Nabil Baha
Encyclopedia
Nabil Baha is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, as a striker.
Both his parents come from Douar Guerzine, near Fes
Fes
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
.
Club career
Baha made his professional debuts with FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's Montpellier HSC
Montpellier HSC
Montpellier Hérault Sport Club is a French association football club based in the city of Montpellier. The club was founded in 1919 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Montpellier plays its home matches at the Stade de la Mosson, located within the city...
, then went on to represent Associação Naval 1º de Maio
Associação Naval 1º de Maio
Associação Naval 1º de Maio, commonly known as Naval, is a Portuguese football club based in Figueira da Foz, Coimbra District. Founded on 1 May 1893, it currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estádio Municipal José Bento Pessoa, with a capacity for 12,630 spectators.Naval is...
(second division
Liga de Honra
The Liga de Honra , known for sponsorship reasons as the Liga Orangina, is the Portuguese second level football league. It was formerly called Segunda Divisão and Segunda Divisão de Honra . When the LPFP took control of the two nationwide levels, it was renamed Segunda Liga, before renaming it...
) and Sporting Clube de Braga in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, moving to neighbours Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 2005, where he appeared for Racing de Ferrol
Racing de Ferrol
Racing Club de Ferrol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Ferrol in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia.Founded in 1919, in currently plays in Tercera División, holding home games at Estadio de la Malata...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's second level
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
. There, in spite of his eight league goals, the Galician side would be relegated
2005–06 Segunda División
-Classification 2005–06:-Relegated to Segunda División B:* UE Lleida -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 3* Ferrol -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 1* Eibar -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 4...
.
After a brief return spell to France, with lowly US Créteil-Lusitanos
US Créteil-Lusitanos
Union Sportive Créteil-Lusitanos Football is a French football club based in Créteil, a southeastern suburb of Paris. The club was founded in 1936 and currently play in the Championnat National, the third division of French football...
, Baha returned to Spain and its second-tier in January 2007, netting nine league goals for SD Ponferradina
SD Ponferradina
Sociedad Deportiva Ponferradina, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Ponferrada, in the El Bierzo region, León, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
, which would also drop down a level at the season's closure.
In 2007–08, he played for another side in the category, Málaga CF
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
, and, benefitting from several injuries to habitual first-choice Salva, finished with 10 goals (squad's second-best) as the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
side returned to La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
after two years.
In the early months of 2008, Baha was subject of a €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
2 million transfer to FC Steaua Bucureşti, however he rejected this as he eventually wanted to play in Spain's top flight. He had a clause in his contract allowing him to talk to other clubs if the offer was of at least €5 million. In 2008–09, Baha scored his first goal in the Spanish top flight, in a 4–0 away routing of Recreativo de Huelva
Recreativo de Huelva
Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 23 December 1889, it is the oldest football team in Spain, and currently plays in the second division, holding home games at Estadio Nuevo Colombino, which has a...
, on 5 October 2008. The following month, he also scored at the Santiago Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
against Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, in a 3–4 final loss, and finished the first half of the season as the club's top scorer, at eight (for a total of nine, tied for best with midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
Apoño).
On 29 January 2011, free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
Baha joined AEK Athens F.C. from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, signing a six-month contract with an option for an extra year. On 30 April, he netted his only official goal of the season, in a 3–0 win against Atromitos F.C. for the Greek Cup
Greek football Cup
The Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation....
final
2010–11 Greek Cup
The 2010–11 Greek Cup is the 69th season of the Greek Football Cup. A total of 67 clubs were accepted to enter, after the withdrawal of Egaleo, Kalamata and Pyrsos Grevena and their relegation to Delta Ethniki....
.
On 18 August 2011, Baha returned to Spain and joined CE Sabadell FC, signing a two-year contract.
International career
A full Moroccan internationalMorocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
since 2003, Baha took part in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, where the national side finished second to hosts Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
, as he scored once, in a 4–0 semifinal rout of Mali
Mali national football team
The Mali national football team, nicknamed Les Aigles , is the national team of Mali and is controlled by the Fédération Malienne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals.-History:...
.
Due to a dislocated shoulder suffered in the late months of October against Racing de Santander
Racing de Santander
Real Racing Club de Santander, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santander, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. Founded in 1913, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio El Sardinero, with a capacity for 22,400 spectators....
in a Spanish Cup match, he failed to win a place in the nation's final squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, which was held in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.