Ayo Akinola

Ayo Akinola
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-01-20) January 20, 2000
Place of birth Detroit, Michigan, United States
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Toronto FC
Number 20
Youth career
2008–2014 Brampton Blast
2015–2017 Toronto FC Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016– Toronto FC II 24 (7)
2018– Toronto FC 3 (0)
National team‡
2015 United States U15 7 (5)
2015–2017 United States U17 10 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of July 4, 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 30, 2017

Ayo Akinola (born January 20, 2000) is an American soccer player who currently plays as a forward for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Club career

Toronto FC II

A product of the TFC Academy, Akinola was called up to the Toronto FC II set-up for the 2016 USL season.[1] On June 15, 2016, he made his debut as an 80th-minute substitute for Shaan Hundal in a 1–1 draw with FC Montreal. Akinola made his first start a week later in a 4–1 defeat to Louisville City.[2] On July 11, he scored a brace in a 4–2 win against the Harrisburg City Islanders and was named to the USL Team of the Week.[3] He finished the season with two goals from 10 appearances.

Akinola trialled with Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven in November 2017.[4]

Toronto FC

On December 18, 2017, Akinola signed as a homegrown player with Major League Soccer side Toronto FC.[5] He became the 15th player to graduate from the TFC Academy and sign for the first team, and the 34th academy graduate to sign a professional contract for one of the Toronto FC teams.[6]

International career

In April 2015, Akinola made his international debut for the United States U15 national soccer team, appearing in a 4–1 victory against Costa Rica. The following day he scored his first international goal, netting four in a 6–2 win against Croatia. He also scored in his final appearances for the U15s in a 3–3 draw in England.[7]

In December 2015, Akinola was called up to the United States U17 squad and played 40 minutes in a 3–2 defeat to England U16s. He scored his first goal against Brazil in March 2016, before scoring a brace against Russia a few days later. In October 2017, Akinola scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Ghana at the FIFA U17 World Cup in India.[8]

Personal life

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Akinola moved to and raised in Brampton, Ontario as a child. He is eligible to play internationally for the United States, Canada or Nigeria.[9][10] Akinola's younger brother Tom is a member of the TFC Academy and has attended a Canadian under-14 camp.

Career statistics

As of October 6th, 2018
Club League Season League Playoffs Cup[lower-alpha 1] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Toronto FC II United Soccer League 2016 10 2 0 0 0 0 10 2
2018 14 5 0 0 0 0 14 5
Toronto FC Major League Soccer 2018 3 0 0 0 2 1 5 1
Career total 27 7 0 0 0 0 29 8
  1. ↑ Includes Canadian Championship matches.

References

  1. ↑ "Ayo Akinola". Toronto FC. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  2. ↑ "USA – A. Akinola – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2016-06-30.
  3. ↑ "Ayo Akinola Named To USL Team Of The Week". Toronto FC. July 12, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  4. ↑ Grossi, James (November 15, 2017). "Toronto FC academy player, US U-17 Ayo Akinola takes trial with PSV". MLS Soccer. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Teenage forward Ayo Akinola signs as Toronto FC homegrown player". Toronto Sun. 2017-12-18. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
  6. ↑ "Toronto FC Sign Ayo Akinola". torontofc.ca. MLS. December 18, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Ayo Akinola". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved 2016-06-30.
  8. ↑ "TFC's Akinola scores as US U-17s edge Ghana in key U-17 World Cup clash". October 9, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Toronto FC II's Akinola Ascending with U.S. U17s". USL Soccer. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  10. ↑ Kingsley, Igho (September 19, 2017). "Toronto FC wonderkid Akinola set to follow in the footsteps of Man Utd's Olosunde". All Nigeria Soccer. Retrieved October 6, 2017.


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