Gambian International Modou Barrow has become the first Gambian player to score a Premier League goal, meaning that 95 different nationalities have now netted in the Premier League.
The Gambian made history when he netted in his side (Swansea) dramatic 3-2 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.
Barrow took his 39th-minute equaliser brilliantly against Bournemouth though the Swans eventually went down 3-2 at the Vitality Stadium.
Modou Barrow’s impressive goal at Bournemouth might not have won Swansea City any points, but it did win him a place in the record books.
The winger’s first-half strike not only was his first league goal in Swans colours; it was also the first goal scored by a Gambian in the Premier League.
The Banjul-born speedster ensured his country became the 95th different nation to be represented on the list of Premier League goal scorers.
Max Gradel slotted the home side in front after a cross was palmed into his path but Modou Barrow cut in from the right and curled in a shot to equalise.
Joshua King drilled in a strike to restore Bournemouth’s lead, only for Gylfi Sigurdsson to fire in and level. But Steve Cook headed in late on to clinch the win for the Cherries.
Barrow completed his transfer to Premier League side Swansea City for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £1.5 million on 30 August 2014.
He became the first Gambian footballer to play in the Premier League – Omar Koroma spent two seasons at Portsmouth starting in 2008, but failed to make an appearance.
Barrow went straight into the Under-21s squad and on 28 October 2014, he was included on the bench for Swansea’s League Cup match against Liverpool. He was assigned the squad number 58.
On 9 November 2014, Barrow made his Swansea City and Premier League debut against Arsenal, coming on in place of Marvin Emnes for the last 23 minutes of a 2–1 home win.
He scored his first Swansea goal on 3 January 2015 in a 6–2 win at Tranmere Rovers in the third round of the FA Cup.
Following an impressive start to his Swansea career, Barrow signed a new four-year contract until June 2018.
Barrow was loaned to Nottingham Forest on 11 March 2015 until the end of the 2014-15 season.
On 10 August 2015, Barrow was loaned to Blackburn Rovers on a three-month emergency loan and made his debut the next day in their 1–2 home defeat to Shrewsbury Town in the first round of the League Cup, as a 57th-minute replacement for John O’Sullivan.
On 8 September, he was recalled by Swansea.
On 31 March 2015, Barrow was called up for the Sweden national under-21 football team, however he pulled out of the squad due to an injury he had sustained.
In May 2015, he was called up for the Gambia national football team, and on 22 May, he confirmed on his Twitter account that he had decided to play for his native Gambia.
The 23-year-old made his debut for Gambia during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification in a goalless draw away to South Africa on 13 June 2015.
