David Babunski (Macedonian: Давид Бабунски; born 1 March 1994) is a Macedonian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Dundee United.
 Babunski playing for Barcelona youth in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 March 1994 | ||
| Place of birth |
Skopje, Macedonia (present-day North Macedonia) | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Dundee United | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2006 | Gramenet | ||
| 2006–2013 | Barcelona | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2016 | Barcelona B | 48 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | Red Star Belgrade | 11 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 25 | (3) |
| 2018–2020 | Omiya Ardija | 34 | (4) |
| 2020–2021 | Botoșani | 14 | (0) |
| 2021 | Viitorul Constanța | 13 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Debrecen | 24 | (1) |
| 2022–2024 | Mezőkövesd | 44 | (3) |
| 2024– | Dundee United | 11 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010–2011 | Macedonia U-17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2011 | Macedonia U-19 | 3 | (1) |
| 2012–2017 | Macedonia U-21 | 27 | (5) |
| 2013– | Macedonia | 15 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 March 2024 | |||
A product of FC Barcelona's La Masia, he played for their reserves before transferring to Red Star Belgrade in January 2016, winning the Serbian SuperLiga in his first season. He later played in Japan, Romania and Hungary.
Babunski has been capped by the Macedonia football team at international level, making his senior debut in 2013.
Club career
editBarcelona
editBorn in Skopje, Babunski joined FC Barcelona's La Masia in 2006, aged 12, after starring at UDA Gramenet.[1] In December 2011, he was elected Macedonian Young Sportsperson of the Year, ahead of karatekas Aziz Ismail and Berat Jakupi.[2]
Babunski was promoted to the reserves in June 2013,[3] and made his professional debut on 24 August, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–1 home win against CD Lugo in the Segunda División championship.[4] He scored his first goal on 31 May 2014, netting a last-minute winner in a 4–3 home success over AD Alcorcón.[5]
He played 16 games in 2014–15, a campaign which ended with relegation to Segunda División B. On 28 February 2015, as a half-time substitute for Juan Cámara, he received a straight red card in a 2–4 loss to RCD Mallorca at the Mini Estadi.[6]
After a decade in the ranks of Barcelona, Babunski left by mutual consent in January 2016.[7]
Red Star Belgrade
editBabunski signed a 2+1⁄2-year deal with Red Star Belgrade on 28 January 2016.[8] He made his Serbian SuperLiga debut on 20 February, replacing Aleksandar Katai for the final 11 minutes of a 2–1 home win over FK Mladost Lučani,[9] and played five more matches as the team won their 27th title.[10]
Japan
editOn 30 January 2017, Babunski signed for Japanese club Yokohama F. Marinos,[11] as their second purchase from Red Star that month after that of Hugo Vieira.[12] He made his debut in the J1 League on 25 February, scoring the first goal of a 3–2 home win over Urawa Red Diamonds in the season opener.[13]
In August 2018, Babunski signed for Omiya Ardija, in the same league.[14]
Romania
editOn 2 March 2020, Babunski signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Romanian club FC Botoșani.[15] On 29 December, he was released from the club by mutual consent.[16]
On 11 January 2021, Babunski joined FC Viitorul Constanța also of Liga I on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[17]
Hungary
editOn 8 July 2021, Babunski signed a two-year deal with Hungarian club Debreceni VSC.[18]
In the summer of 2022, Debreceni VSC terminated his contract by mutual consent. On 20 September 2022, Babunski signed with Mezőkövesd, and in January 2023 signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the club.[19][20]
Dundee United
editOn 16 July 2024, Babunski signed for Scottish Premiership side Dundee United on a one-year deal with the option for a further season.[21]
International career
editA regular in all of Macedonia's youth squads, Babunski scored his first goal for the under-21 team on 25 May 2012, netting his side's second in a 2–2 friendly draw against Albania.[22]
In August 2013 he was called up by the main squad for a friendly against Bulgaria.[23] Babunski made his debut for the side on the 14th, playing the last 31 minutes of the 2–0 home win in Skopje.[24]
Personal life
editBabunski's father, Boban, was also a footballer, and played in several countries including Spain.[24] His younger brother, Dorian, is also a footballer who plays as a forward,[25] and the pair played together at Debrecen.[26] Babunski's great-great-grandfather was Jovan Babunski, a vojvoda, while he has stated that he is proud of being Jovan Babunski's descendant.[27]
Babunski is a vocal supporter of the human rights of refugees.[28] He, his brother, and four friends spent Christmas 2015 at a refugee camp in Gevgelija, a Macedonian town on the Greek border and part of the Balkan route for displaced people seeking accommodation in the West.[29]
Career statistics
editClub
edit| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcelona B | 2013–14 | Segunda División | 19 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 19 | 1 | ||||
| 2014–15 | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||||||
| 2015–16 | Segunda División B | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 48 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 48 | 1 | ||||||
| Red Star Belgrade | 2015–16 | Serbian SuperLiga | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 2017 | J1 League | 20 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 3 | ||
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 3 | ||||
| Omiya Ardija | 2018 | J2 League | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 2019 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 30 | 4 | |||||
| Total | 34 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 4 | |||||
| Botoșani | 2019–20 | Liga I | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Viitorul Constanța | 2020–21 | Liga I | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| Debrecen | 2021–22 | NB I | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 1 | |||
| Mezőkövesdi | 2022–23 | NB I | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 193 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 216 | 12 | |||
International
edit- As of 20 November 2022[33]
| Macedonia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals | |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 0 | |
Honours
editRed Star Belgrade
References
edit- ^ "Babunski: disciplina macedonia, talento culé" [Babunski: Macedonian discipline, culé talent] (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "David Babunski, mejor deportista joven de Macedonia" [David Babunski, Macedonia's best young sportsperson] (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "Siete juveniles suben al Barça B para la temporada 2013/14" [Seven players promoted to Barça B for season 2013/14] (in Spanish). Barcelona's official website. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "El Barça B consigue sus primeros puntos a costa del Lugo" [Barça B win their first points at Lugo's expense] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "Babunski pone tercero al Barça B y deja al Alcorcón sin promoción" [Babunski puts Barça B in third and leaves Alcorcón without promotion] (in Spanish). Marca. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "El Mallorca vence un partido que controló cuando quiso" [Mallorca win a match that they controlled when they wanted to] (in Spanish). Marca. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ^ "Babunski se despide del Barça con una emotiva carta" [Babunski leaves Barça with an emotional letter] (in Spanish). Sport. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ^ "Бабунски потписао!" [Babunski signed!]. Red Star Belgrade official website (in Serbian). 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ^ "Zvezda u finišu do 20. u nizu" [Star finish 20th in a row] (in Serbian). B92. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
- ^ a b "Red Star Belgrade win 27th league title after 1–0 win at Vozdovac". Sportskeeda. Reuters. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ^ "DAVID BABUNSKI signs for Yokohama F.Marinos". Yokohama F. Marinos official website. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- ^ "Marinos agree to deals for Degenek, Babunski". The Japan Times. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ "Babunski y Chygrynskiy marcan en Japón y Grecia" [Babunski and Chygrynskiy scored in Japan and Greece]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 28 February 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Babunski rimane in Giappone e va all'Omiya Ardija" [OFFICIAL: Babunski remains in Japan and goes to Omiya Ardija] (in Italian). Calcio Slavo. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "OFICIAL Transfer de titlu! Un fost jucător de la Barcelona va juca în Liga 1" [OFFICIAL Title transfer! A former Barcelona player will play in Liga I] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ "Reunire de lot, mercato și cantonament" [Meeting, transfer market and training camp] (in Romanian). FC Botoșani. 29 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "Bine ai venit, David Babunski !" [Welcome, David Babunski!] (in Romanian). FC Viitorul Constanța. 11 January 2021. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "DVSC: északmacedón válogatott Barca-nevelés érkezett" [DVSC: Barcelona trainee from North Macedonia arrives]. Nemzeti Sport (in Hungarian). 8 July 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ "Középpályást igazoltunk" [We confirmed a midfielder] (in Hungarian). Mezőkövesd. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Babunski maradt" [Babunski remained] (in Hungarian). Mezőkövesd. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "DUNDEE UNITED SECURE SERVICES OF NORTH MACEDONIAN INTERNATIONAL DAVID BABUNSKI". www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "U21 friendly: Macedonia - Albania 2:2". Macedonian Football. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ "Barça's Babunski set to star for FYROM". UEFA.com. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ a b Capdevila, Josep (15 August 2013). "Las lágrimas de David Babunski" [The tears of David Babunski] (in Spanish). Sport. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ^ Zlateski, Aleksandar (8 November 2011). "Babunski brothers play for heated rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid". Macedonian Football. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ^ "Пресврт: Доријан Бабунски наместо во Рапид Виена, кај брат му Давид во Дебрецин" [Twist: Dorian Babunski instead of Rapid Vienna, with his brother David in Debrecen] (in Macedonian). Sport 1. 16 January 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
- ^ Stevanović, J. "DAVID BABUNSKI ZA INFORMER: Ponosan sam što sam unuk ČETNIČKOG VOJVODE!". INFORMER (in Serbian). Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "David Babunski se vuelca con los refugiados" [David Babunski stands with the refugees] (in Spanish). Sport. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ^ Martínez, Ferran (3 December 2015). "Babunski y sus Navidades en un campo de refugiados" [Babunski and his Christmas at a refugee camp] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2019 (NSK MOOK)", 9 February 2019, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411628 (p. ? out of 289)
- ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)", 7 February 2018, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411529 (p. 44 out of 289)
- ^ David Babunski at Soccerway
- ^ "David Babunski". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
External links
edit
- David Babunski at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
- Profile at MacedonianFootball.com (in English)
- Profile at Yokohama F. Marinos Archived 10 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine
