# Umaru Bangura

Umaru Bangura (born 7 October 1987) is a Sierra Leonean former professional footballer who played for the Sierra Leone national team. He played as a central defender or in midfield.

## Career
### Hønefoss

Bangura started his senior career with Hønefoss BK in Norway.

### Haugesund

In January 2011, Bangura moved to Eliteserien club FK Haugesund. He made his league debut for the club on 20 March 2011 in a 2–0 away loss to Tromsø IL. He was subbed on in the 71st minute for Ugonna Anyora. He scored his first league goal for the club on 25 September 2011 in a 1–0 home victory over Aalesunds FK. His goal came in the 54th minute.
During the English 2013 summer transfer window, Bangura attracted interest from Premier League side Crystal Palace, but the move failed to materialise.

### Dinamo Minsk

In December 2013 Bangura agreed to move to FC Dinamo Minsk in the Vysheyshaya Liga. He made his league debut for the club on 30 March 2014 in a 1–0 away victory over FC Dnepr Mogilev. He played all ninety minutes of the match.

### Zürich

In August 2016 he signed a three years contract with Swiss club FC Zürich. He made his league debut for the club on 22 August 2016 in a 1–0 home victory over Neuchâtel Xamax. He was subbed on for Armando Sadiku in the 84th minute. He scored his first league goal for the club on 2 October 2016 in a 5–0 away victory over FC Wohlen. His goal, scored in the 61st minute, made the score 4–0 to Zürich.

### Neuchâtel Xamax

On 8 January 2021, it was announced that Bangura had joined Swiss Challenge League club Neuchâtel Xamax on a contract until the end of the season, after being released by Zürich.

## International career

Bangura is the captain of the Sierra Leone national team. In October 2019, he stated that he was considering quitting the national team after his team was attacked by angry fans, but retracted his decision soon after and represented Sierra Leone at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, the country's first ever AFCON.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 17 December 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Play-offs | Play-offs | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Hønefoss | 2006 | Adeccoligaen | 15 | 0 | | | — | — | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Hønefoss | 2007 | Adeccoligaen | 23 | 0 | | | — | — | — | — | 23 | 0 |
| Hønefoss | 2008 | Adeccoligaen | 27 | 2 | | | — | — | — | — | 27 | 2 |
| Hønefoss | 2009 | Adeccoligaen | 29 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 30 | 3 |
| Hønefoss | 2010 | Tippeligaen | 29 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| Hønefoss | Total | Total | 123 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 131 | 9 |
| Haugesund | 2011 | Tippeligaen | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 1 |
| Haugesund | 2012 | Tippeligaen | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 30 | 0 |
| Haugesund | 2013 | Tippeligaen | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 0 |
| Haugesund | Total | Total | 81 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 1 |
| Dinamo Minsk | 2014 | Vysheyshaya Liga | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 |
| Dinamo Minsk | 2015 | Vysheyshaya Liga | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 |
| Dinamo Minsk | 2016 | Vysheyshaya Liga | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 |
| Dinamo Minsk | Total | Total | 58 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 0 |
| Zürich | 2016–17 | Swiss Challenge League | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 1 |
| Zürich | 2017–18 | Swiss Super League | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 0 |
| Zürich | 2018–19 | Swiss Super League | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 0 |
| Zürich | 2019–20 | Swiss Super League | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| Zürich | 2020–21 | Swiss Super League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Zürich | Total | Total | 80 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 111 | 1 |
| Neuchâtel Xamax | 2020–21 | Swiss Challenge League | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| Neuchâtel Xamax | 2021–22 | Swiss Challenge League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Neuchâtel Xamax | Total | Total | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 363 | 9 | 32 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 428 | 10 |

### International

    As of match played 11 January 2022
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Sierra Leone | 2006 | 2 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2007 | 5 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2008 | 6 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2010 | 2 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2011 | 4 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2012 | 6 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2013 | 4 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2014 | 6 | 2 |
| Sierra Leone | 2015 | 4 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2016 | 4 | 1 |
| Sierra Leone | 2017 | 1 | 1 |
| Sierra Leone | 2019 | 4 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| Sierra Leone | 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 53 | 4 |
    Sierra Leone score listed first, score column indicates score after each Bangura goal
List of international goals scored by Umaru Bangura :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 31 May 2014 | National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone | Swaziland | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2 | 19 July 2014 | National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone | Seychelles | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3 | 28 March 2016 | National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone | Gabon | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 10 June 2017 | National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone | Kenya | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |

## Honours

Order
* Sierra Leone Member of the Order of the Rokel: 2017