Papa Malick Ba

Football player infobox| playername= Papa Malick Ba
fullname = Papa Malick Ba
nickname =


dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1980|11|11|mf=y
cityofbirth = Pikine
countryofbirth = Senegal
height = height|meters=1.76
currentclub = "Free Agent"
clubnumber =
position = Defensive Midfielder
Centre-Back
youthyears = 1995-1997
youthclubs = Juventus Dakar
years = 1997-2005 2005-2008
clubs = CS Sfaxien FC Basel
caps(goals) = ? (?) 79 (2)
nationalyears = 2005-
nationalteam = Senegal
nationalcaps(goals) = 7 (?)
pcupdate = 4 October 2007
ntupdate = 18 July 2007

Papa Malick Ba (born November 11, 1980) is a Senegalese footballer who is currently a free agent after being released by Swiss Super League side FC Basel.

Football career

Papa Malick Ba started his career with Tunisian club Club Sportif Sfaxien in 1997 at the age of 17. He didn't play any games until he was 19, in his 3rd season at the club. He started coming off the bench, impressing the fans after doing so. By his fourth season at the club he was a first-team regular and was the team's main holding midfield player. Rumours started circulating that a French club were going to sign him but these rumours appeared to be false. In 2004 numerous Swiss clubs chased his signature but Sfaxien turned down all offers initially, until FC Basel seemed to have made Sfaxien an offer they couldn't refuse when they bought him in 2005. He played played 79 games since joining, scoring 2 goals until he was released in July 2008. He can play as a central defender or as a defensive midfielder but is preferred in the latter role due his lack of ability in the air respectively. He is a Senegalese international and participated at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Trivia

* He is fluent in Arabic, Afrikaans, French, and German.
* He wears the name 'Papa Malick' on the back of his shirt instead of 'Ba'.

Honours

Sfaxien
* Arab Champions League: 2000, 2004
* Tunisian President Cup: 2004
* Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1: 2005

Basel
* Swiss Cup: 2007, 2008
* Swiss Super League: 2005, 2008
* Uhren Cup: 2006

References

* [http://www.football.ch Football.ch]