German-born Nigerian professional footballer, Leon Balogun is playing for the Premier League club, Brighton & Hove Albion. He made his Bundesliga debut in 2009 for Hannover 96. He also played for several clubs like Fortuna Dusseldorf, Darmstadt and Hannover 96. Balogun started playing for the Nigerian national team since 2014. As of 2018, he made his debut in 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia representing Nigeria.
Early Life And Career Of Leon Balogun
Leon Balogun was born Leon-Aderemi Balogun on 28th June 1988 in West Berlin, West Germany under the birth sign Cancer. He is the son of a German mother, Orfa Balogun and Nigerian father, Cesar Balogun. His parents raised him with his sibling, Miriam Balogun.
His Nigerian grandmother whom he never met died when he was 16. Her death had a huge impact on him even if he had not met her.
Balogun made his Bundesliga debut for German a s sociation football club, Hannover 96 on 19th April 2009 against Hamburger SV. He then signed the contract with 2. Bundesliga side Fortuna Dusseldorf which was expired in summer 2014.
Balogun then signed a contract with Darmstadt 98. On 22nd May 2018, he signed a two-year contract with Brighton &Hove Albion (Premier League club).
International Career
In March 2014, Balogun was called up by Nigeria for a friendly match against Mexico as a replacement for Joseph Yobo. He entered the game at the half but got injured after 20 minutes in a collision with signage on the touchline.
After being recovered from the injury, Balogun played his second game on 25h March 2015 in a 1-0 victory over Uganda. On 13th June 2015, he played his third game for Nigeria in a 2-0 victory over Chad in the opening game of qualifying for the 2017 African Nations Cup.
Balogun was one of Nigeria's final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia. On 16th June 2018, he played his first World Cup match against Croatia but lost with a score of 2-0. As per some sources, Balogun was struggling to be fit for the World Cup because of his injuries.
Leon Balogun's Net Worth
The young player, Leon Balogun has an estimated net worth of over $1 million. He is definitely earning a decent paycheck from the club, Brighton & Hove Albion. As of 2018, his current market value is £1.80 million ($2.90 million).
Though he earns thousand dollars being a Bundesliga star, his parents don't ask him for the money because they are not entitled to it. He says,
''My parents for example, even if I give them something, they would not accept it, because they say ‘that’s the money you work for'.''
Balogun also earns a decent amount from his endorsement deal with Adidas.
Leon Balogun's Personal Life
The Nigerian defender, Balogun, is yet to get married. In 2017, he was rumored to be dating a mysterious German lady, however, he has not confirmed anything regarding his relationship with the lady. As of 2018, he is possibly single.
His hobbies include listening to music and traveling.
Check out the interview with Leon Balogun where he talks about the Nigerian national team:
by saru, 17 Jun, 2018
