In January 2024, Shavy Babicka signed a three-and-a-half-year lease with Toulouse. A new country discovered by the 23-year-old Gabonese international winger. The space devourer talks about his career, his intentions and his qualities on the pitch.
This winter of 2024, Shavy Babicka made a change in his career. The Gabonese winger has left Aris Limassol (Cyprus) for France, and more specifically Toulouse. A big change? Not at all. The 23-year-old is already a globetrotter, as this is the fourth country in which he has played. He had already played in his homeland, with AS Mangasport. Then, at the age of 17, he headed for Rwanda and Kiyovu SC, before returning to Cyprus. The Toulousan looks back on the reasons that led him to leave the country.
"At that time (2019), the Gabonese championship had not been played (suspended because of Covid). And I didn't want to stay at home or just train. I needed to compete. I had the opportunity to go to Rwanda (Kiyovu Sports). I told myself it was worth it, that I'd play at least one year to stay competitive (He stayed for 3 seasons between 2019 and 2021). It wasn't easy, because I was still a teenager and didn't speak a word of English. Coming from Africa, I knew it wasn't going to be easy, that I'd have to work hard. I left my studies to concentrate on soccer," he explains to Ligue 1's Twitch channel Uber Eats.
Shavy Babicka goes on to talk about his career path. "First, I went through Russia before going to Cyprus. I had to sign in Russia for a pre-season tournament. I put in a good performance, which led the president of the Limassol club to make me an offer. He told my agent that I shouldn't sign in Russia, but with him. I didn't even know where Cyprus was... When I got there, I said to myself: "This is just the beginning". And going there has been the best choice of my career so far.
Breaking all records in Toulouse
With the Cypriot club, Shavy Babicka played 90 games for a magnificent record of 16 goals and 22 assists in two and a half seasons. All of which opened the door to Toulouse. At Téfécé, the Gabon international (7 caps, 1 goal) has played 8 games since his arrival (4 starts), scoring 1 goal. However, for the young man, it's not enough just to sign; he has to make his mark. "Personally, I'm not coming to Toulouse to sit on my hands. Later on, I'd like people to take note of how much I've given of myself and what I've contributed to the club. I don't want to be in a hurry," he insists.
Shavy Babicka concludes by listing his qualities in a detailed profile. "I'm a space player. I like to play on the side. I'm not the kind of player who combines inside the game, who turns around. No, I play one-on-one, I take up space. When I played in a two-man attack, I was always the one taking up space. That's where I feel most comfortable. I like direct play, moving forward to get in front of the opposition goal as quickly as possible.
