# Liban Abdi (Liibaan Cabdi)

> Liban Abdi (born 1988): Burao-born winger raised in Oslo, first Somali professional at Sheffield United, later Ferencváros and Olhanense.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/liban-abdi/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who is he?

Liban Abdi Ali is a footballer who plays as a left winger ([Wikipedia, Liban Abdi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liban_Abdi)). He has played in England, Hungary, Portugal and Norway (same source). See [sport in Somalia](/en/society/sport-in-somalia/).

## Early life

He was born in [Burao](/en/regions/togdheer/) in 1988 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liban_Abdi)). He grew up mostly in Oslo, in the eastern borough of Stovner, and holds Norwegian citizenship (same source). At 14 he moved with his family to England (same source). See [Somalis in Norway](/en/diaspora/norway/).

## Sheffield United

After spells at Newport Pagnell Town and Buckingham Town, he moved to Sheffield with help from the Football Unites, Racism Divides programme ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liban_Abdi)). He joined Sheffield United's academy and was the first Somali to win a professional contract there (same source). He signed a two-year contract in 2008 and spent the next season on loan at Ferencváros, the club's Hungarian partner (same source). Sheffield United released him in July 2010 (same source). See [Somalis in Sheffield](/en/diaspora/sheffield/).

## Hungary, Portugal and Norway

He then joined Ferencváros permanently for two seasons ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liban_Abdi)). In 2012 he moved to Olhanense in Portugal's Primeira Liga (same source). He later played for FK Haugesund in Norway (same source).

## International football

He has not played for any national team ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liban_Abdi)). He said he wanted to play for Norway, but in 2012 Norway's coach Egil Olsen said he was not good enough for the squad (same source). In September 2018 he said he would not play for Somalia, but would try to help the country off the pitch (same source).

## In short

A Burao-born winger raised in Oslo who was Sheffield United's first Somali professional and played in Hungary and Portugal.

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