Matai Akinmboni
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | October 17, 2006 | ||
Place of birth | Annapolis, Maryland, United States | ||
Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | D.C. United | ||
Number | 45 | ||
Youth career | |||
2021–2022 | D.C. United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2022– | Loudoun United | 13 | (0) |
2022– | D.C. United | 13 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2024 | United States U19 | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of August 25, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 24, 2024 |
Matai Akinmboni (born October 17, 2006) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Major League Soccer club D.C. United.[2]
Club career
[edit]Akinmboni is a central defender who plays for D.C. United's USL affiliate Loudoun United while training at the D.C. United Academy.[3] His first professional appearance was on March 27, 2022, coming on as a substitute in the last four minutes of a Loudoun match against The Miami FC.[4] Akinmboni trained for two weeks with the German football club FC Bayern Munich in 2021, and was reported to have received "contractual terms"[5] from the club, but ultimately did not join the team.
On August 31, 2022, Akinmboni was signed by D.C. United to a homegrown contract, which allowed him to join the first team.[2] On the same day, he was featured as part of the team's gameday roster against NYCFC, but ultimately was not called to take the field for that game.[6] Akinmboni's first appearance with D.C. United would come on September 10, 2022, when he was given a starting spot and played the entire first half of a match against Real Salt Lake that ended in a 0–0 draw.[7]
International career
[edit]Akinmboni was born in the United States, but through his parentage, is also eligible to play for the senior teams of Nigeria or Ghana.[5] On August 16, 2022, he was called up to the United States men's national under-17 soccer team for their training camp.[8]
Personal life
[edit]Akinmboni is the nephew of retired Ghanaian player Sammy Kuffour, who played in the center back position, and was part of the Ghana national football team and FC Bayern Munich[9]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played August 24, 2024[10]
Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Loudoun United | 2022 | USL | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
2023 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||||
2024 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
Total | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||||
D.C. United | 2022 | MLS | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
2023 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
2024 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 2[b] | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||||
Total | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |||
Career total | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
- ^ Appearance(s) in U.S. Open Cup
- ^ Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup
References
[edit]- ^ "Matai Akinmboni". Major League Soccer. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "D.C. United Sign Defender Matai Akinmboni to a Homegrown Contract". D.C. United. Major League Soccer. August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "Generation Adidas U17 report". chasingacup.com. April 20, 2022.
- ^ "The Miami FC v Loudoun United FC". USL Championship. March 26, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Rohr arrives Germany as 14 year old Akin eligible to play for Nigeria, Ghana, USA joins Bayern Munich". owngoalnigeria.com. July 21, 2021.
- ^ "NYCvsDC 08-31-2022 Lineups | MLSsoccer.com". mlssoccer.
- ^ "RSLvsDC 09-10-2022 | 2022 MLS Match Recap". Major League Soccer. September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ "Twenty-Three Players Called For U-17 MYNT Training Camp In Chula Vista, Calif". US Soccer. August 16, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Appiah, Samuel (July 17, 2021). "Legendary Sammy Kuffour's nephew Matai Akimboni set to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich". Modern Ghana. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
- ^ Matai Akinmboni at Soccerway
External links
[edit]- Matai Akinmboni at Soccerway
- 2006 births
- Living people
- American sportspeople of Ghanaian descent
- American soccer players of Nigerian descent
- American men's soccer players
- Men's association football defenders
- Major League Soccer players
- USL Championship players
- Loudoun United FC players
- D.C. United players
- Homegrown Players (MLS)
- Soccer players from Maryland
- 21st-century American sportsmen