Matai Akinmboni

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Matai Akinmboni
Matai Akinmboni 2025.jpg
Akinmboni with Bournemouth in 2025
Personal information
Full name Matai Eyitayo Akinmboni [1]
Date of birth (2006-10-17) October 17, 2006 (age 18)
Place of birth Upper Marlboro, Maryland, United States
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) [2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Bournemouth
Number 45
Youth career
2021–2022 D.C. United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022–2024 Loudoun United 13 (0)
2022–2024 D.C. United 13 (0)
2025– Bournemouth 0 (0)
International career‡
2024– United States U19 3 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of January 3, 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of June 11, 2024

Matai Eyitayo Akinmboni (born October 17, 2006) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Premier League club Bournemouth. [3]

Contents

Club career

Akinmboni is a central defender who started his career with D.C. United's USL affiliate Loudoun United while training at the D.C. United Academy. [4] 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. [5] Akinmboni trained for two weeks with the German football club Bayern Munich in 2021, and was reported to have received "contractual terms" [6] 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. [7] 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. [8] 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. [9]

Bournemouth

On January 3, 2025, Akinmboni signed for Premier League side Bournemouth on a long-term contract. [10]

International career

Akinmboni was born in the United States, but through his parentage, is also eligible to play for the senior teams of Nigeria or Ghana. [6] On August 16, 2022, he was called up to the United States men's national under-17 soccer team for their training camp. [11]

Personal life

Akinmboni is the nephew of retired Ghanaian player Sammy Kuffour, who played in the center back position, and was part of the Ghana national team and Bayern Munich. [12]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played August 24, 2024 [13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] League cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Loudoun United 2022 USL 60————60
2023 50————50
2024 2010———30
Total13010———140
D.C. United 2022 MLS 20————20
2023 3020———50
2024 80———2 [b] 0100
Total13020——20170
Bournemouth 2024–25 Premier League 0000———00
Total0000———00
Career total26030—0020310
  1. ↑ Includes U.S. Open Cup
  2. ↑ Appearances in Leagues Cup

References

  1. ↑ "2024/25 Updated Premier League squad lists". Premier League. February 7, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Matai Akinmboni". Major League Soccer. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Akinmboni Joins Cherries On Long-Term Deal". AFC Bournemouth. January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Generation Adidas U17 report". chasingacup.com. April 20, 2022.
  5. ↑ "The Miami FC v Loudoun United FC". USL Championship. March 26, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Rohr arrives Germany as 14 year old Akin eligible to play for Nigeria, Ghana, USA joins Bayern Munich". owngoalnigeria.com. July 21, 2021.
  7. ↑ "D.C. United Sign Defender Matai Akinmboni to a Homegrown Contract". D.C. United. Major League Soccer. August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  8. ↑ "NYCvsDC 08-31-2022 Lineups | MLSsoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  9. ↑ "RSLvsDC 09-10-2022 | 2022 MLS Match Recap". Major League Soccer. September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Akinmboni joins Cherries on long-term deal". www.afcb.co.uk. January 3, 2025. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Twenty-Three Players Called For U-17 MYNT Training Camp In Chula Vista, Calif". US Soccer. August 16, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ Matai Akinmboni at Soccerway
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