Ibrahim Aliyu (footballer)

Ibrahim Aliyu

Personal information
Date of birth	(2002-01-16) 16 January 2002 (age 23)
Place of birth	Kano, Nigeria[1]
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Houston Dynamo
Number	18
Youth career
0000–2019	Oasis FC
2019–2020	Footwork FC
2020	Lokomotiva Zagreb
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2023	Lokomotiva Zagreb	79	(14)
2023–	Houston Dynamo	58	(9)
International career^‡
2019	Nigeria U20[1]	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:10, 23 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1:34, 27 January 2023 (UTC)

Ibrahim Aliyu (born 16 January 2002) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a winger for the Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer.[1]

Club career

Lokomotiva Zagreb

Aliyu went on trial with Croatian club NK Lokomotiva Zagreb in January 2020.[2][3] On 9 February the 18 year old signed with the club.[4] He spent the remainder of the 2019–20 season playing with the youth teams.[4][2]

On 2 October 2020 Aliyu made his first team debut against Istra 1961 in a Prva HNL match, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute for Reuben Acquah in a 0–0 draw.[5][6] He scored his first goal for Lokomitiva on 1 November 2020 in a 1–1 draw with Dinamo Zagreb.[7] Aliyu finished the season with 2 goals in 19 appearances in league play as Lokomotiva finished 8th in the table.[8]

On 14 August 2021 he scored a brace in a 4–0 win over Istra 1961.[9] He ended the 21–22 season with 34 appearances and 6 goals in the league to help Lokomotiva finish 5th.[8]

On 5 March 2023 Aliyu scored a brace against Croatian powerhouse Hajduk Split in a 4–3 victory.[10][11]

Houston Dynamo

On 25 April 2023 Aliyu joined Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo on a three-year deal with team options for 2026 and 2027 for an undisclosed fee.[12][2] The fee was reportedly €2.1 million.[13]

Personal life

Aliyu has stated that is favorite football club is Real Madrid and that Kylian Mbappé is a player he looks to as a role model. He is a friend of ibrhmdbt[14]

Career statistics

As of 29 April 2023[8][15][16]

Club	Season	League			National Cup[a]		League Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Lokomotiva Zagreb	2020–21	HNL	19	2	2	1	—		0	0	21	3
	2021–22		34	6	1	1	—		—		35	7
	2022–23		26	6	2	1	—		—		28	7
	Total		79	14	5	3	0	0	0	0	84	17
Houston Dynamo	2023	MLS	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
Career total			79	0	5	3	0	0	0	0	88	18

1. Includes Croatian Football Cup and U.S. Open Cup

References

1. "Ibrahim Aliyu". worldfootball.net.
2. "Aliyu Ibrahim odlazi u američki MLS" [Aliyu Ibrahim is leaving for the American MLS]. NK Lokomotiva (in Croatian). 25 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
3. "Flying Eagles striker Ibrahim Aliyu 'Bravo' joins Croatian club NK Lokomotiva Zagreb". Score Nigeria. 7 February 2020. Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
4. "Ibrahim Aliyu potpisao za Lokomotivu" [Ibrahim Aliyu signs for Lokomotiva]. NK Lokomotiva (in Croatian). 9 February 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
5. Korać, Branimir (2 October 2020). "Lokomotiva i Istra 1961 nisu oduševili, debitirao Pivarić". Sport Net (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 March 2023.
6. "Nigeria - A. Ibrahim - Matches - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
7. "Aliyu Ibrahim 2020-2021 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
8. "Aliyu Ibrahim Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more". FBref.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
9. "Aliyu Ibrahim 2021-2022 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
10. Akawor, Izuchukwu (6 March 2023). "SUPER EAGLES Video: 21-year-old Ibrahim Aliyu punishes Chidozie Awaziem in 7-goal thriller". Pulse Sports. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
11. Jenjić, Petar (5 March 2023). "Golijada na Poljudu: Lokomotiva kažnjavala greške obrane Hajduka i zasluženo slavila". Sport Net (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 March 2023.
12. "Houston Dynamo FC sign Nigerian Youth International Ibrahim Aliyu using MLS's U22 Initiative". Houston Dynamo FC. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
13. "Dynamo sign Nigerian forward Ibrahim Aliyu". Bayou City Soccer. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
14. Jenjić, Petar (7 March 2023). "Aliyu nakon Hajduka: 'To su mi sigurno najvažniji golovi karijere'". Sport Net (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 March 2023.
15. "Nigeria - A. Ibrahim - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
16. "Ibrahim Aliyu". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 29 April 2023.