{{short description|Nigerian footballer (born 1990)}} {{EngvarB|date=March 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Reuben Gabriel | image = | full_name = Reuben Shalu Gabriel | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|9|25|df=yes}} | birth_place = Kaduna, Nigeria | height = 1.95 m | position = Defensive midfielder | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 2007–2009 | years2 = 2009–2010 | years3 = 2011–2013 | years4 = 2013–2014 | years5 = 2014 | years6 = 2014–2016 | years7 = 2016 | years8 = 2017–2019 | years9 = 2019 | years10 = 2019–2020 | years11 = 2020–2021 | years12 = 2021 | years13 = 2024-2025 | clubs1 = Kaduna United | clubs2 = Enyimba International | clubs3 = Kano Pillars | clubs4 = Kilmarnock | clubs5 = Waasland-Beveren | clubs6 = Boavista Porto | clubs7 = AS Trenčín | clubs8 = KuPS | clubs9 = Najran | clubs10 = Abha | clubs11 = Al-Fayha | clubs12 = Al-Ain | clubs13 = Shabab Sahel | caps1 =75 | caps2 = 44 | caps3 = 67 | caps4 = 3 | caps5 = 5 | caps6 = 36 | caps7 = 11 | caps8 = 38 | caps9 = 12 | caps10= 16 | caps11= 35 | caps12 = 0 | caps13 = 22 | goals1 = 2 | goals2 =1 | goals3 = 1 | goals4 = 0 | goals5 = 3 | goals6 = 1 | goals7 = 1 | goals8 = 7 | goals9 = 4 | goals10= 1 | goals11= 2 | goals12 = 0 | goals13 = 1 | nationalyears1 = 2010–2014 | nationalteam1 = Nigeria | nationalcaps1 = 12 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | club-update = 25 November 2018 | nationalteam-update = 25 April 2026 | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}} {{MedalCountry|{{fb|NGA}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Africa Cup of Nations}} {{Medal|W|2013 South Africa|}} }} '''Reuben Shalu Gabriel''' {{post-nominals|country=NGA|MON}} (born 25 September 1990) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.
==Club career== ===Nigeria=== Gabriel was born in Kaduna. In his country he played for Kaduna United FC, Enyimba International F.C. and Kano Pillars FC.<ref>[http://westafricanfootball.com/2012/01/16/new-players-at-the-nigeria-national-football-team/ New players at the Nigeria national football team]; West African Football, 16 January 2012</ref>
In October 2012, Gabriel was named both the Player of the Year and the National Team Player of the Year at the 2012 League Bloggers Awards (LBA), held in Lagos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kickoff.com/news/31042/reuben-gabriel-wins-lba-player-of-the-year|title=Gabriel wins LBA Player of the Year|publisher=Kick Off|date=29 October 2012|accessdate=29 October 2012|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028060326/http://www.kickoff.com/news/31042/reuben-gabriel-wins-lba-player-of-the-year|archivedate=28 October 2014}}</ref>
===Kilmarnock=== On 2 April 2013, Gabriel joined Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock as a free agent, signing a three-year contract.<ref>[http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/articles/20130402/signing-of-reuben-gabriel-completed_85961_3129367 Signing of Reuben Gabriel completed] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406114323/http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/articles/20130402/signing-of-reuben-gabriel-completed_85961_3129367|date=6 April 2013}}; Kilmarnock FC, 2 April 2013</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/22008836|title=Kilmarnock sign Nigeria midfielder Reuben Gabriel|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 April 2013|access-date=2 April 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405033531/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22008836|archive-date=5 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4093/nigeria/2013/04/02/3872496/midfielder-reuben-gabriel-set-to-make-debut-for-Kilmarnock|title=Midfielder Reuben Gabriel set to make debut for Kilmarnock|publisher=Goal|date=2 April 2013|accessdate=11 April 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406211452/http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4093/nigeria/2013/04/02/3872496/midfielder-reuben-gabriel-set-to-make-debut-for-Kilmarnock|archivedate=6 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/kilmarnock/219810-kilmarnock-sign-gabriel-reuben-and-papa-idris-on-three-year-deals/|title=Midfielder Kilmarnock sign Gabriel Reuben and Papa Idris on three-year deals|publisher=STV News|date=2 April 2013|accessdate=11 April 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407005650/http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/kilmarnock/219810-kilmarnock-sign-gabriel-reuben-and-papa-idris-on-three-year-deals/|archivedate=7 April 2013}}</ref> He made his debut for his new team on 29 November, in a Scottish Cup tie against Dundee United where he conceded a penalty in a 5–2 away defeat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25063966|title=Dundee United 5–2 Kilmarnock|publisher=BBC Sport|date=29 November 2013|access-date=30 November 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129214057/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25063966|archive-date=29 November 2013}}</ref>
In November 2013, Reuben demanded to leave Kilmarnock in the January 2014 window.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25121563|title=Nigeria's Gabriel Reuben demands to leave Kilmarnock|publisher=BBC Sport|date=27 November 2013|access-date=30 November 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131130042156/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25121563|archive-date=30 November 2013}}</ref> He was released in January, after the club accepted his request.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25576955|title=Nigerian Gabriel Reuben released by Kilmarnock|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 January 2014|access-date=2 January 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104031840/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25576955|archive-date=4 January 2014}}</ref>
===Waasland-Beveren=== In January 2014, Reuben went on trial with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nigerianwatch.com/sport/3661-super-eagles-midfielder-reuben-gabriel-begins-trials-with-tottenham-hotspurs|title=Super Eagles midfielder Reuben Gabriel begins trials with Tottenham Hotspurs|publisher=Nigeria Watch|date=18 January 2014|accessdate=31 January 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219022147/http://www.nigerianwatch.com/sport/3661-super-eagles-midfielder-reuben-gabriel-begins-trials-with-tottenham-hotspurs|archivedate=19 February 2014}}</ref> However, nothing came of it, and he joined Belgian Pro League side Waasland-Beveren on a one-and-a-half-year contract late in the month.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25841776|title=Waasland-Beveren sign Nigeria midfielder Reuben Gabriel|publisher=BBC Sport|date=23 January 2014|access-date=23 January 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140123234040/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25841776|archive-date=23 January 2014}}</ref>
Gabriel was Veikkausliiga Player of the Month in September 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ruben Gabriel Veikkausliigan kuukauden pelaaja |trans-title=Ruben Gabriel, Veikkausliiga Player of the Month |url=https://jpy.fi/fi/uutiset/ruben-gabriel-veikkausliigan-kuukauden-pelaaja |website=JPY |access-date=9 March 2026 |language=Finnish |date=11 October 2017}}</ref>
===Al-Ain=== On 3 September 2021, Gabriel joined Al-Ain.<ref>{{cite web |title=#روبن |url=https://twitter.com/alain_ksa/status/1433878356848693250}}</ref>
==International career== Gabriel made his debut for Nigeria in March 2010, in a 5–2 win against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Previously, he was a member of the national B-team that won the 2010 WAFU Nations Cup.
Reuben scored his first international on 9 June 2012, netting the opener in an eventual 1–1 away draw against Malawi for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.<ref>[http://www.mtnfootball.com/africa/nigeria/news/2012/june/19-reuben-targets-npl-title-with-pillars.html Reuben targets NPL title with Pillars] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225215931/http://mtnfootball.com/africa/nigeria/news/2012/june/19-reuben-targets-npl-title-with-pillars.html|date=25 December 2015}}; MTN Football, 19 June 2012</ref> He was called to the 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/20970786|title=Nations Cup 2013: Nigeria pick six locally-based players|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Okeleji|first=Oluwashina|date=10 January 2013|access-date=10 January 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113015637/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20970786|archive-date=13 January 2013}}</ref> being an unused player as the Super Eagles won the tournament in South Africa.
Reuben was also selected to the 2014 World Cup by coach Stephen Keshi.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/nigeria/10810433/Nigeria-World-Cup-2014-squad.html|title=Nigeria World Cup 2014 squad|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=2 June 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602191037/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/nigeria/10810433/Nigeria-World-Cup-2014-squad.html|archivedate=2 June 2014|accessdate=30 June 2014}}</ref> He made his debut in the tournament on 30 June, replacing injured Ogenyi Onazi in the 59th minute of an eventual 0–2 loss to France for the round-of-16.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255951/match=300186462/match-report.html|title=France sink Super Eagles|publisher=FIFA|date=30 June 2014|accessdate=30 June 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630204005/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255951/match=300186462/match-report.html|archivedate=30 June 2014}}</ref>
==Honours== '''Orders''' * 60x60px Member of the Order of the Niger<ref>{{cite news |last=Okeleji |first=Oluwashina |author-link=Oluwashina Okeleji |date=13 February 2013 |title=Presidential reward for Super Eagles |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/21450619 |department=Sport |work=BBC |location=Lagos |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{ForaDeJogo}} *{{NFT player|36499}} *{{FIFA player|356710}} *{{Soccerway|gabriel-reuben/120757}}
{{Shabab Al Sahel FC squad}} {{Navboxes |title = Nigeria squads |bg = #008751 |fg = White |bordercolor = |list1 = {{Nigeria squad 2013 Africa Cup of Nations}} {{Nigeria squad 2014 FIFA World Cup}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gabriel, Reuben}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Nigerian sportsmen Category:Nigerian men's footballers Category:Footballers from Kaduna Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Nigeria Professional Football League players Category:Kaduna United F.C. players Category:Enyimba F.C. players Category:Kano Pillars F.C. players Category:Scottish Professional Football League players Category:Kilmarnock F.C. players Category:Belgian Pro League players Category:SK Beveren players Category:Primeira Liga players Category:Saudi First Division League players Category:Saudi Pro League players Category:Boavista F.C. players Category:Slovak First Football League players Category:AS Trenčín players Category:Veikkausliiga players Category:Najran S.FC players Category:Abha Club players Category:Al-Fayha Club players Category:Al-Ain FC (Saudi Arabia) players Category:Kuopion Palloseura players Category:Nigeria men's international footballers Category:2013 Africa Cup of Nations players Category:2014 FIFA World Cup players Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Slovakia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Finland Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Slovakia Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Finland Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Category:Members of the Order of the Niger