Benjamin Kibebe
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Kibebe is a Ethiopia
n-born Swedish
footballer. He currently plays for FC Luzern in the Swiss Super League
.
and moved to Sweden
as a child. He began his career with local side Hammarby IF
but in 1999 moved to their bitter rivals AIK
. He has said that the only reason he crossed the divide is that AIK offered him a professional contract and Hammarby didn't.
to play in the Tippeligaen
for Tromsø IL, the northernmost top-level football club in the world. Due to this Kibebe said that the team had to travel to most matches via plane. Kibebe had a successful year living in Tromsø
as he played in the UEFA Cup
. The club beat Danish
club Esbjerg fB
in the qualifying round then Turkish
club Galatasaray S.K in the First Round to qualified to the group stages. The team were drawn in Group E alongside AS Roma, RC Strasbourg
, FC Basel
and Red Star Belgrade
.
At the end of the 2006 season Kibebe left Tromsø I.K. for Aalesunds FK who had just been promoted from the Adeccoligaen
at the end of the 2006 season after finishing as runners up.
2010
for the first time in the clubs history. Kibebe is noted for 21 games in the UEFA cup and scored the first goal of the FC Nordsjælland's UEFA Cup
contest against the Scottish
club Queen of the South F.C.
from Dumfries
.
In August 2011 Kibebe was told he did not feature in Murat Yakin
's plans and was made available for transfer.
, as well as seven age-based international matches.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n-born Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
footballer. He currently plays for FC Luzern in the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
.
Early Career
Kibebe was born in Addis AbabaAddis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
and moved to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
as a child. He began his career with local side Hammarby IF
Hammarby IF
Hammarby Fotboll is a Swedish football club based in Johanneshov - just south of Södermalm, the southernmost district of Stockholm city centre...
but in 1999 moved to their bitter rivals AIK
AIK Fotboll
AIK, , an abbreviation for Allmänna Idrottsklubben, , when needed internationally AIK Stockholm, is a Swedish football club based at Råsunda stadium in Solna, a municipality in Stockholm County bordering to Stockholm City Centre...
. He has said that the only reason he crossed the divide is that AIK offered him a professional contract and Hammarby didn't.
Norway
He spent 5 seasons with AIK and in 2005 moved to NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to play in the Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
for Tromsø IL, the northernmost top-level football club in the world. Due to this Kibebe said that the team had to travel to most matches via plane. Kibebe had a successful year living in Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
as he played in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. The club beat Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club Esbjerg fB
Esbjerg fB
Esbjerg forenede Boldklubber also referred to as Esbjerg fB or simply EfB is a professional Danish football club from the port city of Esbjerg in West Jutland. The club was formed in 1924, as a merger between Esbjerg Boldklub af 1898 and Esbjerg Amatørklub af 1911. The club has training facilities...
in the qualifying round then Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
club Galatasaray S.K in the First Round to qualified to the group stages. The team were drawn in Group E alongside AS Roma, RC Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
, FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
and Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
.
At the end of the 2006 season Kibebe left Tromsø I.K. for Aalesunds FK who had just been promoted from the Adeccoligaen
Adeccoligaen
The Norwegian First Division is the second highest division of the Norwegian football league system. Since 2005, the official name of the league has been Adeccoligaen....
at the end of the 2006 season after finishing as runners up.
Denmark
After a successful time at Aalesunds FK he was sold to Danish team FC Nordsjälland. In Denmark he quickly made a good name for himself where he was a strong contributor to helping the team win the Danish CupDanish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
2010
2009–10 Danish Cup
-Second round:The clubs who placed 5–10 in the 2008–09 Superliga – Randers, AGF, AaB, Nordsjælland, Esbjerg, SønderjyskE – as well as the top two clubs from the 2008–09 First Division – Herfølge, who was merged with another club to form Køge for the 2009–10 season, and Silkeborg – received a bye into...
for the first time in the clubs history. Kibebe is noted for 21 games in the UEFA cup and scored the first goal of the FC Nordsjælland's UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
contest against the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
club Queen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...
from Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
.
Switzerland
On 5th May 2010, the day after FC Nordsjälland's Danish Cup victory he was bought by the Swiss Club FC Luzern. Kibebe signed a three year contract. He has largely been forgotten about at FC Luzern after falling out with previous manager Rolf Fringer.In August 2011 Kibebe was told he did not feature in Murat Yakin
Murat Yakin
Murat Yakin is a Swiss-Turkish football coach and former Swiss national player. He is currently the coach of FC Luzern in the Swiss Super League.-Playing career:...
's plans and was made available for transfer.
International career
Kibebe has played one match for the Swedish national teamSweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
, as well as seven age-based international matches.
External Links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixb1YaUy1bc
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WobRQpON1w
- http://www.ethiosports.com/2010/11/01/q-a-benjamin-%E2%80%9Cbenyam%E2%80%9D-kibebe-of-fc-luzern-switzerland/
- FCL buys a Swedish defender