Ismael Athuman

Ismael Athuman
Personal information
Full name Ismael Said Athuman González
Date of birth (1995-02-01) 1 February 1995 (age 31)
Place of birth San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position Centre back
Team information
Current team
Gimnàstic
Youth career
Maspalomas
–2011 Vecindario
2011–2014 Las Palmas
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Las Palmas C
2014–2017 Las Palmas B 14 (0)
2016 → Cacereño (loan) 14 (0)
2017 Granada B 6 (0)
2017–2018 Fuenlabrada 12 (0)
2018–2019 Las Palmas B 20 (1)
2020 Las Palmas B 8 (2)
2020–2021 Las Palmas 6 (0)
2021–2022 Murcia 20 (1)
2022–2023 Sabadell 13 (0)
2023–2024 Águilas 22 (2)
2025 Mérida 17 (0)
2025–2026 Zamora 24 (1)
2026– Gimnàstic 0 (0)
International career‡
2016– Kenya 11 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 23 June 2019

Ismael Said Athuman González (born 1 February 1995) is a professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Gimnàstic de Tarragona and the Kenya national team. Mainly a central defender, he can also play as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Athuman was born in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, to a Kenyan father and a Spanish mother, and played youth football with CD Maspalomas, UD Vecindario and UD Las Palmas. He had unsuccessful trials at Manchester City in 2013.

After making his senior debut with Las Palmas' C-team in the regional leagues during the 2014–15 campaign, Athuman subsequently started to appear for the reserves in both Segunda División B and Tercera División. On 5 December 2015, he agreed to a loan deal with third division side CP Cacereño until the end of the season.

Athuman subsequently returned to Las Palmas B in July 2016, but rescinded his contract the following 31 January, and subsequently signed for Granada CF's reserves in the third tier. On 13 July 2017, he moved to fellow league team CF Fuenlabrada.

On 22 August 2018, Athuman returned to Las Palmas and their B-side, now also in the third division. He left the club in the following July, but rejoined the side on 2 January 2020.

On 5 October 2020, after playing for the main squad during the entire pre-season, Athuman was promoted to Las Palmas' first team in Segunda División. He made his professional debut on 5 December, starting in a 0–0 away draw against SD Ponferradina.

Rarely used by the Canarian side, Athuman signed for Segunda División RFEF side Real Murcia CF on 25 August 2021. He continued to feature mainly in the Primera Federación in the following years, representing CE Sabadell FC, Águilas FC, Mérida AD, Zamora CF and Gimnàstic de Tarragona.

International career

Athuman received his first call from Kenya in mid May 2016, for a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Congo the following month. He made his debut on 31 May 2016 in a friendly with Sudan. He has also represented Kenya at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Personal life

Athuman's father, Said Ali Athuman Mbaga, known as Billy, is a Kenyan contortionist and acrobat, who lives in Gran Canaria.

References

  1. ↑ "Athuman" (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Billy, un artista de goma y de la UD" (in Spanish). La Provincia. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "El central Ismael, cedido al Cacereño" [Stopper Ismael, loaned to Cacereño] (in Spanish). Tinta Amarilla. 5 December 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  4. ↑ "Ismael, baja en el filial y el portero David, cedido al Estrella" [Ismael, departure in the reserves and goalkeeper David, loaned to Estrella] (in Spanish). Tinta Amarilla. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "Nauzet García e Ismael Athuman, nuevos fichajes del Granada B" [Nauzet García and Ismael Athuman, new signings of Granada B] (in Spanish). Ideal. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "Harambee Stars defender signs for Spanish side". Goal.com. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  7. ↑ "Ismael Athuman, nuevo fichaje de Las Palmas Atlético" [Ismael Athuman, new signing of Las Palmas Atlético] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  8. ↑ "Ismael Athuman, nueva incorporación de Las Palmas Atlético" [Ismael Athuman, new addition of Las Palmas Atlético] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "Cristian Cedrés e Ismael Athuman, inscritos en el primer equipo" [Cristian Cedrés and Ismael Athuman, registered in the first team] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "Los palos y un gran Álex Domínguez evitaron los goles en El Toralín" [The post and a great Álex Domínguez avoid the goals at the El Toralín] (in Spanish). Marca. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "El Murcia traspasa a Youness al Granada y ficha a Athuman" [Murcia transfer Youness to Granada and sign Athuman] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 25 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Ismael Athuman, nou jugador del Sabadell" [Ismael Athuman, new player of Sabadell] (in Catalan). L'Esportiu. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Athuman, primer fichaje del Águilas" [Athuman, first signing of Águilas] (in Spanish). Onda Regional de Murcia. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Ismael Athuman, nuevo jugador romano" [Ismael Athuman, new Roman player] (in Spanish). Mérida AD. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Ismael Athuman, nuevo fichaje del Zamora para la temporada 25–26" [Ismael Athuman, new signing of Zamora for the 25–26 season] (in Spanish). Zamora CF. 28 June 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Athuman, nou reforç del Nàstic 26/27" [Athuman, new signing of Nàstic 26/27] (in Catalan). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 22 August 2026. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Harambee Stars rallies to draw Sudan in friendly". Soka. 31 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  18. ↑ "#Tunaweza: Stars coach Sébastien Migné names final AFCON Squad". 11 June 2019.