Bakary Nimaga

Bakary Nimaga (born 6 December 1994) is a Malian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder[2] playing for Radnički Niš in the Serbian SuperLiga.[3]

Bakary Nimaga
Personal information
Full name Bakary Nimaga[1]
Date of birth (1994-12-06) 6 December 1994
Place of birth Douala, Cameroon
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Radnički Niš
Number 29
Youth career
2008–2012 Stade Malien
2012–2013 Twente
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2018 Skënderbeu 178 (22)
2018–2019 Hatayspor 14 (1)
2019–2021 TSV Hartberg 49 (3)
2021–2022 Zalaegerszeg 4 (0)
2022–2023 Rheindorf Altach 27 (2)
2023– Radnički Niš 0 (0)
International career
2012–2013 Mali U20 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 June 2023

Club career

Early career

Nimaga was born in Douala, Cameroon to Malian parents who were working in Cameroon at the time of his birth, but they soon moved back to Mali during Bakary's childhood, where he grew up with his three brothers and four sisters. He helped his uncle at a local market in order to aid his family financially and to also fund his passion for football, as he was part of the Stade Malien academy. At the age of 15 he moved to South Africa to join a youth academy there with the help of a German couple who he had met in Mali, before moving to the Netherlands to join the FC Twente academy. He soon left the club and went on to live in Germany before returning to Mali.[4]

Skënderbeu Korçë

Nimaga's agent was in contact with Albanian champions Skënderbeu Korçë prior to his move to the club, and was convinced by the club's official to return to Europe where he signed his first professional contract in the closing stages of the 2013 January transfer window, which was two-year deal ending on 31 December 2015. He featured in 5 league and 2 Albanian Cup games, helping his side win the Albanian Superliga championship for a third consecutive year.

On 17 August 2014, Nimaga scored the only goal in the 2014 Albanian Supercup against Flamurtari Vlorë at Qemal Stafa Stadium, giving the club their only second Supercup trophy.[5] He scored in the beginning of the second half after a cross from the captain Bledi Shkëmbi.[5]

Later, on 25 January of the following year, he scored the first league goal with the club, scoring the fourth during the 4–1 away win against Elbasani at Elbasan Arena, in the first match of the third phase.[6][7] Nimaga played his 50th match on 2 May 2015, entering in the field in the last 15 minutes during the 4–2 home win against Teuta Durres.[8] He ended his third season with 32 appearances and 5 goals in all competitions, with Skënderbeu Korçë by winning again the Albanian Superliga for a record fifth time, also reaching the semi-finals of Albanian Cup.

On 14 July 2015, in the first leg of second qualifying round of 2015–16 UEFA Champions League against Crusaders, Nimaga scored the opening goal in the 15th minute for a 4–1 victory.[9] That was his first European goal in his six appearances in European competitions.

On 5 November 2015, Nimaga scored a fantastic goal from 40 yards in the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League group stage match against Sporting as teammate Peter Olayinka forced the Sporting goalkeeper Marcelo Boeck into a mistake and Nimaga himself capitalised on woeful defending to score from 40 yards as Skënderbeu recorded a 3–0 win against the Portuguese side at the Elbasan Arena, which was their first ever win at the group stage in any major tournament.[10][11] During the 2015–16 season, Nimaga collected 30 appearances in all competitions, making only 15 league appearances, six of them as a starter, scoring three times in the process.

He started the 2016–17 season on 5 October by scoring four goals in the returning leg of 2016–17 Albanian Cup first round against Butrinti Sarandë, helping the team to win 8–0 and to progress to the next round with the aggregate 9–1.[12] Later on 13th, Nimaga scored his first league goal, a 94th-minute winner against Teuta Durrës in the matchday 6 to help Skënderbeu maintain its 100% winning record.[13]

Rheindorf Altach

On 28 January 2022, Nimaga returned to Austria and signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Rheindorf Altach.[14]

Radnički Niš

On September 2023 Nimaga joined Serbian club Radnički Niš along his compatriot Lassana Ndiaye.[3]

International career

He was named in the Mali U-20 squad for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Turkey, where he featured in all 3 group games, drawing two and losing one to finish bottom of Group D.[15]

He can represent either Cameroon or Mali.

Career statistics

Club
As of 13 October 2016[16]
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Skënderbeu Korçë 2012–13 Albanian Superliga 5020——70
2013–14 0324[lower-alpha 1]000152
2014–15 3511[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 3]1325
2015–16 1505110[lower-alpha 4]200303
2016–17 42114—0035
Total 554159152118715
Career total 554159152118715
  1. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. All Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  3. Appearance in Albanian Supercup
  4. Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours
Skënderbeu Korçë[16]

References
  1. "FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013 List of Players: Mali" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 23 June 2013. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2013.
  2. Bakary Nimaga at Soccerway
  3. Dvojica fudbalera iz Malija stigla u niški Radnički ("Two players from Mali join Radnicki Nis"), at juznevesti.com, 16-9-2023, retrieved 22-9-2023
  4. "Nimaga: Kam punuar në market, këtu njerëzit rrinë shumë në kafe" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  5. Ahmeti, Fatmir (17 August 2014). "Skënderbeu e nis me trofe, fiton Superkupën e Shqipërisë" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  6. "Skënderbeu e 'shkeli' Elbasanin" (in Albanian). Bota Sot. 25 January 2015. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  7. "Skënderbeu "poker" Elbasanit, korçarët fitojnë lehtësisht dhe ndjekin Kukësin" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  8. Tafaj, Glendi (2 May 2015). "Kategoria Superiore, Skënderbeu poker ndaj Teutës, Kukësi rigjen qetësinë duke thyer Apoloninë" (in Albanian). Ora News TV. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  9. Eduard Illnica (14 July 2015). "Skënderbeu fiton 4-1 me Crusaders, korçarët thuajse në tur III" (in Albanian). Telesport.al. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  10. "Sporting humbled in Albania". Portugoal.net. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  11. "Skenderbeu claim first Europa League victory against Portugal's Sporting". Tirana Times. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  12. "Kupa, goleadë e të mëdhenjve, eleminohet ekipi i parë i Superiores" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  13. "Skënderbeu për rekord, Teuta bie në fund" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  14. "Bakary Nimaga unterschreibt bis Sommer 2023 beim SCR Altach" (Press release) (in German). Rheindorf Altach. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  15. "FIFA Tournaments - Players & Coaches - Bakary NIMAGA". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  16. "Mali - B. Nimaga - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
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