![]() Tamata with PSV in July 2014 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 5 December 1990 | ||
Place of birth | Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands | ||
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) [1] | ||
Position(s) | Left back | ||
Youth career | |||
SV DOSKO | |||
NAC Breda | |||
2007–2010 | PSV | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2010–2015 | PSV | 28 | (0) |
2012–2013 | → Roda JC Kerkrade (loan) | 22 | (0) |
2013–2015 | → Jong PSV | 30 | (0) |
2015–2016 | Groningen | 14 | (0) |
2017 | ADO Den Haag | 0 | (0) |
Total | 94 | (0) | |
International career‡ | |||
2015 | DR Congo | 1 | (0) |
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12 June 2017 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18:54, 30 June 2015 (UTC) |
Abel Tamata (born 5 December 1990) is a retired professional footballer who played as a left back. [2]
Born in the Netherlands, he played international football for the DR Congo. Tamata has previously played for PSV, Roda JC Kerkrade, Groningen and ADO Den Haag. [1] [3]
Tamata was born in Bergen op Zoom to a Dutch mother and a Congolese father. [4] His father worked as a taxi driver. [4] He has a half-sister on his mother's side, and two half-brothers on his father's side. [4] His manager is rapper Ali B, who is married to Tamata's half-sister. [4] Tamata is a Jehovah's Witness. [4]
Having previously played in the academy at SV DOSKO and NAC Breda, Tamata joined PSV's youth system in 2007. [5] After progressing through the academy, Tamata made his PSV Eindhoven debut in the UEFA Europa League, starting the whole game, in a 0–0 draw against Metalist Kharkiv on 16 December 2010. [6] His next appearance came on 17 March 2011 in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League, in a 1–0 win over Rangers. [7] After appearing as an unused substitute, in a 1–0 win over Utrecht on 20 March 2011 following his call-up to the first team for the first time, [8] Two days after making a tackle on Eduardo Salvio that ended his season, during a UEFA Europa League match, [9] Tamata made his league debut for the side, where he started and played for 67 minutes, in a 2–0 win over Heracles Almelo on 17 April 2011. [10] At the end of the 2010–11 season, in which he made six appearances, Tamata signed a contract with the club, keeping him until 2013. [5]
In the 2011–12 season, Tamata appeared in a handful of first team appearances and competed for the left-back position with Erik Pieters and Jetro Willems. [11] Although Willems established himself in the left-back position at the start of the season, Tamata appeared on the substitute bench. [12] However, in his second start of the season, which saw PSV Eindhoven draw 2–2 with Twente, on 29 October 2011, he suffered a calf injury in early of the first half and was substituted as a result. [13] Following this, Tamata had an operation and was sidelined until the end of the year. [14] However, his recovery of returning to the first team was further delayed and never appeared in the first team for the rest of the season. [15] Despite this, he only made a return from injury on 19 April 2012, in a 4–3 win over Jong AGOVV/Vitesse. [16]
Whilst on loan at Roda JC Kerkrade, it was announced on 18 September 2012 that Tamata extended his two-year contract with the club, keeping him until 2015. [17] After returning from a loan at Roda JC Kerkrade, Tamata was sent to play for Jong PSV for the next two seasons. [18] Despite this, Tamata was called up to the first team following Willems' absent. [19] He made his first appearance of the 2013–14 season, where he played 19 minutes, in a 4–0 win over Ajax on 22 September 2013. [20] In the absence of Willems, Tamata was called up to the first team and featured in the left-back position for the rest of the year. [21] After suffering a groin injury, [22] Tamata returned and played the last two matches of the season for the side. [23]
In the 2014–15 season, Tamata started out in the left-back position at the start of the season following Willems' injury. [24] However, in a 2–0 win over Shakhtyor Soligorsk in the second leg play-off round of the UEFA Europa League, Tamata suffered a fractured foot and was sidelined for two months. [25] After recovering from a fractured foot, he returned to the reserve side for the whole year. [26] After being injured at the beginning of 2015, [27] Tamata played two matches following Willems' injury. [28] After making his last home appearances against Heracles Almemo on 5 May 2015, [29]
It was announced that Tamata was leaving PSV Eindhoven at the end of the 2014–15 season. [30] It believed it was Tamata's decision to leave the club. [31]
It was announced on 7 July 2012 that Tamata joined Roda JC Kerkrade on a season-long deal for the 2012–13 season, a move he believed it can take a new step to development. [32]
Tamata made his Roda JC debut, starting the whole game in the left-back position, in a 1–1 draw against PEC Zwolle in the opening game of the season. [33] He then set up a goal for Amin Affane to score an equaliser, but lost 3–2 to FC Groningen on 30 September 2012. [34] However, he suffered a knee injury during a 0–0 draw against NEC Nijmegen and was out for the whole year. [35]
After returning to training, [36] he returned to the first team on 20 January 2013, in a 2–0 win over NEC Nijmegen. [37] However, in a 4–0 loss against Utrecht on 24 February 2013, Tamata was sent-off in the 18th minute, for a foul on Édouard Duplan. [38] After the match, Tamata was initially about to serve a one-match suspension but Manager Ruud Brood disagreed, claiming that there was no contact between the pair [39] and had his suspension rescinded. [40] Despite being sidelined with injuries as the season progressed, [41] [42]
After being released by PSV Eindhoven, it was announced on 30 June 2015 that Tamata joined Groningen, signing a two-year contract, keeping him until 2017. [43] Tamata was previously linked with a move to Twente and Empoli before joining FC Groningen. [44]
Tamata made his FC Groningen debut, starting the whole game, in a 3–0 loss against his former club, PSV Eindhoven, in the Johan Cruyff Shield. [45] He made his league debut for the club, in the opening game of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Twente. [46] However, Tamata suffered an injury in the final minutes of the match and was sidelined for six weeks. [47] After returning to the first team from injury, Tamata found himself struggling to regain his first team place following the arrival of Manager Ernest Faber [48] and his own injury concerns. [49] [50]
With his first team opportunities limited in the 2017–18 season, Tamata, along with Hedwiges Maduro, were told by the club that they both can leave the club. [51] Shortly after, it was announced that Tamata left Groningen by mutual consent. [52]
After leaving Groningen, Tamata was offered a move to join VVV-Venlo in January 2017 but rejected the offer. [53] Shortly after, Tamata instead join ADO Den Haag on a deal that last until the end of the season. [54]
However, Tamata struggled to make an impression at ADO Den Haag after suffering an injury; and following his recovery, he spent the rest of the season on the substitute bench. [55] At the end of the 2016–17 season, Tamata was released by the club, without making an appearance for the side. [56]
Tamata is eligible to play for DR Congo and Netherlands but is favour of playing for Congo. [57]
In March 2015, Tamata received his first call-up for the DR Congo national team for a training camp in Dubai. [58] He made his international debut later that year. [59] [60]