Jake O'Brien (footballer)

Jake O'Brien

O'Brien in 2024
Personal information
Full name	Jake Patrick O'Brien [1]
Date of birth	(2001-05-15) 15 May 2001 (age 23) [2]
Place of birth	County Cork, Ireland
Height	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) [2]
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Everton
Number	15
Youth career
2010–2013	Youghal United
2013–2018	Lakewood Athletic
2018–2019	Cork City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2021	Cork City	9	(0)
2021	→ Crystal Palace (loan)	0	(0)
2021–2023	Crystal Palace	0	(0)
2022	→ Swindon Town (loan)	19	(0)
2022–2023	→ RWD Molenbeek (loan)	30	(3)
2023–2024	Lyon	27	(4)
2024–	Everton	2	(0)
International career‡
2021–2022	Republic of Ireland U21	11	(0)
2024–	Republic of Ireland	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:43, 1 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:38, 7 September 2024 (UTC)

Jake Patrick O'Brien (born 15 May 2001) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Everton and the Republic of Ireland national team.

O'Brien began his career at Cork City, moving on loan to English club Crystal Palace before the move was made permanent. He spent loan spells at Swindon Town and Belgian club RWD Molenbeek, before moving to French club Lyon in 2023. After one season he returned to England, signing for Everton.

He represented Ireland at under-21 level, before making his senior team debut in 2024.

Early life

Born in County Cork, ^[3] O'Brien grew up in Youghal, ^[4] and in his youth also boxed and played hurling, winning national championships in both at Under-14s level. ^[5] O'Brien excelled in football as a youth, captaining Youghal United to underage honours, also captaining Cork to the 2013 SFAI Under-12 Inter-League Cup. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

Club career

O'Brien played for Cork City before moving on loan to English club Crystal Palace in February 2021, ^[9] with the move made permanent in August 2021. ^{[10] [11] [5]} He appeared for the Under-23 team at Palace, including in the EFL Trophy. ^[12] He moved on loan to Swindon Town in January 2022, ^[12] playing a total of 21 games.

In August 2022, O'Brien was loaned to Belgian club RWD Molenbeek, along with teammate Luke Plange, for the 2022–23 season. ^[13] RWD Molenbeek qualified for the 2022-23 Challenger Pro League promotion play-offs in his first season with the club, holding a one-point lead over Beveren with two games remaining. ^[14] O'Brien won the first trophy of his career as Molenbeek clinched the division. ^[15]

In August 2023 he signed for French club Lyon, ^[16] making his Ligue 1 debut on 1 October 2023. ^[17] In doing so he became the first Irishman since Tony Cascarino in 2000 to play in Ligue 1. ^[18] On 25 May 2024, he scored in the 2024 Coupe de France final as his side were defeated 2–1 by PSG. ^[19]

In July 2024, after one season in France, O'Brien returned to England, signing a four-year contract with Premier League club Everton. ^[20]

International career

O'Brien has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-21 level, ^[3] making 11 appearances between 2021 and 2022. His first call-up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad came in March 2024, ahead of their friendly games against Belgium and Switzerland. ^[21] On 4 June 2024, O'Brien debuted in a friendly match against Hungary. ^[22]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 1 December 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup [a]		League cup [b]		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cork City	2019 [23]	LOI Premier Division	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2020 [23]		8	0	1	0	—		3 [c]	0	12	0
	2021 [23]	LOI First Division	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
	Total		9	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	13	0
Crystal Palace (loan)	2020–21 [24]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
Crystal Palace U21	2021–22 [25]	—			—		—		1 [d]	0	1	0
Crystal Palace	2021–22 [25]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2022–23 [26]		0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Swindon Town (loan)	2021–22 [25]	League Two	19	0	0	0	—		2 [e]	0	21	0
RWD Molenbeek (loan)	2022–23 [3]	Challenger Pro League	30	3	1	0	—		—		31	3
Lyon	2023–24 [3]	Ligue 1	27	4	5	1	—		—		32	5
Everton	2024–25 [27]	Premier League	2	0	0	0	2	0	—		4	0
Career total			87	7	7	1	2	0	6	0	102	8

1. Includes FAI Cup, FA Cup, Belgian Cup, Coupe de France
2. Includes League of Ireland Cup, EFL Cup
3. Appearances in Munster Senior Cup
4. Appearance in EFL Trophy
5. Appearances in League Two play-offs

International

As of match played 7 September 2024

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Republic of Ireland
	2024	3	0
Total		3	0

Honours

RWD Molenbeek

• Challenger Pro League: 2022–23 ^[15]

Lyon

• Coupe de France runner-up: 2023–24 ^[28]

References

1. "2024/25 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
2. "Jake O'Brien: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
3. Jake O'Brien at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
4. "Jake O'Brien is flying high: Youghal native thrives with Crystal Palace". echo live. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
5. Fallon, John (9 November 2021). "Jake O'Brien confident he can play part in Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace revolution". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
6. "Youghal United AFC Facebook". Facebook . 25 May 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
7. John O'Shea (13 June 2024). "Jake O'Brien learned his trade with Youghal United but was just as good at hurling and boxing". The Echo (Cork) . Retrieved 12 October 2024.
8. Dylan O'Connell (21 May 2024). "Youghal's Jake O'Brien key to Lyon's revival in France". The Echo (Cork) . Retrieved 12 October 2024.
9. Dollery, Paul (3 February 2021). "Crystal Palace move confirmed for 19-year-old Cork City defender". The42.
10. "Jake O'Brien joins Crystal Palace". 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
11. Barry, Stephen (16 August 2021). "Cork City defender Jake O'Brien signs for Crystal Palace on permanent deal". Irish Examiner.
12. "Swindon sign Palace centre-back O'Brien". BBC Sport. 4 January 2022.
13. "Luke Plange and Jake O'Brien join RWD Molenbeek on loan – News". Crystal Palace F.C. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
14. "RWDM cannot deal a blow in title fight with draw against Beveren". Archysport. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
15. Times, The Brussels. "RWD Molenbeek win promotion back to Jupiler Pro League". www.brusselstimes.com.
16. "Irish Under-21 defender Jake O'Brien signs long-term deal with French club Lyon". Independent.ie. 15 August 2023.
17. "Lyon debut for Jake O'Brien as Troy Parrott shows his class in local Dutch derby". Independent.ie. 1 October 2023.
18. "Jake O'Brien is first Irishman to play in Ligue 1 since 2000". The 42. 2 October 2023.
19. "Jake O'Brien goal in French Cup final not enough to prevent Lyon defeat to PSG". Irish Independent. 25 May 2024.
20. "Jake O'Brien: Everton sign Republic of Ireland defender from Lyon". BBC Sport. 30 July 2024.
21. "Sammie Szmodics, Finn Azaz and Jake O'Brien called into John O'Shea's first Ireland squad". Irish Independent. 14 March 2024.
22. Fennessy, Paul (4 June 2024). "'I love being under pressure' – The Irishman who marked Mbappe" . The42.ie.
23. Jake O'Brien Profile Cork City F.C.
24. "Games played by Jake O'Brien in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
25. "Games played by Jake O'Brien in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
26. "Games played by Jake O'Brien in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
27. "Games played by Jake O'Brien in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
28. "PSG beat Lyon 2–1 to win French Cup final in Mbappe's farewell appearance". Reuters . 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.

External links

• Profile at the Everton F.C. website
• Jake O'Brien – UEFA competition record ( archive )