Erbol Atabayev

Erbol Atabayev
Personal information
Full name Erbol Kanatbekovich Atabayev
Date of birth (2001-08-15) 15 August 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Kant, Kyrgyzstan[1]
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2007–2010 Abdysh-Ata Kant
2010–2012 Rubin Kazan
2012–2013 Barcelona
2013 L'Hospitalet
2013–2017 Gavà
2017–2018 Castelldefels
2018–2019 AE Josep Maria Gené
2019–2020 Granollers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Santboià 5 (1)
2021 Abdysh-Ata Kant 15 (2)
2022–2023 Dynamo Makhachkala 38 (1)
2023–2024 Volgar Astrakhan 21 (0)
International career‡
2022– Kyrgyzstan 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 07:02, 15 June 2022 (UTC)

Erbol Kanatbekovich Atabayev (Kyrgyz: Эрбол Атабаев; Russian: Эрбол Канатбекович Атабаев; born 15 August 2001) is a Kyrgyz footballer who plays as a midfielder.

Club career

Born in Kant, Kyrgyzstan, Atabayev started his career with Abdysh-Ata Kant at the age of five.[2] During his time with Abdysh-Ata Kant, he was linked with Spanish side Real Madrid, but would eventually go on to sign for Russian side Rubin Kazan at the age of eleven.[3] While at Rubin, his father claimed the family were forced to obtain Russian citizenship in order for Atabayev to play.[3] After two years in Russia, Atabayev made a stunning move to Spanish side Barcelona, becoming the first Kyrgyz player to play for the club.[2][3]

Atabayev's time in Catalonia was not memorable, with then-sporting director Albert Puig saying that he had "hadn't heard anything" of Atabayev.[3] After leaving Barcelona in 2013, he moved around a number of different Spanish clubs, eventually moving from Josep Maria Gené to Granollers in 2019.[4]

His first taste of senior football came for Primera Catalana side Santboià, with whom he made five appearances in the 2020–21 season, scoring once.[5] However, in April 2021 he returned to Kyrgyzstan to re-join boyhood club Abdysh-Ata Kant.[citation needed]

Having moved again from Kyrgyzstan to Russia, he signed with Dynamo Makhachkala in February 2022.[6] He scored his first goal for the club against rivals Anzhi Makhachkala in May 2022, helping his team to secure promotion.[7]

International career

In March 2022, Atabayev regained Kyrgyz citizenship, making him eligible for the national team.[8] In May of the same year, he was called up to the Kyrgyzstan national football team for 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification matches.[9]

Career statistics

Club

As of matches played 30 May 2022.[5][10]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Santboià 2020–21 Primera Catalana 5 1 0 0 0 0 5 1
Abdysh-Ata Kant 2021 Kyrgyz Premier League 15 2 0 0 0 0 15 2
Dynamo Makhachkala 2021–22 FNL2 7 1 0 0 0 0 7 1
Career total 27 4 0 0 0 0 27 4

International

As of matches played 14 June 2022.
National team Year Apps Goals
Kyrgyzstan 2022 3 0
Total 3 0

References

  1. ^ a b Erbol Atabayev at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b "Юный Эрбол Атабаев стал барселонским академиком" [Young Erbol Atabaev became a Barcelona Academician]. vecherka.kg (in Russian). 4 July 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Как воспитанник интерната ФК "Рубин" завоевывает "Барселону"" [How a pupil of the boarding school of FC Rubin wins Barcelona]. sport.business-gazeta.ru (in Russian). 2 June 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Erbol Atabaev, AE Josep Maria Gené y Talent Futbol, se incorpora al EC Granollers" [Erbol Atabaev, AE Josep Maria Gené and Talent Futbol join EC Granollers] (in Spanish). 8 July 2019. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b Erbol Atabayev at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
  6. ^ ""Динамо" подписало контракт с Эрболом Атабаевым" [Dynamo signed a contract with Erbol Atabaev]. dimano-mx.ru (in Russian). 10 February 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Кыргызстанский футболист помог клубу из Дагестана досрочно получить повышение в классе" [A Kyrgyz football player helped a club from Dagestan get a promotion ahead of schedule]. fergana.agency (in Russian). 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Эрбол Атабаев получил гражданство Кыргызстана и может выступать за сборную нашей страны" [Erbol Atabaev received citizenship of Kyrgyzstan and can play for the national team of our country]. sport.kg (in Russian). 21 March 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Кубок Азии. Названы футболисты расширенного состава сборной Кыргызстана" [Asian Cup. The players of the extended composition of the national team of Kyrgyzstan were named]. 24.kg (in Russian). 23 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  10. ^ Erbol Atabayev at Soccerway