Alexander Bah Explained

Alexander Bah
Full Name:Alexander Hartmann Bah[1]
Birth Date:1997 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Årslev, Denmark
Height:1.83 m[2]
Position:Right-back
Currentclub:Benfica
Clubnumber:6
Youthyears1:1998–2011
Youthclubs1:Aarslev Boldklub
Youthyears2:2011–2013
Youthclubs2:B 1913
Youthyears3:2013–2014
Youthclubs3:Næsby
Youthyears4:2014–2015
Youthclubs4:Ikast FS
Youthyears5:2015–2016
Youthclubs5:Næsby
Years1:2016
Clubs1:Næsby
Caps1:17
Goals1:0
Years2:2016–2018
Clubs2:HB Køge
Caps2:59
Goals2:8
Years3:2018–2020
Clubs3:SønderjyskE
Caps3:58
Goals3:6
Years4:2021–2022
Clubs4:Slavia Prague
Caps4:43
Goals4:4
Years5:2022–
Clubs5:Benfica
Caps5:48
Goals5:3
Nationalyears1:2017
Nationalteam1:Denmark U20
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2018–2019
Nationalteam2:Denmark U21
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2020–
Nationalteam3:Denmark
Nationalcaps3:15
Nationalgoals3:1
Pcupdate:23:38, 11 August 2024 (UTC)
Ntupdate:23:44, 29 June 2024 (UTC)

Alexander Hartmann Bah (born 9 December 1997) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Primeira Liga club Benfica and the Denmark national team.

After coming through Næsby's youth academy, he was promoted to the first team in 2016, and later represented fellow Danish side HB Køge and spent two years with SønderjyskE in Danish Superliga. In January 2021, Bah joined Slavia Prague, where he won the Czech First League and Czech Cup in 2021 and was named the Czech First League's Defender of the Season in 2022, and then transferred to Benfica for €8 million.

After representing Denmark at various youth levels, Bah was called up to the full international team for the first time in November 2020. He scored on his international debut against Sweden, and went on to represent the side at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024.

Early life

Bah was born in Årslev on the island of Funen, Denmark,[3] and is of Danish and Gambian descent.[4] He later attended efterskole education at ISI Idrætsefterskole in Ikast, where he also made appearances for local side Ikast FS.[5] [6]

Club career

Early career

Bah started his footballing career with local club Aarslev Boldklub,[7] where he played for ten years before joining B 1913.[8] [9] He joined Næsby Boldklub three years later, in the spring of 2013, because the club according to Bah "[...] had a good reputation for developing young players".[10] Furthermore, his youth coach Andreas Bech had also moved to Næsby Boldklub, which was also a significant factor in Bah's choice. After attending ISI Idrætsefterskole in Ikast in 2014–15, he returned to Næsby.[11]

Næsby Boldklub

Bah made his breakthrough on the first team of Næsby Boldklub in the spring of 2016. He started on the bench in the first three games of the season, where he impressed as a substitute. He made his first start in the fourth matchday of the spring against Avarta on 2 April 2016, which Næsby won 4–0 at home at ALPI Arena Næsby, putting on a strong performance.[12] He continued the season as a starter during the spring of 2016, where he made a total of six assists in 16 appearances in the third-tier Danish 2nd Division.[13]

HB Køge

In August 2016, it was announced that Bah moved to HB Køge, where he signed a three-year contract.[14] He made his debut for the club in the Danish Cup as part of the starting lineup, where he played the first 60 minutes before being replaced by Ahmed Hassan in a 0–2 win over Karlslunde IF in the 1st round.[15] In November 2017, he was named "Talent of the Year", also known as the "Danske Bank Award", for HB Køge in 2017.[11]

SønderjyskE

On 7 August 2018, Bah signed a five-year contract with Danish Superliga club SønderjyskE.[16] [17] He arrived at the club as a right winger, but largely played as a right wing-back with great success, which, among other things, have contributed to SønderjyskE winning a Danish Cup title and Bah making his full international debut for the Denmark national team. He was among the three nominated for Superliga Player of the Month in November 2020, but saw the award go to Jesper Lindstrøm of Brøndby IF.[18]

Slavia Prague

On 5 January 2021, Bah signed for Czech First League club Slavia Prague on a four-and-a-half-year contract.[19] In doing so, SønderjyskE received a club record fee reported to be around DKK 13 million.[20] He made his debut for the club as a starter on 16 January in a 3–1 win over Sigma Olomouc.[21] [22] Bah arrived at the club as a replacement for Vladimír Coufal, who left the for English Premier League side West Ham United, during the season, quickly became a starter in the right-back slot, after impressing his coach Jindřich Trpišovský for his defensive positioning and attacking play, helping his team win the domestic double of the Czech First League and Czech Cup.[23] [11]

The following season, Bah was named the Czech First League's Defender of the Season, making 26 appearances and scoring three goals as Slavia Prague finished runners-up behind Viktoria Plzeň, while also helping the club reached the quarter-finals of the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League, where his team were eliminated, after losing 6–4 on aggregate to eventual finalists Feyenoord.[24]

Benfica

On 7 June 2022, Bah signed a five-year contract with Primeira Liga side Benfica, for a reported fee of €8 million, joining former Slavia Prague teammate Petar Musa.[25] [26] He made his debut for the club on 5 August, replacing Gilberto in the 63rd minute and providing the assist for Rafa Silva's goal in a 4–0 home win over Arouca in the Primeira Liga.[27]

International career

Bah represented Denmark at under-20 and under-21, for a total of 2 caps.[28]

On 9 November 2020, he was called up to Kasper Hjulmand's senior squad for the friendly against Sweden due to several cancellations from, among others, the Danish national team players playing in England, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, as well as a case of COVID-19 in the squad, which had put several national team players in quarantine. He came on as a substitute at half-time during the match against Sweden and scored the final goal in a 2–0 win at Brøndby Stadium in his debut match, on 11 November 2020.[29]

Style of play

Bah is mainly known for his speed, energy and offensive capabilities, as well as his technique, creativity and crossing ability. He is capable of playing as a full-back or winger on the right flank. He is an aggressive player who attacks spaces and seeks to break deep blocks with accurate passes, capable of receiving a pass from on the byline and finding the penalty spot with a pinpoint cross to allow his teammate to convert.[30]

Career statistics

Club

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Næsby2015–16Danish 2nd Division16000160
2016–17Danish 2nd Division100010
Total17000170
HB Køge2016–17Danish 1st Division27440314
2017–18Danish 1st Division30331334
2018–19Danish 1st Division210021
Total59871669
SønderjyskE2018–19Danish Superliga2123120263
2019–20Danish Superliga29150341
2020–21Danish Superliga1240010134
Total627811020738
Slavia Prague2020–21Czech First League1713060261
2021–22Czech First League26310153426
Total4344021300687
Benfica2022–23Primeira Liga2813010100421
2023–24Primeira Liga19230009010322
2024–25Primeira Liga100000000010
Total483601019010753
Career total22922252104133029927

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
Denmark202011
202110
202240
202330
202460
Total151

Scores and results list Denmark's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bah goal.

No.!scope="col"
DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
scope=row style=text-align:center111 November 2020Brøndby Stadium, Brøndbyvester, Denmark12–02–0Friendly

Honours

SønderjyskE

2019–20[31] Slavia Prague

2020–21[32]

2020–21[33] Benfica

2022–23[34]

2023[35]

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Denmark (DEN) . . 9 . 15 November 2022 . 15 November 2022.
  2. Web site: Bah . S.L. Benfica . 12 August 2022.
  3. News: Kragh Iversen . Jens . Bah hat noch keine Eile . 12 November 2020 . . 25 December 2019 . da.
  4. Web site: 18-årige Bah i HB Køge: Vil være stamspiller hurtigst muligt. Rasmus. Dalgaard. 12 September 2016.
  5. Web site: Det siger tidligere elever . isi.dk . ISI Idrætsefterskole . 12 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200924084629/https://www.isi.dk/efterskolen/linjeidraetter/fodbold . 24 September 2020 . da . "Jeg valgte ISI på grund af skolens gode omdømme i forhold til at udvikle fodboldspillere og alle de gode faciliteter – både sportsligt og som efterskolelev.".
  6. Web site: Ikast FS - Aabenraa BK . dbu.dk . . 11 November 2020.
  7. News: Abildtrup . Niels . Årslev stolt over Bahs debut . 11 November 2020 . Fyens Stiftstidende . 21 August 2018 . da.
  8. Web site: Alexander Bah: På vej mod store eventyr . Næsby Boldklub . da . 24 January 2021.
  9. News: Abildtrup . Niels . Gang i sagerne og sang i gaderne i fynsk fodbold - Dalum og OKS størst, mens OB på Ærø kæmper hårdt . 19 December 2022 . Fyns Amts Avis . 15 December 2022 . da.
  10. News: Interview med Alexander Bah . 11 November 2020 . . 31 March 2018 . da.
  11. News: Alexander Bah, um dinamarquês que vem de Praga para ser a nova solução do Benfica para um problema antigo . 20 September 2020 . Observador . 7 June 2022 . pt.
  12. Web site: Næsby - Avarta, 2. Division Nedrykningsspil 2015/2016 . bold.dk . 12 November 2020.
  13. News: Miles . Peter . Næsby: Bah kan blive Superliga-spiller . 12 November 2020 . bold.dk . 10 August 2016 . da.
  14. News: Larsen . Michael Patrick . HB Køge henter Bah i Næsby . 12 November 2020 . D'Bold . 10 August 2016 . da.
  15. News: Karlslunde 0-2 HB Køge . 12 November 2020 . . 10 August 2016 . da.
  16. News: Ravn . Jacob . SønderjyskE henter profil i HB Køge . 12 November 2020 . . 7 August 2018 . da.
  17. News: Møller Karlsen . Nanna . SønderjyskE snupper Alexander Bah . 12 November 2020 . bold.dk . 6 August 2018 . da.
  18. News: Dehn . Anders . Brøndby-bombere og Bah: Her er de nominerede til Superliga-pris . 2 January 2021 . . 2 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201202155713/https://www.tipsbladet.dk/nyhed/superliga/broendby-bombere-og-bah-her-er-de-nominerede-til-superliga-pris . 2 December 2020 . da.
  19. Web site: Slavii posílil dánský reprezentant Alexander Bah . slavia.cz . . 6 January 2021 . cs . 5 January 2021.
  20. News: SønderjyskE sælger forsvarsspiller i rekordhandel . 6 January 2021 . . 5 January 2021 . da.
  21. Web site: Happy for my debut and for important points . en.slavia.cz . Slavia Prague . 1 February 2021 . 17 January 2021.
  22. News: Slavia po dvou penaltách porazila na úvod ligového jara Olomouc . 1 February 2021 . České Noviny . 16 January 2021 . cs.
  23. Web site: He came, he saw, he conquers. How the Danish bachelor Bah settled in Slavia. iDNES.cz . 6 May 2021 . 9 April 2022.
  24. Web site: Slavia - Feyenoord 1:3. Prague finish in KL, Mandous made a fatal mistake. iSport.cz. cs. 3 June 2022.
  25. Web site: Alexander Bah is a Benfica player! . S.L. Benfica . 7 June 2022 . 7 June 2022.
  26. News: Águias Confirmam Contratação de Bah . Eagles confirm Bah's signing . 7 June 2022 . A Bola . 7 June 2022 . pt.
  27. Web site: 5 August 2022. Rafa bisa frente ao Arouca. A Bola.
  28. Web site: A. Bah - Profile . Soccerway . Perform Group . 12 November 2020.
  29. News: Wind og Bah sikrer dansk 2-0 sejr over Sverige . 12 November 2020 . . 11 November 2020 . da . Et flot dansk angreb med mange afleveringer – og hvor den svenske defensiv nærmest virkede rundtossede – var Wind, Mæhle og Damsgaard de afgørende spilstationer, inden debutanten Alexander Bah afsluttede angrebet med en stensikker scoring. Flot angreb, flot afslutning!.
  30. Web site: Alexander Bah: The Answer to Benfica's Right-Back Woes? . Breaking The Lines. 22 June 2022.
  31. News: SønderjyskE vinder Sydbank Pokalen efter dramatisk finale . 23 January 2021 . TV3 Sport . 1 July 2020 . da.
  32. Web site: Návrat ztracených synů! Souček, Coufal, Král či Škoda budou čestnými hosty při předání poháru Slavii. Ruik. 22 May 2021. 3 September 2021.
  33. Web site: Viktoria Plzen vs. Slavia Praha. Soccerway. 20 May 2021. 6 July 2021.
  34. Web site: Benfica crowned champions of Portugal. PortuGOAL. Kundert. Tom. 27 May 2023. 27 May 2023.
  35. Web site: Vaza . Marco . 9 August 2023 . Benfica soube mudar para ganhar a Supertaça . 9 August 2023 . Público . pt.