Jalil Anibaba

College and amateur

Anibaba was born in Davis, California where he attended Davis Senior High School, where in his senior season he was the California Gatorade Soccer Player of the year, and played college soccer at Santa Clara University for the first three years of his college career. In 2009, Anibaba captained the Broncos, who were selected for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-West Region team. For his senior season he transferred to the University of North Carolina, where he won numerous awards, including NSCAA Second Team All-America, NSCAA First Team All-Region, First Team All-ACC, ACC All-Tournament Team and 2007 WCC Freshman of the Year. Anibaba made twelve appearances for USL Premier Development League club Carolina Dynamo during their 2010 season.

Professional

On January 14, 2011, Anibaba was drafted #9 overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by the Chicago Fire. He made his professional debut on March 19, 2011, in Chicago's first game of the 2011 MLS season, a 1–1 tie with FC Dallas, and scored his first professional goal – a 40-yard screamer – on March 30, 2011, in a 2–1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the qualifying round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Anibaba would go on to tally two more goals in the 2011 season finale, heading home two strikes in the space of 19 minutes in a 3–2 win vs. Columbus Crew on October 22, 2011. Anibaba closed out his first season in MLS setting a club record for regular season…

Club

As of match played 25 November 2020

Anibaba was born in the United States and is of Nigerian descent. His brother Jammil and cousin Sule played college soccer during the 2000s for the UC Davis Aggies, while half brother Josh Reese played American football for UC Davis Aggies.