Ishaq Rafiu

Ishaq Kayode Rafiu (born 16 December 2000) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Slovenian PrvaLiga side Maribor.

Ishaq Rafiu
Personal information
Full name Ishaq Kayode Rafiu[1]
Date of birth (2000-12-16) 16 December 2000
Place of birth Offa, Nigeria[2]
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Winger[2]
Team information
Current team
 Maribor
Number 31
Youth career
Abraysports
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Shooting Stars 2 (0)
2019 Remo Stars 1 (0)
2019–2022 Rivers United 60 (15)
2022– Maribor 6 (0)
International career
2022 Nigeria 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 October 2023

Club career

Early career

Rafiu made his senior debut for Shooting Stars in the Nigeria Professional Football League during the 2017 season, making two appearances.[2] After a brief spell with Remo Stars in 2019, he joined Rivers United before the 2019–20 season.[2] During the 2021–22 season, Rafiu scored 14 goals and provided 3 assists for Rivers United, helping his team to clinch the league title.[3] Overall, he made 60 appearances and scored 15 league goals for Rivers United over the course of three seasons.[2]

Maribor

On 26 July 2022, reigning Slovenian PrvaLiga champions Maribor announced that they had signed Rafiu on a three-year contract.[3][4] However, the next day, Rivers United made it clear that his contract with the club is still valid and that any transaction to another club without their consent is null and void.[5][6] Almost two months later, on 13 September, his transfer to Maribor was finally completed after all the necessary documents were obtained.[1] He made his debut for Maribor in the 13th round of the 2022–23 Slovenian PrvaLiga season on 15 October 2022 against Olimpija Ljubljana, when he replaced Andraž Žinič late in the match.[7] A few days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 9–0 victory over lower league side Limbuš-Pekre in the Slovenian Cup.[8]

International career

Rafiu made his international debut for Nigeria in a friendly match against Mexico on 28 May 2022.[2][9]

Honours

Rivers United

References
  1. "Odslej bo zame vse drugače" [Everything will be different for me from now on] (in Slovenian). NK Maribor. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  2. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ishaq Rafiu (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  3. Young, Tunde (26 July 2022). "21-year-old Ishaq Rafiu lands big move to Slovenian club". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  4. "Maribor okrepil reprezentant Nigerije". Slovenski nogometni portal (in Slovenian). 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  5. Young, Tunde (27 July 2022). ""It's null and void" – Rivers United discredits Ishak Rafiu's transfer to Maribor in exclusive interview". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  6. Chidiezie, Jidechi (27 July 2022). "Ishaq Rafiu: Drama as NPFL champions Rivers United call Europa League club 'mischief makers'". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  7. "Olimpija Ljubljana – NK Maribor 1:0 (PrvaLiga 2022/2023, 13. Round)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  8. "NK Maribor – Limbuš Pekre 9:0 (Pokal Slovenije 2022/2023, 2. Round)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  9. "It was a dream come through to represent Nigeria — Ishaq Rafiu". brila.net. Brila. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
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