Musa Juwara (born 26 December 2001) is a Gambian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Vejle Boldklub and the Gambia national team.

Musa Juwara
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-12-26) 26 December 2001 (age 22)
Place of birth Tujereng, The Gambia[1]
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Vejle
Number 11
Youth career
2016–2017 Virtus Avigliano
2017–2019 Chievo
2019Torino (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019 Chievo 1 (0)
2019–2023 Bologna 12 (1)
2020–2021Boavista (loan) 3 (0)
2021–2022Crotone (loan) 3 (0)
2023OB (loan) 0 (0)
2023– Vejle 31 (3)
International career
2020– Gambia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 October 2020

Club career

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Early career

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Juwara was born in the Gambia and embarked as a migrant to Italy in 2016. There, he started playing football with Virtus Avigliano and after a successful season was scouted by Chievo. He was banned from transferring to Chievo by the FIGC, but he challenged the hearing and eventually joined them.[2]

Juwara briefly joined Torino F.C. on loan for the 2019 Torneo di Viareggio, where he scored 3 goals in 3 matches, before returning to Verona for the end of the season.[3]

He made his professional debut for Chievo in a 0–0 Serie A tie with Frosinone Calcio on 25 May 2019, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute for Manuel Pucciarelli.[4]

Bologna

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On 8 July 2019, Juwara signed a deal with Bologna.[5] Although he was assigned to their Under-19 squad for the 2019–20 season, he quickly began falling into Siniša Mihajlović's first-team plans, making his debut on December 4 by playing the full 90 minutes in a 4-0 Coppa Italia defeat at the hands of Udinese.[6]

His Serie A debut for the club came on February 4, coming on as an 86th-minute substitute for fellow-countryman Musa Barrow in a 3–2 victory at Roma. This would be followed by appearances off the bench against Genoa and Udinese, before the competition was halted on March 9 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

After the competition resumed he would be given a lot more first-team opportunities as a result of the heavy playing schedule and new 5-substitute rule, impressing in the first game back in a 2–0 loss at Juventus on June 22, where he replaced Riccardo Orsolini in the 82nd minute.[8]

His first Serie A goal came on July 5, in a convincing performance at San Siro, where he would score the equaliser and secure the sending-off of Alessandro Bastoni in a 2–1 win over Inter Milan.[9]

Loan to Boavista

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On 6 October 2020, he joined Portuguese club Boavista on loan with an option to purchase.[10]

Loan to Crotone

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On 13 July 2021, he moved on loan to Crotone.[11] On 31 January 2022, the loan was terminated early.[12]

Loan to OB

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On 19 January 2023, Juwara joined OB in Denmark on loan until 31 December 2023, with an option to buy.[13] After a 6-month stay, Juwara had yet to make his debut. For this reason, on June 8, 2023, the club decided to terminate the rental agreement 6 months early.[14]

Vejle

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On 3 July 2023, Juwara joined newly promoted Danish Superliga club Vejle Boldklub on a deal until June 2026.[15]

International career

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Juwara debuted with Gambia in a friendly 1–0 win over Congo on 9 October 2020.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Juwara, Musa Juwara - Footballer". www.bdfutbol.com.
  2. ^ "Anche il Chievo ha il suo Musa: Juwara, talento immigrato che ha sfidato la Figc". Calciomercato.com - Tutte le news sul calcio in tempo reale.
  3. ^ d’Avanzo, Diego. "Viareggio Cup - Juwara del Chievo in prestito al Torino". 11giovani.
  4. ^ "Frosinone vs. Chievo - 25 May 2019 - Soccerway". Soccerway.
  5. ^ "UFFICIALE: Bologna, preso Juwara dal Chievo a titolo definitivo". Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Coppa Italia: poker Udinese, 4-0 al Bologna. Per i friulani c'è la Juve". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Coronavirus: All sport in Italy suspended because of outbreak". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Bologna-Juventus 0-2, Ronaldo e Dybala guidano la riscossa dei bianconeri". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Bologna, la favola di Musa Juwara: dall'arrivo col barcone 4 anni fa al gol a San Siro". Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Juwara to Boavista". Bologna. 6 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Una freccia per l'attacco, benvenuto Musa Juwara!" (in Italian). Crotone. 13 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Operazioni di mercato" (Press release) (in Italian). Crotone. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  13. ^ "OB lejer Musa Juwara i Bologna F.C." (in Danish). OB. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  14. ^ OB ophæver lejeaftale med Musa Juwara, bold.dk, 8 June 2023
  15. ^ Musa Juwara skriver med Vejle Boldklub, vejle-boldklub.dk, 3 July 2023
  16. ^ "Gambia 1-0 Congo In Friendly International". THE GFF | Official Website. 9 October 2020.
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