position was that of the left-back, he was also used as a left midfielder. He is the older brother of Haruna Babangida.

Career

Babayaro began his career with Plateau United in his native Nigeria. In 1994, the then 16 -year-old to RSC Anderlecht in Belgium. In 1997 he was transferred to Atlanta with Nigeria to Chelsea to London after successfully won gold medal at the 1996 Olympics. Chelsea stung then from clubs such as Inter Milan, Deportivo La Coruna or Juventus. In January 2005 he moved to Newcastle United. In December 2007 he dissolved his contract with Newcastle and was paid out.

January 21, 2008 Babayaro signed a contract with the American club Los Angeles Galaxy over three years. He succeeded his former coach at Chelsea, Ruud Gullit.

On 3 March 2008 Babayaro was dismissed from the Galaxy's, after he had played in a test match against Seoul just 45 minutes. The association explained this with the fact that one can so stay within the salary budget of the team. Before the season 2008/ 09 Babayaro trained with FC Portsmouth, but received no offer of the beginning of the season the club. He has now finished his professional career.

Babayaro played 35 times in the Nigerian national football team, scoring two goals. His debut he played in November 1995 against the Uzbek national football team.

Achievements

• Belgian champion: 1995
• Belgian Super Cup winner: 1995
• UEFA Super Cup winner: 1998
• European Cup Winners' Cup: 1998
• English Cup Winners: 2000
• English League Cup Winners: 1998
• Participation in the 1998 World Cup (3 inserts)
• Participation in the 2002 World Cup (2 inserts)
• Vice African champions: 2000 (6 inserts)
• Participation in the African Cup of Nations 2002 ( 1 Application )
• Participation in the African Cup of Nations 2004 ( 1 Application )
• U-17 Soccer World Cup: 1993
• Football Olympic Champions: 1996

Others

With his brother Emmanuel Babayaro, a goalkeeper, he won gold in 1996 in the Olympic Games.

When RSC Anderlecht he was in November 1994 in the match against Steaua Bucharest became the youngest player ever ( 16 years, two months and 26 days ), which was used in the Champions League. However Babayaro was sent off in the game after 37 minutes.