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Kevin Akpoguma

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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 143 (3)
2015–2017Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan) 45 (0)
2019Hannover 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 27 October 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

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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

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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

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Club

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As of match played 30 October 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[a] 0 10 0
2019–20 Bundesliga 18 0 1 0 19 0
2020–21 Bundesliga 16 1 2 1 4[b] 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
2024–25 Bundesliga 8 0 2 0 2[b] 0 12 0
Total 143 3 12 1 8 0 163 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 267 6 15 2 8 0 290 8
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

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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

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Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b "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.
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