Wikipedia

Ibrahim Aliyu (footballer)

Ibrahim Aliyu (born 16 January 2002) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo.[1]

Ibrahim Aliyu
Ibrahim Aliyu training for Houston Dynamo in 2025.
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-01-16) 16 January 2002 (age 24)
Place of birth Kano, Nigeria[1]
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
 Houston Dynamo
Number 24
Youth career
–2019 Oasis FC
2019–2020 Footwork FC
2020 Lokomotiva Zagreb
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2023 Lokomotiva Zagreb 79 (14)
2023–2025 Houston Dynamo 66 (9)
2025–2026 Columbus Crew 23 (3)
2026– Houston Dynamo 9 (1)
International career‡
2019 Nigeria U20[1] 4 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12:08, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 1:34, 27 January 2023 (UTC)

Club career

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Lokomotiva Zagreb

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Aliyu went on trial with Croatian club NK Lokomotiva Zagreb in January 2020.[2][3] On 9 February the 18 year old signed with the club.[4] He spent the remainder of the 2019–20 season playing with the youth teams.[4][2]

On 2 October 2020 Aliyu made his first team debut against Istra 1961 in a Prva HNL match, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute for Reuben Acquah in a 0–0 draw.[5][6] He scored his first goal for Lokomitiva on 1 November 2020 in a 1–1 draw with Dinamo Zagreb.[7] Aliyu finished the season with 2 goals in 19 appearances in league play as Lokomotiva finished 8th in the table.[8]

On 14 August 2021 he scored a brace in a 4–0 win over Istra 1961.[9] He ended the 21–22 season with 34 appearances and 6 goals in the league to help Lokomotiva finish 5th.[8]

On 5 March 2023 Aliyu scored a brace against Croatian powerhouse Hajduk Split in a 4–3 victory.[10][11]

Houston Dynamo

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On 25 April 2023 Aliyu joined Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo on a three-year deal with team options for 2026 and 2027 for an undisclosed fee.[12][2] The fee was reportedly €2.1 million.[13] Aliyu made his debut for his new club on 10 May 2023 in a U.S. Open Cup game against Sporting KC.[14] On 23 May He scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0 victory versus Minnesota United the U.S. Open Cup. In the following round of the Open Cup, Aliyu scored a brace to propel his team to a 4–1 win.[15] Aliyu was part of the team that would win the 2023 U.S. Open Cup and quality for the CONCACAF Champions Cup.[16]

Columbus Crew

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On 24 April 2025, Aliyu was acquired by fellow Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew in an intra-league trade.[17]

Personal life

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Aliyu has stated that is favorite football club is Real Madrid and that Kylian Mbappé is a player he looks to as a role model.[18]

Career statistics

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As of 29 April 2023[8][19][20]

Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Continental[c] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lokomotiva Zagreb2020–21HNL19221—00213
2021–22 34611——357
2022–23 26621——287
Total 79145300008417
Houston Dynamo 2023 MLS 2435340—336
2024 34 6 1 0 3 0 4 0 42 6
2025 8 0 0 0 0 0 — 8 0
Total 66 9 6 3 7 0 4 0 83 12
Columbus Crew 2025 MLS 0 0 — 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 14523116704016729

Honours

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Houston Dynamo

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Ibrahim Aliyu". worldfootball.net.
  2. 1 2 3 "Aliyu Ibrahim odlazi u američki MLS" [Aliyu Ibrahim is leaving for the American MLS]. NK Lokomotiva (in Croatian). 25 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  3. ↑ "Flying Eagles striker Ibrahim Aliyu 'Bravo' joins Croatian club NK Lokomotiva Zagreb". Score Nigeria. 7 February 2020. Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Ibrahim Aliyu potpisao za Lokomotivu" [Ibrahim Aliyu signs for Lokomotiva]. NK Lokomotiva (in Croatian). 9 February 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  5. ↑ Korać, Branimir (2 October 2020). "Lokomotiva i Istra 1961 nisu oduševili, debitirao Pivarić". Sport Net (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "Nigeria - A. Ibrahim - Matches - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  7. ↑ "Aliyu Ibrahim 2020-2021 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "Aliyu Ibrahim Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more". FBref.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Aliyu Ibrahim 2021-2022 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  10. ↑ Akawor, Izuchukwu (6 March 2023). "SUPER EAGLES Video: 21-year-old Ibrahim Aliyu punishes Chidozie Awaziem in 7-goal thriller". Pulse Sports. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  11. ↑ Jenjić, Petar (5 March 2023). "Golijada na Poljudu: Lokomotiva kažnjavala greške obrane Hajduka i zasluženo slavila". Sport Net (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "Houston Dynamo FC sign Nigerian Youth International Ibrahim Aliyu using MLS's U22 Initiative". Houston Dynamo FC. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "Dynamo sign Nigerian forward Ibrahim Aliyu". Bayou City Soccer. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "Houston Dynamo FC defeat Sporting KC 1-0 to advance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup". Houston Dynamo FC. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Chicago Fire vs Houston Dynamo 6 6 23". ussoccer.com. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  16. ↑ Sillick, Jake (3 February 2023). "2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Results". Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  17. ↑ "Columbus Crew acquire Forward Aliyu Ibrahim from Houston Dynamo FC | Columbus Crew". ColumbusCrew.com. 24 April 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  18. ↑ Jenjić, Petar (7 March 2023). "Aliyu nakon Hajduka: 'To su mi sigurno najvažniji golovi karijere'". Sport Net (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  19. ↑ "Nigeria - A. Ibrahim - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  20. ↑ "Ibrahim Aliyu". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  21. ↑ "Houston 2-1 Miami (Sep 27, 2023) Game Analysis". ESPN. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
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