Kobe Franklin

Kobe Franklin

Franklin with Toronto FC II in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Kobe Lloyd Franklin
Date of birth	(2003-05-10) May 10, 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Toronto FC
Number	19
Youth career
	Beach Community Soccer
	Power Soccer
	Evanston SC
2012–2016	Chicago Fire FC
2017–2021	Toronto FC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018	Toronto FC III	1	(1)
2021–2022	Toronto FC II	44	(4)
2022	→ Toronto FC (loan)	1	(0)
2023–	Toronto FC	48	(0)
International career‡
2019	Canada U17	2	(0)
2022–	Canada U20	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 5, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 26, 2022

Kobe Lloyd Franklin (born May 10, 2003) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a defender for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Early life

Born in Toronto, Franklin began playing soccer at age four with Beach Community Soccer. ^{[1] [2]} Shortly after he began to play with Power Soccer Academy. ^[3] When he was 9, his family moved to Chicago, where he began playing with Evanston SC before quickly joining the academy of Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire. ^[3] He later returned to Toronto, joining the Toronto FC Academy in February 2017. ^[4]

Club career

He made his senior debut playing for the Senior Academy team, Toronto FC III, on August 19, 2018, in League1 Ontario against Ottawa South United, scoring a 94th minute goal, becoming the youngest ever goal scorer in League1 Ontario at the age of 15 years, 3 months. ^[5]

On May 13, 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Toronto FC II of USL League One to join the team for the 2021 season. ^[4] He made his debut for Toronto FC II on May 22, 2021, against North Texas SC. ^[6] He scored his first professional goal on August 18 against Forward Madison. ^[7] On October 1, he recorded two assists and set up a third goal (although was not credited with a third assist) in a 3–0 victory over North Carolina FC. ^[8] For the 2021 season, he was named a league First Team All-Star and was a finalist for both the USL League One Young Player of the Year and Defender of the Year awards. ^{[9] [10]} He was subsequently invited to training camp with the first team ahead of the 2022 season (and once again for the 2023 season). ^[11]

On April 1, 2022, he joined the first team, Toronto FC on a short-term four-day loan. ^[12] He signed additional four day loans on April 23, May 4, and May 7. ^{[13] [14] [15]} He made his Major League Soccer debut on May 4, 2022, as a second half substitute against FC Cincinnati. ^[16] In February 2023, he signed a two-year homegrown player contract with two option years with Toronto FC. ^{[17] [18]} After a few substitute appearances, Franklin made his first start on April 29, 2023 against New York City FC. ^{[19] [20]} On August 4, 2024, he scored his first goal for the club, netting the winning goal, in a 2-1 victory over Mexican side Pachuca in the 2024 Leagues Cup. ^{[21] [22]}

International career

Franklin represented the Canada U17 team at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup. ^[23] In June 2022, he was named to the Canadian U-20 team for the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. ^[24]

Career statistics

As of match played October 5, 2024 ^[25]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Playoffs		National cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Toronto FC III	2018 [26]	League1 Ontario	1	1	—		—		—		0	0	1	1
Toronto FC II	2021	USL League One	24	2	—		—		—		—		24	2
	2022	MLS Next Pro	20	2	2	0	—		—		—		22	2
	Total		44	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	46	0
Toronto FC (loan)	2022	Major League Soccer	1	0	—		0	0	—		—		1	0
Toronto FC	2023		27	0	—		1	0	—		1 [lower-alpha 1]	0	29	0
	2024		21	0	—		5	0	—		2 [lower-alpha 1]	1	28	1
	Total		49	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	3	1	58	1
Career total			94	5	2	0	6	0	0	0	3	1	105	6

1. Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup

References

1. Kobe Franklin at the Canadian Soccer Association
2. Vigliano, Ricardo (October 9, 2019). "Kobe Franklin, who started his soccer career in the Beach, set to suit up for Canada at FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil". Beach Metro Community News.
3. Franklin, Kobe. "My Story". Kobe Franklin.
4. "Toronto FC II Sign Kobe Franklin". Toronto FC . May 13, 2021.
5. Whyte, Kacian (August 20, 2018). "TFC III Roll Over OSU 4-0 As Franklin Makes History". League1 Ontario .
6. "North Texas SC Falls 2-1 Away to Toronto FC II". FC Dallas . May 22, 2021.
7. Steiner, Ben (August 19, 2021). "A Resilient Group: TFC II level twice to claim a point in Wisconsin". Waking the Red.
8. Schnittker, Nicholas (October 1, 2021). "Trio of rapid second-half goals sinks North Carolina FC in Toronto". Technician .
9. "Franklin racks up two nominations for USL League One Awards". Toronto FC . November 9, 2021.
10. Molinaro, John (November 29, 2023). "Kobe Franklin a rare success story in TFC's disastrous season". TFC Republic.
11. Molinaro, John (March 10, 2023). "TFC's Kobe Franklin: 'Never any doubts in my mind I could play at this level so soon'". TFC Republic.
12. "Toronto FC sign defender Kobe Franklin to short-term agreement". Toronto FC . April 1, 2022.
13. "Toronto FC sign Antonoglou and Franklin to short-term agreement". Toronto FC . April 23, 2022.
14. "Toronto FC sign Antonoglou, Franklin, Rothrock and Yeates to short-term agreements". Toronto FC . May 4, 2022.
15. "Toronto adds Antonoglou, Franklin, Rothrock and Yeates to weekend roster". Toronto FC . May 7, 2022.
16. "Depleted Toronto FC concede early, drop 3rd straight in shutout loss to Cincinnati FC". CBC Sports . May 4, 2022.
17. "Toronto FC Sign Homegrown Defender Kobe Franklin". Toronto FC . February 24, 2023.
18. Molinaro, John (February 24, 2023). "Transaction tracker: TFC adds defender Kobe Franklin to roster". TFC Republic.
19. Molinaro, John (May 3, 2023). "Kobe Franklin rose to the occasion in his first start for TFC". TFC Republic.
20. Molinaro, John (September 13, 2023). "TFC's Kobe Franklin continues to come of age in his rookie year". TFC Republic.
21. "Franklin scores off bench as TFC edges Pachuca in Leagues Cup". TSN . August 4, 2024.
22. Molinaro, John (August 5, 2024). "TFC Tidbits: 1st career goal a proud moment for Kobe Franklin". TFC Republic.
23. Molinaro, John (October 25, 2019). "What you need to know: Canada at the U-17 FIFA World Cup". Canadian Premier League .
24. "Canada announces squad for Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship". Toronto FC. June 10, 2022.
25. Kobe Franklin at Soccerway
26. "Kobe Franklin 2018 Stats". League1 Ontario .