Ibrahima Gueye (footballer, born 1978)


Ibrahima Gueye is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a defender.

Career

Gueye started his professional playing career with Dakar UC in Senegal before joining another Senegalese club, AS Douanes. During the summer of 2001, he made his first step into European football as he signed a contract with Bulgarian record title holder CSKA Sofia. Gueye won two national titles during his spell at CSKA Sofia, in 2003 and 2005.
Gueye was later transferred to Turkish Second Division side Samsunspor in February 2006, only to sign with Serbian club Red Star six months later. In the winter of 2009, he joined Al-Ahli Jeddah. After playing for Lokeren for 3 years, he then signed a one-year contract with Serbian side Radnicki Niš.
He has been capped twice with Senegal national football team, which is one of the reasons he was never selected to play for Bulgaria despite some coaches expressing a wish to call him up to the European country's national team. Initially Gueye declined invitations to play for Bulgaria. In February 2008, he declared himself available and was called up for a friendly match against Finland, but was subsequently found ineligible by FIFA due to his previous appearances for Senegal youth.
Following his retirement in 2014, Gueye has mainly been based in Belgium, but he regularly returns to Senegal. He has turned to business and owns a factory in Dakar that specializes in the production of mango juice in addition to being engaged in animal husbandry.

Personal life

Gueye has dual Bulgarian and Senegalese citizenship.