Kevin Akpoguma

Kevin Akpoguma

Akpoguma with Germany U21 in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Kevin John Ufuoma Akpoguma
Date of birth	(1995-04-19) 19 April 1995 (age 29) [1]
Place of birth	Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) [1] [2]
Position(s)	Centre back, left-back
Team information
Current team	TSG Hoffenheim
Number	25
Youth career
	Rot-Weiß Speyer
	Schwarz-Weiß Speyer
	FC Bavaria Wörth
0000–2007	FC Neureut 08
2007–2012	Karlsruher SC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2013	Karlsruher SC	8	(1)
2013–2021	TSG Hoffenheim II	62	(3)
2015–	TSG Hoffenheim	135	(3)
2015–2017	→ Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)	45	(0)
2019	→ Hannover 96 (loan)	4	(0)
International career
2010–2011	Germany U16	5	(0)
2011–2012	Germany U17	15	(0)
2012–2013	Germany U18	5	(3)
2013–2014	Germany U19	18	(0)
2014–2016	Germany U20	14	(1)
2015–2017	Germany U21	7	(0)
2020–	Nigeria	8	(0)
Medal record Representing   Germany UEFA European Under-19 Championship Winner 2014 Hungary
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 May 2024

Kevin John Ufuoma Akpoguma (born 19 April 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back or left-back for Bundesliga club TSG Hoffenheim. ^[3] Born in Germany, Akpoguma was a youth international for Germany but switched and plays for the Nigeria national team. ^[4]

Club career

Akpoguma spent the 2016–17 season on loan at 2. Bundesliga side Fortuna Düsseldorf. On 21 April 2017, towards the end of the season, he collided with FC St. Pauli's Bernd Nehrig in a league match. Both players were hospitalised with Akpoguma suffering a broken neck. ^[5]

Akpoguma made his first appearance in the Bundesliga the following season on 22 October 2017, replacing Stefan Posch at half-time in 1899 Hoffenheim's 1–1 draw with VfL Wolfsburg. ^[6] Four days later, he made his first start for the club, in a 1–0 away to Werder Bremen in the second round of the DFB-Pokal. ^[7]

International career

Born to a German mother and a Nigerian father, Kevin Akpoguma is eligible to play for Germany and Nigeria. He has represented Germany at youth level, playing for the U16, U17, U18, U19, U20, and U21 teams.

He was the captain of the German U-20 National, helping the team reach the quarterfinals of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. ^{[8] [9]}

In October 2018 he stated that he was open to playing to Nigeria. ^[10]

On 21 September 2020, Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr stated that Akpoguma has switched allegiance to play for the Nigeria national team. ^{[11] [12]}

On 28 September he confirmed reports that he has decided to play for the Nigeria national team. ^[13] Akpoguma made his debut with the Nigeria national team in a friendly 1–0 loss over Algeria on 9 October 2020. ^[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 18 May 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Karlsruher SC	2012–13	3. Liga	8	0	0	0	–		8	0
1899 Hofenheim II	2013–14	Regionalliga Südwest	26	1	–		–		26	1
	2014–15	Regionalliga Südwest	29	2	–		–		29	2
	2017–18	Regionalliga Südwest	4	0	–		–		4	0
	2019–20	Regionalliga Südwest	1	0	–		–		1	0
	2020–21	Regionalliga Südwest	2	0	–		–		2	0
	Total		62	3	–		–		62	3
1899 Hoffenheim	2013–14	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	–		0	0
	2017–18	Bundesliga	22	0	1	0	–		23	0
	2018–19	Bundesliga	8	0	0	0	2 [lower-alpha 1]	0	10	0
	2019–20	Bundesliga	18	0	1	0	–		19	0
	2020–21	Bundesliga	16	1	2	1	4 [lower-alpha 2]	0	22	2
	2021–22	Bundesliga	26	2	3	0	—		29	2
	2022–23	Bundesliga	28	0	2	0	—		30	0
	2023–24	Bundesliga	17	0	1	0	—		18	0
	Total		135	3	10	1	6	0	151	4
Fortuna Düsseldorf II (loan)	2015–16	Regionalliga West	5	0	–		–		5	0
Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)	2015–16	2. Bundesliga	17	0	1	0	–		18	0
	2016–17	2. Bundesliga	28	0	2	1	–		30	1
	Total		45	0	3	1	–		48	1
Hannover 96 (loan)	2018–19	Bundesliga	4	0	0	0	–		4	0
Career total			259	6	13	2	6	0	278	8

1. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of matches played on 18 June 2023

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Nigeria	2020	4	0
	2022	2	0
	2023	2	0
Total		8	0

Honours

Individual

• Fritz Walter Medal U18 Gold: 2013 ^[15]

References

1. "Kevin John Ufuoma Akpoguma | TSG Hoffenheim | Player Profile | Bundesliga". bundesliga.com. DFL . Retrieved 24 September 2022.
2. "Kevin Akpoguma". TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
3. "Akpoguma, Kevin" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
4. "FIFA approves Akpoguma Nigeria switch". punchng.com. Retrieved 6 October 2020.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
5. Rees, James (21 April 2017). "Fortuna Düsseldorf 1-3 FC St. Pauli: Injuries overshadow dramatic comeback". VAVEL. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
6. "Wolfsburg snatch late draw at home to Hoffenheim". Bundesliga. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
7. "Demirbay: "Ich bin sehr wütend"". kicker Online (in German). 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
8. Adewuyi, Lolade (23 May 2015). "Meet Nigerian-German Kevin Akpoguma, captain of the Germany U20 side". Goal.com. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
9. "FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015 List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 30 May 2015. p. 6. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
10. "Kevin Akpoguma: German youth star open to Nigeria call-up". 3 November 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
11. "Akpoguma: Rohr reveals ex-German youth star's switch to Nigeria". 21 September 2020 – via www.goal.com.
12. "Kevin Akpoguma: Ex-German youth star sold on Nigeria 'vision'". 21 September 2020 – via www.goal.com.
13. "AKPOGUMA COMMITS HIS INTERNATIONAL FUTURE TO NIGERIA". 28 September 2020 – via www.tsg-hoffenheim.de/en.
14. "Nigeria vs. Algeria - 9 October 2020 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
15. "Fritz-Walter-Medaille: Ginter auf Götzes Spuren" (in German). German Football Association. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.

External links

• Kevin Akpoguma at fussballdaten.de (in German)
• Kevin Akpoguma at Soccerway
• Kevin Akpoguma at DFB (also available in German )