Claus Niyukuri

Claus Niyukuri
Personal information
Full name Claus Babo Niyukuri
Date of birth (2000-02-13) 13 February 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Burundi
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Haugesund
Number 2
Youth career
–2017 Kopervik
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Kopervik 26 (3)
2020–2022 Vard Haugesund 48 (2)
2023– Haugesund 18 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 December 2023

Claus Niyukuri (born 13 February 2000) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a defender for FK Haugesund.

Career

Born in Burundi, Niyukuri came to Norway around 2004. His family settling at Haugalandet,[1] Niyukuri played youth football in Kopervik IL and made his senior debut in 2017.[2] In 2019 he was named by Haugesunds Avis as the most surprising local player of the early season. However, this was as low as the 4. divisjon, the fifth tier.[3] He moved up two tiers to SK Vard Haugesund. Following three seasons at Vard, he moved up another two tiers to sign for FK Haugesund ahead of the 2023 season.[4]

Already in the second round of the 2023 Eliteserien, he fell and injured his knee in what initially seemed like a season-ending injury.[5] However, it was discovered that the injury was much less severe.[6] He returned, later scoring his first Eliteserien goal in October 2023, which was Haugesund's winning goal against Aalesund.[7]

References

  1. ^ Brandt, Mathias (24 April 2023). "Skremt av egen skrekkskade: – Fikk frysninger av å se" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  2. ^ Claus Niyukuri at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
  3. ^ Grøttland, Odd Kåre (15 May 2019). "Lokalfotball: Han er den store overraskelsen". Haugesunds Avis (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  4. ^ Biørnstad, Carl Henning (11 November 2022). "Målløs etter å ha signert for FKH: – Det er nesten så jeg ikke tror det" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Kan være ferdigspilt for sesongen: – Verste en spiller kan oppleve". Sportsbibelen (in Norwegian). 24 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Haugesund-stopper unngikk alvorlig kneskade: − Har vært veldig heldig". VG (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Haugesund sikret etterlengtet seier mot Godset: – Betyr utrolig mye". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.