₦airaland Forum

What
Erling Haaland of Manchester City said about Bassey

It's not easy [playing in the Premier League]. It's hard, it's very hard. Coming from Germany, here, it's different; it's more physical,” the former RB Salzburg striker said.

“It's more about duels, about contact. Even playing against Fulham, that's a top team. Look at the game, it's 5-4 in the end.


“It's incredible. When you play against Calvin Bassey, you know. How strong is he?

What
Uganda striker Uche Ikpeazu said about Bassey

The St. Johnstone forward admitted the Nigeria centre-back made life difficult for him during the opening period of the game.

“He (Bassey) played for 45 minutes. Yeah, it was a good battle, he is a good defender, very strong, lots to learn,”

The 30-year-old acknowledged the difficulty of the contest, especially after Uganda were reduced to ten men late in the match

Calvin Bassey biography: All you need to know about the Super Eagles defensive titan with falling shorts

Calvin Bassey has gradually established himself in the Super Eagles squad, a team widely regarded by many football aficionados as one of the most talented collections of African footballers assembled under national colours.

In this article, we explore the career and qualities of Calvin Bassey, the versatile powerhouse who has won the hearts of the Nigerian football community, Fulham fans, and all who have had the pleasure of watching him play.

How old is Calvin Bassey?
Calvin Bassey- Photo by IMAGO
Born in Aosta, Italy, on December 31, 1999, the Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey is 25 years old at the time of writing.

What is Calvin Bassey’s full name?
Calvin Ughelumba Bassey was born to Nigerian parents, Kingsley Ikena Ughelumba and Ebere Bassey Etim, who migrated to Italy in search of better opportunities.

What is Calvin Bassey’s height?
Standing at 1.85m (6 ft 1 in), Calvin Bassey possesses an imposing physical presence, making him a formidable force in both defensive and aerial duels.

What is with Calvin Bassey’s shorts?
In a Premier League fixture against Brighton, Bassey went viral for an unusual reason. Filling in at left-back, fans quickly noticed his shorts kept falling below his buttocks.


The defender took to social media to address the controversy, amid speculation that he may have been accidentally given the wrong size by the club’s kit managers.

Bassey’s early life story and club career
Born in Italy and raised in England, Calvin Bassey holds Nigerian-Italian nationality and is of Igbo ethnicity. His father, Kingsley, hails from Umunnamehi Ihiala in Anambra State, while his mother, Ebere, is from Oron in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Bassey pursued his early education at Rokeby School in London, an all-boys institution offering the IGCSE curriculum. Raised in Newham, a borough of London, a young Calvin Bassey began his footballing journey at CrownPro Elite Football Academy before further developing his skills at CM Futsal Academy.

Calvin Bassey- Photo by IMAGO
It was at these grassroots institutions that the towering defender refined his game before earning a move to Leicester City’s academy at the age of 15.

Joining Rangers from Leicester City in the summer of 2020, Calvin Bassey quickly integrated into the squad after signing a pre-contract with the Scottish giants on 6 June. He made his professional debut on 9 August 2020, coming on as a substitute in a 3–0 Scottish Premiership victory over St Mirren.

During his two-year stint at Ibrox, Bassey played a pivotal role in Rangers’ domestic and European campaigns. He netted his first and only goal for the club in a commanding 4-0 Scottish League Cup win over Falkirk.

His standout performances were instrumental in Rangers’ remarkable run to the 2022 UEFA Europa League final, where they narrowly lost to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties. His time at Rangers not only solidified his reputation as a versatile and dependable defender but also set the stage for the next chapter of his career.

In July 2022, Rangers confirmed the sale of Calvin Bassey to Ajax for a club-record fee of approximately £20 million, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Calvin Bassey- Photo by IMAGO
His debut for the Dutch giants came in the 2022 Johan Cruyff Shield on 31 July, but it was far from ideal, as he received a straight red card just 15 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Despite spending only one season in Amsterdam, Bassey gained valuable experience in the Eredivisie and European competitions before moving on to his next challenge.

In the summer of 2023, Fulham secured the signing of Calvin Bassey from Ajax for a transfer fee of €21 million. The Nigerian defender committed to a contract running until the summer of 2027, with the club holding an option to extend his stay by an additional 12 months.

Bassey’s international career
Bassey pledged his international allegiance to Nigeria in 2021, accepting a call-up for the Super Eagles’ 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He made his debut on 25 March 2022 in a goalless draw against Ghana.

Since then, the versatile defender has earned 231 caps for Nigeria, establishing himself as a key figure in the national team setup.

Calvin Bassey biography: All you need to know about the Super Eagles defensive titan dominating Van Dijk, Saliba
Photo by Icon Sport
What is Calvin Bassey’s market value and salary?
As of August 2025, Calvin Bassey’s market value is estimated at €25 million, according to Transfermarkt.

Meanwhile, Salary Sport reports that the Fulham defender earns £47,000 per week, amounting to an annual salary of £2,444,000. His net worth is currently valued at £7,080,320.

Does Calvin Bassey have siblings?
Bassey comes from a close-knit family and has three brothers—Matthew, Elvis, and Michael. While little is publicly known about them, Matthew is reportedly a rapper based in the UK, performing under the stage name YCB.

Frequently asked questions about Calvin Bassey
Was Calvin Bassey born and raised in Nigeria? No. Bassey was born in Italy but raised in the United Kingdom.

Are Calvin Bassey’s parents Nigerians? Yes. Bassey’s parents are Nigerians. His fatherKingsley Ikena Ughelumba hails from Umunnamehi Ihiala in Anambra State, while his mother Ebere Bassey Etim is from Oron in Akwa Ibom State.

How much is Calvin Bassey’s salary per week? At present, Bassey earns £47,000 per week.

Na only him and Osimhen dey play with passion for S/Eagles.
The others na push n' start. 😁

EyeCumInPeace:
Na only him and Osimhen dey play with passion for S/Eagles.
The others na push n' start. 😁

He is original 26 years old. Looks it

This is great, all the best

EyeCumInPeace:
Na only him and Osimhen dey play with passion for S/Eagles.
The others na push n' start. 😁

Osimhen plays for himself
He sees himself as Ronaldo
Pride

Look how he touches others on their head when celebrating, as if they are his boys

Na even my backyard for ihiala he comes from, his town is not far from my own town too. What a coincidence.

srong defender very strong

robosky02:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Bassey

Very solid defender.
One of the best in his position worldwide at the moment.
Dude has matured with his play so immensely. Seldom commits fouls. Good in the air, quick with his feet. Good quality passes across the field.
Infact, by all standards, Calvin Bassey is the best left footed center back globally as we speak..
The big clubs are sleeping on this dude.
I mean he's just 25! Yet so good..

Happy birthday, lil bro..

Happy birthday Calvin, the question I need to clarify is, why is your pants always falling down? Why can't you pull up your shots up to your waist like a decent footballer? No one is really interested in seeing your drawers while on the pitch, it's disgusting, grow up. The camera actually captured you on your last EPL match, pulling down your shots!!! Like dude, who's there to see your undies at a football match, ridiculous. Happy birthday though.

One of the Nigerian Fulham boys

mpires:
Happy birthday Calvin, the question I need to clarify is, why is your pants always falling down? Why can't you pull up your shots up to your waist like a decent footballer? No one is really interested in seeing your drawers while on the pitch, it's disgusting, grow up. The camera actually captured you on your last EPL match, pulling down your shots!!! Like dude, who's there to see your undies at a football match, ridiculous. Happy birthday though.

I dey always fear for am say the thing fit fall from him waist but e no dey fall o. Anyway as far as it doesn't restrict his movement and his coaches don't mind then I guess he's good to go.

Happy birthday to my best center back in the super eagles of today. The guy is a rock and he is also good with long diagonal passes. What a talented young player.

If it was Nigeria born player, all of you will be shouting football age here and there without mercy forgetting that Nigerian youth are being denied opportunities that others get for free in the west, here nepotism , tribalism, man know man , wickedness won't allow youth get to where they re meant to, if things are to be done on merit, there will be no need for lies.,
imagine one person stealing billions of money meant for the masses , he will be jailed for few days and then free to enjoy the stolen money, most Nigerians re trying to survive so if they have to reduce their age to get a job, they do it
so before you start to judge people think twice

Cmanforall:
Osimhen plays for himself
He sees himself as Ronaldo
Pride

Look how he touches others on their head when celebrating, as if they are his boys

Haaaa inferiority complex shey eee..what a big deal in that.what about the players that shake the ref or when the champion won the trophy, can't u c how they shake the top officials when receiving their medals..pls behave like a mature guy

Happy Birthday Ankara Bassey the solid rock

Ayobeck:
Haaaa inferiority complex shey eee..what a big deal in that.what about the players that shake the ref or when the champion won the trophy, can't u c how they shake the top officials when receiving their medals..pls behave like a mature guy

Even as Onuachu tall Pas’s am, he still was reaching for his head.
Europeans may greet that way, but in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, people know what that means. It’s not a complex issue, it’s a cultural thing. Greet or celebrate with your fellow Africans , not trying to belittle them.
Simple!

Happy birthday Bassey!
You have shown dedication to Nigeria!

Happy birthday to him, he's a very strong defender.

Cmanforall:
Even as Onuachu tall Pas’s am, he still was reaching for his head.
Europeans may greet that way, but in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, people know what that means. It’s not a complex issue, it’s a cultural thing. Greet or celebrate with your fellow Africans , not trying to belittle them.
Simple!

😂 But to me there's no big deal jawe

Happy birthday, The Custodian of our defence

You know how to read the game a lot.

Long life and more happiness

I

Inyaky:
If it was Nigeria born player, all of you will be shouting football age here and there without mercy forgetting that Nigerian youth are being denied opportunities that others get for free in the west, here nepotism , tribalism, man know man , wickedness won't allow youth get to where they re meant to, if things are to be done on merit, there will be no need for lies.,
imagine one person stealing billions of money meant for the masses , he will be jailed for few days and then free to enjoy the stolen money, most Nigerians re trying to survive so if they have to reduce their age to get a job, they do it
so before you start to judge people think twice

Can you summarise your point?

mpires:
Happy birthday Calvin, the question I need to clarify is, why is your pants always falling down? Why can't you pull up your shots up to your waist like a decent footballer? No one is really interested in seeing your drawers while on the pitch, it's disgusting, grow up. The camera actually captured you on your last EPL match, pulling down your shots!!! Like dude, who's there to see your undies at a football match, ridiculous. Happy birthday though.

I don't know how you go to watch his private part in an ongoing football match. Just too irrelevant point you bring up here. It's not an intention but if you check well, it could be his easiest way to survive breathing well and surviving gassing out as it happens to me too.
Anyway, I am only speculating but it's all a trivial part of what we watch.
Just celebrate him for now

Happy birthday Bassey

robosky02:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Bassey

Our tollgate Happy Birthday

donmik:
I

Can you summarise your point?

My point is , people should take it easy on Nigerian players, it's very difficult for home based players to get slot in super eagle no matter how good you are unless they know someone up there.

Haydens:


Na even my backyard for ihiala he comes from, his town is not far from my own town too. What a coincidence.

but you are not quarter as great as him so why the coincidence

Ayobeck:
😂 But to me there's no big deal jawe

Yeah, no big deal 😁

But one can see he’s forcing to touch all of those players who came to celebrate on their head. Culturally in Nigeria, it is more like ‘boy’ 😁

Even Osimhen did it to Ugandan goalkeeper.

As a player, I won’t accept such. You can hug, tap on the back etc, but not head

Wach this clip



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KzH5W5fAls?si=Pqaxs8qABTFghSiF

EyeCumInPeace:
Na only him and Osimhen dey play with passion for S/Eagles.
The others na push n' start. 😁

What about lookman and Olaina?