Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Kofi Balmer [1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 19 September 2000||
Place of birth | Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland [3] | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) [2] | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Motherwell | ||
Number | 5 | ||
Youth career | |||
Ballymena United | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2021 | Ballymena United | 80 | (8) |
2021–2022 | Larne | 35 | (3) |
2022–2024 | Crystal Palace | 0 | (0) |
2023–2024 | → Port Vale (loan) | 11 | (0) |
2024 | → AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 17 | (1) |
2024– | Motherwell | 0 | (0) |
International career | |||
2018 | Northern Ireland U19 | 5 | (0) |
2019–2022 | Northern Ireland U21 | 20 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:00, 29 April 2024 (UTC) |
Kofi Balmer (born 19 September 2000) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Scottish Premiership club Motherwell. He has won caps for Northern Ireland up to under-21 level.
Balmer made his debut in the NIFL Premiership with Ballymena United in April 2017, aged only 16. He spent just over four seasons with the club, playing on the losing side in the 2018 County Antrim Shield, 2018 Northern Ireland Football League Cup, and 2020 Irish Cup finals. He was named Ulster Young Footballer of the Year for the 2018–19 season. Upon joining Larne in 2021, he turned professional and would win the County Antrim Shield the following year. He was sold to Crystal Palace in August 2022, from where he was loaned out to Port Vale for the first half of the 2023–24 season and AFC Wimbledon for the second half. He signed with Scottish club Motherwell in June 2024.
Kofi Balmer was born on 19 September 2000 in Newtownabbey. [3] His parents named him Kofi – a name traditionally given to a child born on a Friday by the Akan people – reportedly after Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations. However, the family had no Ghanaian lineage, and he was born on a Tuesday. [4] [5]
Balmer scored on his NIFL Premiership debut for Ballymena United on 29 April 2017, aged only 16, securing a 1–1 draw at Coleraine. [6] [7] [8] Manager David Jeffrey described him as "an old head on young shoulders". [9] He played 27 matches in the 2017–18 season, and also featured in the County Antrim Shield defeat to Crusaders and in the Northern Ireland Football League Cup final defeat to Dungannon Swifts. [10] [11] He was named as Ulster Young Footballer of the Year in after featuring 28 times in the 2018–19 campaign. [7] He played 24 games in the 2019–20 season, including four appearances in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League. [2] He also played in the 2020 Irish Cup defeat to Glentoran at Windsor Park. [12] A key member of the team who delivered decisive performances on a regular basis, he scored four goals in sixteen games in the 2020–21 league campaign. [13] [14]
Balmer joined Irish Premiership rivals Larne to become a full-time professional. [7] During the 2021–22 season, he played 35 league games, [8] and also played in four UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying matches, where Larne made it to the third round where they were knocked out by Portuguese Primeira Liga side Paços de Ferreira despite winning 1–0 at Inver Park. [15] [16] Larne also won the County Antrim Shield, beating league champions Linfield in the final; [15] Balmer played in the 1–0 victory on 11 January, despite having to face his father's death the previous week. [17] He signed a contract extension the following month. [18]
On 11 August 2022, Balmer was signed to Crystal Palace for an undisclosed fee. [19] [20] Manager Patrick Vieira named him on the bench for three Premier League games in October 2022. [21] He featured 33 times for the under-21 side, including in the side's run to the Premier League International Cup final. [22] [21] On 15 July 2023, he joined League One side Port Vale on loan for the 2023–24 season, having already played for manager Andy Crosby in his international career. [23] [24] He tore his hamstring in a 1–0 defeat to Peterborough United at Vale Park on 24 October, which saw him ruled out of action for six weeks. [25] He was recalled to Crystal Palace on 16 January 2024, having played 16 games for the Valiants. [26]
On 31 January 2024, Balmer joined League Two club AFC Wimbledon on loan for the remainder of the 2023–24 season, having been recommended to the club by former Vale teammate Ethan Chislett. [27] Manager Johnnie Jackson said that "he will play a key role in helping us to kick-on in the second half of the season". [28] He scored his first goal in the English Football League in a 2–0 win at Notts County on 9 March. [29] He was reported to be a summer transfer target for St Mirren. [30]
On 11 June 2024, Balmer agreed on a two-year deal with Scottish Premiership club Motherwell, with the option of a further year. [31]
Balmer is a youth international for Northern Ireland, having played with the under-19s and under-21s, captaining both sides. [7]
Balmer was first called to the Northern Ireland senior team by Ian Baraclough in September 2022. [32] [33]
Playing mainly as a centre-back, Balmer is also able to play on both sides, as a full-back or a wing-back. [16] He is good on the ball and cool under pressure, with good leadership skills. [22] [34]
Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Ballymena United | 2016–17 [2] | NIFL Premiership | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
2017–18 [2] | NIFL Premiership | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
2018–19 [2] | NIFL Premiership | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
2019–20 [2] | NIFL Premiership | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
2020–21 [2] | NIFL Premiership | 16 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 | |
Total | 80 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 99 | 8 | ||
Larne | 2021–22 [2] | NIFL Premiership | 35 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 [lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 41 | 3 |
2022–23 [2] | NIFL Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 [lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 35 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 3 | ||
Crystal Palace | 2022–23 [35] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
2023–24 [36] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Crystal Palace U21 | 2022–23 [35] | — | — | — | 2 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
Port Vale (loan) | 2023–24 [36] | League One | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 16 | 0 |
AFC Wimbledon (loan) | 2023–24 [36] | League Two | 17 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
Motherwell | 2024–25 [37] | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
Career total | 143 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 177 | 12 |
Ballymena United
Larne
Individual
Crusaders Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premiership. The club, founded in 1898, is based in north Belfast and plays its home matches at Seaview.
Larne Football Club is a professional Northern Irish football club based in Larne, County Antrim, that competes in the NIFL Premiership.
Carrick Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club playing in NIFL Premiership. The club, founded in 1939, hails from Carrickfergus, County Antrim and plays its home matches at Taylors Avenue which is known as the Loughview Leisure Arena due to sponsorship reasons, which is owned by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Carrick Rangers main rivals are Larne, with matches between the sides being known as, "The East Antrim Derby." Ballyclare Comrades are also local rivals.
David Jonathan Healy is a Northern Irish former professional footballer and now football manager who is in charge at NIFL Premiership club Linfield.
Jeffrey Edward Hughes is a retired Northern Irish footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He has also played internationally for Northern Ireland, making his debut during their 2006 summer tour of the United States. He is currently Head of Youth Development Phase at Larne.
Albert Watson is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays for NIFL Premiership side Carrick Rangers.
David Gerard McDaid is an Irish professional footballer who plays for NIFL Premiership side Glenavon as a striker.
Daniel Anthony Kearns is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. Kearns joined Peterborough United from Dundalk in 2011 and had three separate loan spells with clubs across Northern England. He permanently joined Carlisle United after leaving Peterborough, and spent a year there before returning to Ireland, spending his later career at various clubs in the Irish Premiership and League of Ireland.
Cian Thomas Bolger is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Larne.
Joshua Glyn Carson is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder or a winger for NIFL Premiership club Ballymena United.
Sean O'Neill is a sportsman from Northern Ireland. He currently plays association football for NIFL Premiership club Ballymena United. He has also played inter-county Gaelic football for Antrim.
Ben James Kennedy is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or forward for NIFL Premiership club Ballymena United.
Gavin Whyte is a Northern Irish professional footballer who is a free agent that most recently played as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Portsmouth and the Northern Ireland national team.
Graham Kelly is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for NIFL Premiership club Coleraine. He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-18 and under-19 level.
Shea Martin Gordon is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for NIFL Premiership side Cliftonville. He has previously played for Sheffield United, Motherwell, Stalybridge Celtic, Partick Thistle and Queen of the South.
Ronan Hale is an Irish professional footballer who plays for Scottish Premiership club Ross County, having previously played for Cliftonville, Larne, St Patrick's Athletic, Crusaders, Derry City and Birmingham City. His brother Rory Hale is also a professional footballer, currently with Cliftonville and the pair's grandfather is Derry City and Crusaders legend Danny Hale.
Joel William Cooper is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for NIFL Premiership club Linfield.
Jaziel Alberto Orozco Landeros is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake.
Jonny Addis is a footballer from Northern Ireland who plays for Cliftonville in the NIFL Premiership.
Craig Farquhar is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays for Crystal Palace as a defender.