Kwasi Sibo: From the Armenian League to Spanish La Liga

Former midfielder of Yerevan’s “Banants” (now “Urartu”) Kwasi Sibo has made his way to the top division of Spanish football. His current club, Real Oviedo, secured promotion to La Liga following a successful season.

The team finished third in the league and then defeated Mirandés 3–2 on aggregate in the playoffs. The 27-year-old Ghanaian was one of Oviedo’s key players: he made 38 appearances during the season, scoring one goal and providing one assist. Sibo started and played all 90 minutes in each of the four playoff matches.

Sibo began his football journey in Ghana and moved to Armenia at the age of 18. He played the 2017/18 season with Banants and caught the eye of scouts, leading to a contract with English club Watford. He then moved to Spain—first to Segunda B, then Segunda, and now finally to the long-awaited La Liga.

Kwasi Sibo’s contract with Real Oviedo runs until the summer of 2026.

Thus, Sibo becomes one of the most successful foreign players to start his career in the Armenian league. Only a handful of footballers have managed to reach one of Europe’s top five leagues after playing in Armenia.

Before him, only one player made the move from the Armenian league to La Liga: Armenian national team captain Varazdat Haroyan, who played for Cádiz in the 2021/22 season. Among other foreigners who built successful careers after Armenia are:

• goalkeeper Apoula Edel, who played for PSG and the Armenian national team;

• Marcos Pizzelli, a key figure in the Armenian national team;

• Mohamed Konaté, now a regular in the Russian Premier League;

• forward Ebert, who shone in Croatia and MLS;

• defender Vitali Stezhko, who joined Russian champions Krasnodar this summer;

• Hilarion Gura, who transferred from Ararat to Belgian side Gent in January 2025;

• William Pottker, who, after a season with Gandzasar, played for many years in Brazil’s Série A.

Now, Kwasi Sibo joins this distinguished list. His story is yet more proof that the Armenian league can be a launching pad to great achievements.