Ryan Babel

1.1. Early Life and Footballing Beginnings

Born and raised in the vibrant footballing city of Amsterdam, Babel showed early promise in the sport. The rich football culture of the Netherlands, particularly the legacy of players like Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard, provided significant inspiration for his development. He honed his initial skills playing for local youth clubs, laying the foundation for his future professional career.

1.2. Ajax Youth Academy

In 1997, Babel first attempted to join the prestigious Ajax youth academy but was not accepted after the initial selection round. However, his perseverance paid off a year later, and he was successfully admitted into the academy in 1998, joining their D1 team for the 1999-2000 season. Over the next few years, he steadily progressed through Ajax's youth ranks, playing for the C1, B1, and A1 teams. His consistent development culminated in him signing his first professional contract with the club in January 2004, marking his transition from a promising youth talent to a professional player.

2.1. Ajax (First Stint)

Babel made his professional first-team debut for Ajax on 1 February 2004, just over a month after his 17th birthday. Playing as a striker, he featured in a 4-0 home victory against ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie. Although he did not appear again in that season, Ajax went on to win the Dutch league title. His first senior goal came on 20 November 2004, in a 5-0 win against De Graafschap.

In July 2005, Babel signed a new contract with Ajax. He started the 2005-06 season by scoring the winning goal in Ajax's 2-1 triumph over PSV Eindhoven in the Johan Cruyff Shield. He continued to perform in European competitions, scoring in both legs of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round against Brøndby IF, helping Ajax reach the group stage. Despite a challenging season where he scored only two league goals, he maintained his presence in the national team. At the end of the season, he came on as a substitute in Ajax's 2-1 victory over PSV in the KNVB Cup final, securing another trophy.

The 2006-07 season also began with success for Babel, as Ajax defeated PSV 3-1 to win another Johan Cruyff Shield. During the January transfer window, he was linked with moves to English clubs like Arsenal and Newcastle United, but ultimately, no transfer materialized. On 2 February 2007, amidst the transfer speculation, Babel agreed to a new three-year deal with Ajax. In May, he earned another Dutch Cup winner's medal when Ajax successfully defended their title against AZ Alkmaar in a penalty shootout, although Babel was substituted after 120 minutes of play.

2.2. Liverpool

On 10 July 2007, Liverpool reportedly made a 14.00 M GBP offer for Babel, with the fee eventually agreed at approximately 11.50 M GBP on 12 July. Babel signed a five-year contract and was unveiled alongside Yossi Benayoun on 13 July, receiving the number 19 shirt. He made his debut on 17 July in a friendly against Werder Bremen and later played in the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy 2007 against Portsmouth.

His Premier League debut came as a substitute against Aston Villa in the 2007-08 season opener, and he made his Anfield debut a week later against Chelsea. On 1 September, Babel scored his first Liverpool goal against Derby County. He scored his first UEFA Champions League goals for Liverpool on 6 November against Beşiktaş J.K., netting twice after coming on as a substitute and nearly completing a hat-trick. He also scored a crucial fourth goal in Liverpool's 4-0 away victory over Olympique de Marseille, which secured their progression from the group stage. In the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal, he came off the bench to win a penalty and score a goal, helping Liverpool to a 4-2 victory (5-3 on aggregate). Despite scoring again as a substitute in the semi-final against Chelsea, Liverpool lost 3-2 in extra time.

Former Liverpool and Celtic player Kenny Dalglish praised Babel, noting his ability to "terrorise defenders" with his pace and trickery. On 13 September 2008, Babel scored the winning goal against Manchester United, his first of the 2008-09 season. He added another goal in Liverpool's 5-1 victory over Newcastle United on 28 December 2008.

In the 2009-10 season, Babel continued to contribute from the bench, providing an assist for Fernando Torres's winner against West Ham United on 20 September 2009, earning praise for his improved work rate. On 27 September, he scored a brace against Hull City in a 6-1 victory. He scored the opening goal in a Champions League match against Lyon from 25 yards out in a 1-1 draw, a performance that led former Liverpool player Alan Hansen to urge Babel to consistently play at that level.

In January 2010, Liverpool rejected an 8.00 M GBP offer for Babel from Birmingham City. He was fined 120.00 K GBP by manager Rafael Benítez for a Twitter post in which he revealed he had been dropped for a match. Despite frequent transfer links, Benítez expressed a desire for Babel to stay. He scored against Portsmouth in a 4-1 win on 15 March 2010 and received his first career red card for Liverpool on 1 April 2010, in a UEFA Europa League quarter-final against S.L. Benfica. He scored in Liverpool's 4-0 win over Burnley, which relegated Burnley to the Championship.

The 2010-11 season began with Babel scoring the winner against Trabzonspor in the Europa League qualifier first leg. He also scored his first Premier League goal of the season with a right-footed volley against Aston Villa. Babel gained further attention on transfer deadline day, 31 August 2010, due to reports of him traveling by helicopter between Liverpool and London for potential transfer talks with Tottenham and West Ham. While no transfer occurred, the incident led to the popularization of the term "Babelcopter," a metaphor for players with uncertain transfer destinations, with Babel himself promoting the hashtag #BabelCopter.

One of the early Premier League players to actively use Twitter, Babel faced a charge of improper conduct from The Football Association in January 2011 after he posted a photoshopped image of referee Howard Webb wearing a Manchester United shirt following Liverpool's 1-0 FA Cup defeat to United. He was subsequently fined 10.00 K GBP. Liverpool initially accepted a 7.00 M GBP bid from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for Babel on 18 January, but manager Kenny Dalglish stated Babel would stay. However, the next day, Babel flew to Germany to finalize his transfer.

2.3. 1899 Hoffenheim

On 25 January 2011, Babel officially joined German club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on a two-and-a-half-year deal for a reported fee of 8.00 M GBP. His first competitive match was on 26 January 2011 in a DFB Cup quarter-final against FC Energie Cottbus. During his time at Hoffenheim, Babel became known for his "left little finger out" celebration, a gesture of support for disadvantaged youths in Amsterdam.

He scored his first goal for Hoffenheim on 9 April 2011, in a 3-2 loss to SC Freiburg. In the 2011-12 Bundesliga season, Babel scored his first league goal on 20 August 2011 against Augsburg in a 2-0 away win. He recorded his first brace for Hoffenheim on 10 September 2011 in a 4-0 victory over Mainz 05, and followed it with another goal on 17 September in a 3-1 win against VfL Wolfsburg. His tenure at Hoffenheim was reportedly marked by disciplinary issues with three different managers. After 18 months, during which he scored six goals in 51 matches, Babel was released by the club on 31 August 2012.

2.4. Ajax (Second Stint)

After buying out the remaining year of his contract with Hoffenheim, Babel returned to his boyhood club, Ajax, on a one-year deal. He wore the number 49 shirt, the same number he had on his initial first-team debut for Ajax. His return debut occurred on 15 September 2012, in an Eredivisie match against RKC Waalwijk, where he came on as a second-half substitute and assisted Jody Lukoki's goal in a 2-0 home win. He scored his first goal since returning to Ajax on 23 September 2012, against ADO Den Haag.

Despite a slight injury midway through the season, Babel managed to make 16 league appearances for Ajax, scoring four goals in the Eredivisie. He also featured in four matches in the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League and two matches in the 2012-13 KNVB Cup, scoring one goal against FC Utrecht. His contributions helped Ajax secure their third consecutive national title and 32nd overall.

2.5. Later Career Clubs

After his second stint with Ajax, Babel opted not to extend his contract, making way for the next generation of players. He subsequently embarked on a journey across various clubs in different leagues.

In June 2013, Babel joined Turkish side Kasımpaşa, where former Ajax player Shota Arveladze was the manager. He was joined by fellow Amsterdam-born defender Ryan Donk.

On 2 July 2015, Babel signed with UAE Arabian Gulf League champions Al Ain to replace the departing Miroslav Stoch. However, his time there was short-lived, as in December 2015, Al Ain and Babel became embroiled in a conflict due to his disciplinary issues with the club hierarchy and his use of social media. The club demoted him to the reserves, citing poor performance, and he was released.

Babel then joined Deportivo de La Coruña in La Liga on 17 September 2016, signing a contract until the end of the calendar year. He had been without a club since leaving the UAE. He made a significant impact, scoring three goals in his last four games, which helped Depor move out of the relegation zone. On 22 December, he announced his intention to let his contract expire due to overseas offers that would be more convenient for his family.

In January 2017, Babel moved back to Turkey, joining Beşiktaş on a two-and-a-half-year deal. Despite joining mid-season, he became a crucial member of the squad, making 18 league appearances and scoring five goals as he helped Beşiktaş secure their fifteenth league title.

On 15 January 2019, Babel signed for Premier League club Fulham on a contract until the end of the 2018-19 season for a reported fee of 1.80 M GBP. In June 2019, he agreed to join Galatasaray on a three-year deal. On 9 January 2020, Babel was loaned back to Ajax until the end of the 2019-20 season. He returned to Galatasaray in July 2020 and played for the club until his contract expired in July 2022. On 29 July 2022, Babel joined Turkish club Eyüpspor, where he played until his retirement.

3.1. Youth National Teams

Babel represented the Netherlands at various youth levels, including the U-17, U-19, U-20, U-21, and U-23 teams. He was a key player for the Netherlands U-20 team in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, where he scored two goals in four games as the team reached the quarter-finals before being defeated by Nigeria in a penalty shoot-out, with Babel successfully converting his penalty.

In June 2007, Babel was an integral part of the Netherlands U-21 team that competed in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship hosted in the Netherlands. He scored a penalty against Portugal in the group stage, helping the Dutch secure a semi-final spot and qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. His second tournament goal came during his man of the match performance in the final, where the Netherlands defeated Serbia 4-1 to successfully retain their title. He also featured in the Beijing Olympics, scoring one goal.

3.2. Senior National Team

Babel made his senior international debut for the Netherlands on 26 March 2005, in an away match against Romania. He came on as a first-half substitute for Arjen Robben and scored the second goal in a 2-0 victory. This goal made Babel the youngest goalscorer for the Netherlands in 68 years and the fourth-youngest of all time. His strong performances at Ajax in the 2004-05 season, where he scored seven league goals in 22 appearances, contributed to his early national team call-up.

3.3. Major Tournaments

In 2006, Marco van Basten included Babel in the Dutch squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, due to a knee injury, Babel only made one appearance in the tournament, coming on as a second-half substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy in the group match against Argentina, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Van Basten highly praised Babel's potential, stating he "has all the potential to become the next Thierry Henry".

In May 2008, Babel was selected for the Dutch squad for UEFA Euro 2008. Unfortunately, he was withdrawn from the squad on 31 May after tearing ankle ligaments in training, leading to Khalid Boulahrouz being called up as his replacement.

Babel was part of the preliminary squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. On 27 May 2010, Netherlands manager Bert van Marwijk confirmed Babel's inclusion in the final 23-man squad. Although the Netherlands reached the final, Babel did not make any appearances during the tournament.

After an absence of almost a year, Babel returned to the national team on 11 November 2011, starting in a 0-0 friendly draw against Switzerland in preparation for Euro 2012. On 29 September 2017, Babel received a recall to the Oranje squad after a six-year hiatus for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Belarus. Despite the Netherlands failing to qualify for the tournament, Babel continued to be regularly called up for the inaugural UEFA Nations League campaign, where he scored an equalizer in a 2-1 away defeat to France in the Netherlands' first Nations League match. His international career with the Netherlands spanned from 2005 to 2021.

6.1. Club Statistics

6.2. International Statistics

As of match played 9 September 2019. Netherlands score listed first, score column indicates score after each Babel goal.