Ibba Laajab

Abdurahim Laajab (born 21 May 1985), commonly known as Ibba Laajab (イバ), is a Norwegian former professional footballer. Ibba also plays futsal. Born in Morocco, he holds Norwegian citizenship and is one of the key players in the Norway futsal team.

Laajab grew up in Norway and played eight seasons in the Norwegian First Division with Skeid, Notodden, Mjøndalen, and Strømmen before he signed with Tippeligaen-side Vålerenga in 2012. After spending the second half of the 2012 season on loan with Stabæk, Ibba joined Bodø/Glimt ahead of the 2013 season.

After two campaigns with the Norwegian side, he got a transfer to Chinese League One side Hebei China Fortune. After a year there, he moved to the J2 League side Yokohama FC in 2016 where he stayed for four years.

Football career Ibba was born to Moroccan parents and moved to Norway when he was one month old. He played at Vålerenga and Moss during his youth, and later joined Skeid because his friends were playing there. At Skeid he was teammate with Moa, Mos, Birger Madsen, and Dawda Leigh. Ibba was sent on a short loan-spell to Drøbak-Frogn in 2005,

Before he played a match for Sørumsand, Ibba moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach Ibba played regularly in the first-team until head coach Jan Halvor Halvorsen was fired halfway through the 2009-season. The new coach, Arne Sandstø, placed him on the bench, and Ibba left the club after the season. Ahead of the 2010-season, Ibba was on a trial with the Spanish second-tier club Elche and was offered a contract there, but Ibba rejected the offer and decided to move to Mjøndalen instead.

Ibba played for Strømmen in 2011, where he scored seven goals in 24 matches in the First Division, and ahead of the 2012-season he signed for Vålerenga. After Ibba's transfer to Vålerenga, his former teammate from Skeid and former Vålerenga-player, Moa, said in an interview with Norwegian TV2 that the supporters of Vålerenga should be excited about their new signing and dubbed Ibba as one of the best newcomers of the 2012 Tippeligaen. Ibba made his first-team debut for Vålerenga in the friendly match against the Second Division-side Nesodden on 11 January 2012. After playing six matches for Vålerenga in Tippeligaen, Ibba was loaned out to Stabæk in August 2012 for the rest of the season.

Ibba joined Bodø/Glimt ahead of the 2013 season, where he was reunited with his coach from Notodden, Jan Halvor Halvorsen. Ibba signed a three-year contract with Bodø/Glimt.

On 25 February 2015, Ibba transferred to China League One side Hebei China Fortune.

On 25 August 2022, he signed for Lyn. On 11 November 2023 he scored his first hat-trick for Lyn, coming off the bench and scoring three goals in 20 minutes in a 10-1 win against Fram Larvik.

Futsal career Ibba is known as one of the biggest futsal-stars in Norway. The next day he again scored three goals against Malta, before he scored another hat-trick when Norway won against Israel in the qualifying match for the 2012 UEFA Futsal Championship on 20 January, which made a total of nine goals in his first three matches for Norway.

Ahead of the qualifying match against Spain on 15 December 2011, Norway's national team coach Esten O. Sæther called Ibba a "top international futsal player", and that if their chances against Spain was depending on Ibba's performance and that he had to play at his very best. Three days later, Ibba scored the goal that secured a 3–3 draw against Belgium and sent Norway to the playoff round of the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifier.

Career statistics