Gurban Gurbanov

Gurban Gurbanov (; born 13 April 1972, Zaqatala) is a retired Azerbaijani international footballer. At present he is the manager of Azerbaijani football team- FK Qarabağ. He played in the forward position. His football career started with the local Azerbaijani football club Dashgyn Zagatala in 1989. Gurbanov had a 17-year long professional football career. He retired in 2006. He scored total 174 goals in 396 league matches.

Playing career
He started his career in Dashgyn Zagatala, and then played for Mertskhali Ozurgeti, Turan Tovuz, Kur-Nur, Neftchi Baku, Dinamo Stavropol, Baltika Kaliningrad, Fakel Voronezh and Volgar Gazprom. The last club he played for was Inter Baku. In the 1996–97 season, Gurbanov was the leading scorer in the Azerbaijan Premier League for Neftchi with 25 goals. He was named Azerbaijan's Player of the Year once, in 2003.

 International 
He played for the national team in their very first match on 17 September 1992, and until his retirement on January 2006 he scored 14 goals in 66 international matches, which is the national team goalscoring record.

 Managerial career 
After he had ended his football player's career, he became a sport director of the football club Inter. However, in summer 2006 he was made the head coach of Neftchi Baku. Since the beginning of the season 2008/08 he was made the head coach of FK Qarabağ.

In 2010, he became the most successful Azerbaijani manager in European competitions with 11 wins. 

 International goals 

#DatePlaceOpponentScoreResultCompetition1.8 June 1993Tehran 1–13-3ECO Cup2.8 June 1993Tehran 1–13-3ECO Cup3.27 February 1996Larnaca 3–03-0Friendly4.27 May 1996Molodechno 1–12-2Friendly5.22 March 1997 Baku 3–03-0Friendly6.14 October 1998Vaduz2–12-12000 ECQ7.6 March 1999 Larnaca 1–02-2Friendly8.5 June 1999 Baku1–04-02000 ECQ9.12 February 2003 Podgorica 2-1  2–2 2004 ECQ10.12 February 2003 Podgorica 2-2  2–2 2004 ECQ11.11 June 2003 Baku 1–12-12004 ECQ12.6 June 2004 Riga1-22-2Friendly13.31 March 2004 Chisinau1–12-1Friendly14.28 May 2004 Baku 1–03-1Friendly

Honours

Player
Neftchi Baku
 Azerbaijan Premier League (2): 1996–97, 2003–04
 Azerbaijan Cup (1): 2003-04

Individual
 Azerbaijani Footballer of the Year: 2003
 Azerbaijan Premier League: Top scorer: 1996–97
 Azerbaijan national football team: Top scorer: 14 goals.

Manager
Qarabağ
 Azerbaijan Cup (1): 2008–09

Individual
 The most successful Azerbaijani manager in European competitions: 11 wins.

References

 Other websites 
 Profile at national-football-teams.com

Category:Living people
Category:1972 births
Category:Azerbaijani footballers
Category:21st-century Azerbaijani people
Category:20th-century Azerbaijani people