Shamakhi FC has made headlines with their winter signing of Tanzanian midfielder Alphonce Mabula Msanga.
The 21-year-old player has already etched his name in history as the first Tanzanian to feature in Azerbaijan's Premier League, Idman.biz reports.
Mabula, who previously played for Serbia’s Spartak and Novi Sad clubs, marks a significant milestone for Tanzanian representation in Azerbaijani football. Before his arrival, the African nation was best known to local football fans for its participation in FIFA Series friendlies held in Baku in March 2024, where Tanzania faced Mongolia and Bulgaria.
With this signing, Shamakhi has uncovered a fresh talent pipeline from Africa for the Premier League, joining a long list of African nations that have contributed players to Azerbaijani football. To date, 36 African countries have supplied players to the league, with Nigeria leading the pack—over 50 Nigerian players have graced Azerbaijan's top flight.
Several other African countries, including Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast, boast double-digit representation. Notably, Yacouba Bamba from Ivory Coast remains the league's only African top scorer.
However, nine African nations, including Chad, Benin, and Mozambique, have had just one representative each. Tanzania now joins this exclusive list.
Shamakhi’s contract with Alphonce spans six months with the option for an additional year, signaling an exciting new chapter for both the player and Tanzanian football.
Vugar Kheyrullayev
Idman.biz
