Jamal Baptiste

Jamal Baptiste

Personal information
Full name	Jamal Marcus Baptiste [1]
Date of birth	(2003-11-11) 11 November 2003 (age 21) [2]
Place of birth	Redbridge, England
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) [2]
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Sheffield United
Number	26
Youth career
2011–2020	West Ham United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2023	West Ham United	0	(0)
2023–2024	Manchester City	0	(0)
2023	→ Lommel (loan)	3	(0)
2024–	Sheffield United	1	(0)
International career‡
2019	England U16	6	(0)
2019	England U17	2	(0)
2021	England U19	6	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:10, 22 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:45, 13 November 2021 (UTC)

Jamal Marcus Baptiste (born 11 November 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Sheffield United.

Club career

Baptiste joined West Ham United at the age of eight. ^[3] In the 2018–19 season, Baptiste broke into West Ham's under-18 squad, whilst still a schoolboy. Baptiste later debuted for the under-23s at the age of 15, becoming the second youngest ever player to represent West Ham's under-23 side. ^[4] Upon his 17th birthday, on 11 November 2020, Baptiste signed his first professional contract with West Ham. ^[5] On 23 January 2021, Baptiste made his debut, as a substitute, for West Ham in a 4–0 FA Cup win against Doncaster Rovers. ^[6] On 9 December 2021, he played a full-match for West Ham in a 1–0 home defeat against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League. ^[7]

In May 2023, Baptiste said he would be leaving West Ham at the end of the 2022–23 season as he felt he had played sufficient academy level football and was ready to play in a first-team environment. He also revealed a diagnosis of Guillain–Barré syndrome which had kept him out of the game for five months, and the help he had received with treatment from the personal doctor of West Ham chairman, David Sullivan. ^[7]

On 2 September 2023, Baptise made a move to English club Manchester City as a free agent, and on the same day, he was loaned out to Belgian side Lommel. ^[8] The loan was for half a season, until the end of 2023. ^[9]

Without playing for the club, he was released by Manchester City at the end of the 2023–24 season. ^[10]

On 5 November 2024, he signed for Championship club Sheffield United, joining the club's under-21s side. ^[11]

International career

In October 2019, after previously representing England's under-16 side, Baptiste was called up for England's under-17s for the first time. ^[12]

On 2 September 2021, Baptiste made his debut for England U19, starting a 2–0 victory over Italy U19s at St George's Park. ^[13]

Style of play

Terry Westley, academy manager at West Ham during Baptiste's formative years, has praised Baptiste's height, power and pace. ^[14] West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna has lauded Baptiste's composure, ^[3] with former West Ham striker Carlton Cole comparing Baptiste to former West Ham academy graduate Rio Ferdinand after coaching Baptiste in the club's academy. Baptiste himself has said he models his game on Virgil van Dijk and former West Ham and England defender Matthew Upson. ^[15]

Career statistics

As of match played 9 December 2021

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
West Ham United U21	2019–20 [16]	—			—		—		1 [a]	0	1	0
	2020–21 [17]	—			—		—		3 [a]	0	3	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	4	0
West Ham United	2020–21 [17]	Premier League	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2021–22 [17]		0	0	0	0	0	0	1 [b]	0	1	0
	2022–23 [17]		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	0
Career total			0	0	1	0	0	0	5	0	6	0

1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
2. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

References

1. Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
2. "Jamal Baptiste". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
3. "West Ham wonderkid Jamal Baptiste outlines his inspiration after signing first pro deal". Football London. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
4. "Jamal Baptiste". West Ham United F.C. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
5. "Jamal Baptiste signs first professional contract". West Ham United F.C. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
6. "West Ham United 4–0 Doncaster Rovers". BBC Sport. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
7. Colman, Jonty (24 May 2023). "Jamal Baptiste confirms West Ham exit and lifts lid on David Moyes' comments". Football.London. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
8. "Jamal Baptiste joins Man City as free agent from West Ham". Tribuna.com. 2 September 2023.
9. "WELKOM JAMAL BAPTISTE!" [WELCOME JAMAL BAPTISTE!] (in Dutch). Lommel SK. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
10. Lucas, Damien Charles (6 June 2024). "Man City release star they signed from West Ham after just one year". Hammers News. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
11. "Jamal Baptiste signs". www.sufc.co.uk. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
12. "West Ham United Academy trio receive England call-ups". West Ham United F.C. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
13. "England MU19s 2-0 Italy". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
14. "West Ham youngster must pay no attention to big praise". HITC. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
15. "Carlton Cole says impressive academy prospect Jamal Baptiste has been training with West Ham first team and could be the new Rio Ferdinand". Hammers News. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
16. "Games played by Jamal Baptiste in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
17. "Games played by Jamal Baptiste in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 February 2021.

External links

• Jamal Baptiste at Soccerway