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1997-2005
DATE OF BIRTH Tuesday, 29th August 1978
PLACE OF BIRTH Kaduna, Nigeria
DEBUT Saturday, 18th October 1997 in a 1-0 win at home to Leicester City (Aged: 19)
CLUB CAREER 118 League apps (+14 as sub), 5 goals
Babayaro is a skillful but inconsistent attacking full-back who scored one of the goals as Nigeria
won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. He joined Chelsea from Anderlecht for
£2.25million in April 1997 - the Blues' record teenage signing. Chelsea beat Inter Milan, Deportivo
La Coruna and Juventus to sign the star. A highly promising player, who is good in the air and
very quick, he was earmarked as a great player for Chelsea for several years to come when he
signed. Well-known for his somersaulting celebrations, Babayaro made his debut against Slovan
Bratislava the European Cup Winners' Cup in October 1997. He won the FA Cup in 2000 and
picked up a runners-up medal two years later. His Chelsea career has, at times, been hit by injury
but he came of age in the 2002/03 season with a number of top displays as Chelsea finished third
in the table. Babayaro went to the 2002 World Cup with Nigeria and played in the first two group
games against Argentina and Sweden. But he quit international football after the finals at the age
of 23. The signing of Wayne Bridge in July 2003 suggested he would lose his place in the side, but
boss Claudio Ranieri continued to use him as an important squad player. That was very much the
case, with Babayaro playing only six Premiership games in 2003/04, but new boss Jose Mourinho
held onto the Nigerian as his second choice left-back. And he reversed his decision on
international football by playing for Nigeria at the African Nations Cup in Tunisia - but he was sent
back to England after the opening game for allegedly breaking a curfew. The emergence of
William Gallas as a quality option for the left-hand side of defence meant Babayaro's days were
numbered in 2004/05 - especially with his contract up at the end of the season. Newcastle United
moved in to sign him for a small but undisclosed fee to bolster their creaking defence when the
transfer window opened in January. He had featured in only five games for Chelsea that term.
1997-1998 Played 8 Scored 0 goals
1998-1999 Played 28 Scored 3 goals
1999-2000 Played 25 Scored 0 goals
2000-2001 Played 24 Scored 0 goals
2001-2002 Played 18 Scored 0 goals
2002-2003 Played 19 Scored 1 goal
2003-2004 Played 6 Scored 1 goal
2004-2005 Played 4 Scored 0 goals
DATE OF BIRTH Tuesday, 29th August 1978
PLACE OF BIRTH Kaduna, Nigeria
DEBUT Saturday, 18th October 1997 in a 1-0 win at home to Leicester City (Aged: 19)
CLUB CAREER 118 League apps (+14 as sub), 5 goals
Babayaro is a skillful but inconsistent attacking full-back who scored one of the goals as Nigeria
won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. He joined Chelsea from Anderlecht for
£2.25million in April 1997 - the Blues' record teenage signing. Chelsea beat Inter Milan, Deportivo
La Coruna and Juventus to sign the star. A highly promising player, who is good in the air and
very quick, he was earmarked as a great player for Chelsea for several years to come when he
signed. Well-known for his somersaulting celebrations, Babayaro made his debut against Slovan
Bratislava the European Cup Winners' Cup in October 1997. He won the FA Cup in 2000 and
picked up a runners-up medal two years later. His Chelsea career has, at times, been hit by injury
but he came of age in the 2002/03 season with a number of top displays as Chelsea finished third
in the table. Babayaro went to the 2002 World Cup with Nigeria and played in the first two group
games against Argentina and Sweden. But he quit international football after the finals at the age
of 23. The signing of Wayne Bridge in July 2003 suggested he would lose his place in the side, but
boss Claudio Ranieri continued to use him as an important squad player. That was very much the
case, with Babayaro playing only six Premiership games in 2003/04, but new boss Jose Mourinho
held onto the Nigerian as his second choice left-back. And he reversed his decision on
international football by playing for Nigeria at the African Nations Cup in Tunisia - but he was sent
back to England after the opening game for allegedly breaking a curfew. The emergence of
William Gallas as a quality option for the left-hand side of defence meant Babayaro's days were
numbered in 2004/05 - especially with his contract up at the end of the season. Newcastle United
moved in to sign him for a small but undisclosed fee to bolster their creaking defence when the
transfer window opened in January. He had featured in only five games for Chelsea that term.
1997-1998 Played 8 Scored 0 goals
1998-1999 Played 28 Scored 3 goals
1999-2000 Played 25 Scored 0 goals
2000-2001 Played 24 Scored 0 goals
2001-2002 Played 18 Scored 0 goals
2002-2003 Played 19 Scored 1 goal
2003-2004 Played 6 Scored 1 goal
2004-2005 Played 4 Scored 0 goals
| Other Chelsea Left Backs |
| CELESTINE BABAYARO |