Ismael Athuman

Ismael Said Athuman Mbaga (born 1 February 1995) is a professional footballer who plays for UD Las Palmas and the Kenya national team. Mainly a central defender, he can also play as a defensive midfielder.

Ismael Athuman
Personal information
Full name Ismael Said Athuman Mbaga
Date of birth (1995-02-01) 1 February 1995
Place of birth San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Spain[1]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
Las Palmas
Number 13
Youth career
Maspalomas
0000–2011 Vecindario
2011–2014 Las Palmas
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Las Palmas C
2014–2017 Las Palmas B 14 (0)
2016Cacereño (loan) 14 (0)
2017 Granada B 6 (0)
2017–2018 Fuenlabrada 12 (0)
2018–2019 Las Palmas B 20 (1)
2020 Las Palmas B 8 (2)
2020– Las Palmas 3 (0)
National team
2016– Kenya 11 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 December 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23 June 2019

Club career

Athuman was born in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, to a Kenyan father and a Spanish mother, and played youth football with CD Maspalomas, UD Vecindario and UD Las Palmas. He had unsuccessful trials at Manchester City in 2013.[2]

After making his senior debut with Las Palmas' C-team in the regional leagues during the 2014–15 campaign, Athuman subsequently started to appear for the reserves in both Segunda División B and Tercera División. On 5 December 2015, he agreed to a loan deal with third division side CP Cacereño until the end of the season.[3]

Athuman subsequently returned to Las Palmas B in July 2016, but rescinded his contract the following 31 January,[4] and subsequently signed for Granada CF's reserves in the third tier.[5] On 13 July 2017, he moved to fellow league team CF Fuenlabrada.[6]

On 22 August 2018, Athuman returned to Las Palmas and their B-side, now also in the third division.[7] He left the club in the following July, but rejoined the side on 2 January 2020.[8]

On 5 October 2020, after playing for the main squad during the entire pre-season, Athuman was promoted to Las Palmas' first team in Segunda División.[9] He made his professional debut on 5 December, starting in a 0–0 away draw against SD Ponferradina.[10]

International career

Athuman received his first call from Kenya in mid May 2016, for a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Congo the following month. He made his debut on 31 May 2016 in a friendly with Sudan.[11]Represented the national team at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.[12]

Personal life

Athuman's father, Said Ali Athuman Mbaga, known as Billy, is a Kenyan contortionist and acrobat, who lives in Gran Canaria.[2]

References

  1. "Athuman" (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  2. "Billy, un artista de goma y de la UD" (in Spanish). La Provincia. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  3. "El central Ismael, cedido al Cacereño" [Stopper Ismael, loaned to Cacereño] (in Spanish). Tinta Amarilla. 5 December 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  4. "Ismael, baja en el filial y el portero David, cedido al Estrella" [Ismael, departure in the reserves and goalkeeper David, loaned to Estrella] (in Spanish). Tinta Amarilla. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  5. "Nauzet García e Ismael Athuman, nuevos fichajes del Granada B" [Nauzet García and Ismael Athuman, new signings of Granada B] (in Spanish). Ideal. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  6. "Harambee Stars defender signs for Spanish side". Goal.com. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  7. "Ismael Athuman, nuevo fichaje de Las Palmas Atlético" [Ismael Athuman, new signing of Las Palmas Atlético] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  8. "Ismael Athuman, nueva incorporación de Las Palmas Atlético" [Ismael Athuman, new addition of Las Palmas Atlético] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  9. "Cristian Cedrés e Ismael Athuman, inscritos en el primer equipo" [Cristian Cedrés and Ismael Athuman, registered in the first team] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  10. "Los palos y un gran Álex Domínguez evitaron los goles en El Toralín" [The post and a great Álex Domínguez avoid the goals at the El Toralín] (in Spanish). Marca. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  11. "Harambee Stars rallies to draw Sudan in friendly". Soka. 31 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  12. https://footballkenya.org/harambee-stars-sebastien-migne-final-afcon-squad/
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