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Ryan Babel (19)

2008/09 Stats
Apps: 16 Goals: 1 Assists: 3
Minutes per goal: 649 mins

Midfielder Left and Right

Full Name: Ryan Guno Babel
Born: Fri 19th December 1986 in Amsterdam, Holland

Bought: 13th July 2007 from Ajax Amsterdam
Transfer Fee: £11500000

08/09 Appearances: 16 (12 from bench)
08/09 Goals: 1
08/09 Assists: 3
Minutes per goal: 649 mins

LFC Appearances: 46 LFC Goals: 5
Career Appearances: 103 Career Goals: 18
Holland Appearances: 24 Goals: 5
Previous Clubs:

Ryan Babel Profile

Ryan Babel was snapped up by Ajax in 1998, after being snubbed at an open day in 1997. He played with the D1 side in the 98-99 season. He eventually worked his way through the C, B and A sides before signing his first professional contract in 2004. Babel played his first competitive match for Ajax against ADO Den Haag in 4-0 win, yet didn’t play again until the season after against De Graafschap, where he scored in a 5-0 victory in November 2004.

In 2005, Babel signed a new contract and even scored the winner in the Dutch Super Cup against PSV Eindhoven and scored twice against Brondby, with a goal in each leg. While the 05-06 season was a difficult one, Babel represented the Dutch National side, scoring twice and then finishing the season on a high with another goal against PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Cup Final in a 2-1 win.

The 06-07 campaign began with another Dutch Super Cup under his belt, and ended the season with yet another Dutch Cup. The 2007 transfer window brought a lot of interest for Babel, with him and his teammates starring at the U19 European Championships, knocking out England in a lengthy penalty shoot-out.

Babel signed for Liverpool on the 13th of July 2007 for £11.5m from Dutch side Ajax, beating off interest from Arsenal and Newcastle. He was due to make his debut for the Reds in the Barclays Asia Trophy 2007, yet was held back due to problems with international clearance eventually playing his first match in the final defeat against Portsmouth.

Babel made his Premier League debut for Liverpool away at Aston Villa, and then came off the bench for the next game at Anfield against Chelsea. Babel snatched his first goal against Derby County, in an infamous 6-0 rout of the Premier League new boys, shortly followed by a brace against Besiktas in a record breaking 8-0 win in the Champion’s League group stages.

Babel has continued his good form, coming off the bench in the Champion’s League quarter final and again in the semis against Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, scoring in both fixtures.

Profile by Joey Burns

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