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Jonathan Afolabi
Jonathan Afolabi
Jonathan Afolabi
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Jonathan Afolabi (born 14 January 2000) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Challenger Pro League club Kortrijk. His previous clubs include Celtic, Dunfermline Athletic, Dundee, Ayr United, Airdrieonians, Bohemians and Cambuur.

Key Information

Club career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

Born and raised in Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland, Afolabi played his youth football with Mark Celtic, Shamrock Rovers, Lourdes Celtic, and St Joseph's Boys before earning a move to the Academy of Premier League club Southampton.[1]

Celtic

[edit]

On 21 August 2019, Afolabi joined Scottish Premiership Champions Celtic.[2]

After various loan spells, his contract was not renewed on expiry at the end of June 2022.[3]

Dunfermline Athletic (loan)

[edit]

On 27 January 2020, Afolabi signed for Dunfermline Athletic of the Scottish Championship on loan until the end of the season.[4] His debut in senior football came on 1 February 2020, in a 3–2 win away to Queen of the South.[5] He made six appearances for the club, scoring twice, before the season was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

Dundee (loan)

[edit]

On 29 September 2020, Afolabi joined Dundee on a season-long loan.[7] He scored his first goal for the club at home in the league against Greenock Morton. He scored against Hearts and Ayr United in crucial games for Dundee as they won the promotion playoffs in the 2020–21 season.[8]

Ayr United (loan)

[edit]

On 2 August 2021, Afolabi signed for Ayr United on loan until the end of the season.[9]

Airdrieonians (loan)

[edit]

On 11 February 2022, Afolabi was recalled from Ayr and was immediately sent on loan to Scottish League One side Airdrieonians for the rest of the season.[10]

Bohemians

[edit]

On 5 August 2022, Afolabi returned home to Dublin, signing for League of Ireland Premier Division club Bohemians.[11] Afolabi was awarded the League of Ireland Player of the Month award for July 2023, after scoring nine total goals over seven consecutive games.[12][13] He finished the 2023 League of Ireland Premier Division season as the joint-top league goalscorer and was named in the PFAI Team of the Year. He opened the scoring in the 2023 FAI Cup final but the Bohs lost the game to St Patrick's Athletic.[14]

Kortrijk

[edit]

On 29 December 2023, it was announced that Afolabi would be joining Belgian Pro League side Kortrijk for an undisclosed fee, from 1 January 2024 on a contract until June 2026.[15] Afolabi made his debut on 20 January 2024, coming on as a substitute in a league victory away to Standard Liège.[16] Afolabi scored his first goal for De Kerels in a league draw away to Club Brugge.[17]

Cambuur loan

[edit]

On 2 September 2024, Afolabi signed for Eerste Divisie club Cambuur on a season long loan.[18] In April 2025, Cambuur manager Henk de Jong confirmed that Afolabi would no longer play for the club due to being 'difficult'.[19]

International career

[edit]

Afolabi was born in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.[20] Afolabi has played for the Ireland right up to under-21 level. On 31 July 2019 he was named in the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament, alongside Ferran Torres and Félix Correia in the forward positions.[21] He scored his first goal for the Republic of Ireland U21s on 26 March 2021 in a 2–1 friendly win over Wales U21 in Wrexham.[22]

On 8 September 2023, he received his first call up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad when he was included in the extended squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier at home to the Netherlands,[23] but did not make the final squad.[24][25]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played on 29 November 2025[26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Southampton 2016–17[27] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[c] 0 1 0
2017–18[28] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 2[c] 0 2 0
2018–19[29] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 2[c] 0 2 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 5 0
Celtic 2019–20[30] Scottish Premiership 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
2020–21[31] Scottish Premiership 0 0 — — 0 0 0 0
2021–22[32] Scottish Premiership 0 0 — — 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Dunfermline Athletic (loan) 2019–20[30] Scottish Championship 6 2 0 0 — — 6 2
Dundee (loan) 2020–21[31] Scottish Championship 19 3 2 1 1 0 — 22 4
Ayr United (loan) 2021–22[32] Scottish Championship 14 1 1 0 1 0 0[d] 0 16 1
Airdrieonians (loan) 2021–22[32] Scottish League One 12 2 — — 3[e] 1 15 3
Bohemians 2022[33] League of Ireland Premier Division 3 0 1 1 — — 4 1
2023[34] League of Ireland Premier Division 34 15 5 5 — 1[f] 0 40 20
Total 37 15 6 6 — 1 0 44 21
Kortrijk 2023–24[34] Belgian Pro League 13 1 — — 0[g] 0 13 1
2024–25[35] Belgian Pro League 0 0 0 0 — — 0 0
2025–26 Challenger Pro League 2 1 0 0 — — 2 1
Total 15 2 0 0 — 0 0 15 2
Cambuur (loan) 2024–25[35] Eerste Divisie 14 2 0 0 — 0[h] 0 14 2
Career total 117 27 9 7 2 0 9 1 137 35
  1. ^ Includes Scottish Cup, FAI Cup, Belgian Cup & KNVB Cup
  2. ^ Includes Scottish League Cup
  3. ^ a b c Appearances for Southampton U21/U23 in the EFL Trophy
  4. ^ Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup
  5. ^ Appearances in the Scottish Championship play-offs
  6. ^ Appearance in the Leinster Senior Cup
  7. ^ Appearances in the 2023–24 Belgian Pro League Promotion/relegation play-offs
  8. ^ Appearances in the 2024–25 Eerste Divisie Promotion/relegation play-offs

Honours

[edit]

Dundee

Bohemians

Individual

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Jonathan Afolabi

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Jonathan Afolabi is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre-forward for Belgian club . Born on 14 January 2000 in , , he holds dual citizenship with and began his youth career with Shamrock Rovers and St Joseph's Boys before joining Southampton's academy in 2016. At 1.89 meters tall and left-footed, Afolabi transferred to Celtic in 2019, where he gained senior experience through loans to Scottish clubs including Dunfermline Athletic (2020), (2020–2021), Ayr United (2021–2022), and Airdrieonians (2022). He then moved to Irish side Bohemians in 2022, scoring 21 goals in 42 appearances over 18 months, establishing himself as a prolific scorer in the League of Ireland Premier Division. In January 2024, Afolabi signed a permanent deal with , making 13 appearances in the before the club's relegation; he was subsequently loaned to Dutch side for the 2024–2025 season, where he scored 2 goals in 14 matches. Returning to Kortrijk for the 2025–2026 campaign, his career totals include over 200 senior appearances and 53 goals across various leagues. Afolabi has represented at youth international levels but has yet to earn a senior cap.

Early life and youth career

Early life

Jonathan Afolabi was born on 14 January 2000 in , a suburb of , . Of descent, Afolabi was raised by his parents, Earl and Abiola, both originally from , in a household that emphasized both education and sports. His father, in particular, was actively involved in football, fostering an environment where the sport was a central part of family life, while his mother prioritized academic pursuits. Afolabi has three siblings: eldest brother Sam, who was born in , reflecting the family's migratory background before settling in ; a sister, Sarah; and a younger brother, Benjamin. Growing up in , Afolabi's initial exposure to football came through the vibrant local community, where the sport was deeply embedded in everyday life and accessible via neighborhood influences. This upbringing in a football-rich area of shaped his early passion for the game, leading him toward structured youth training opportunities.

Youth career

Afolabi began his youth football journey in , , joining local club Marks Celtic at around six or seven years old, where he initially played alongside his brother. He progressed through several -based youth setups, including stints with Shamrock Rovers, Lourdes Celtic, and St Joseph's Boys, honing his skills in competitive underage environments. In 2016, at age 16, Afolabi moved to to join 's academy from St Joseph's Boys, where he developed as a centre-forward over the next three years, focusing on physical and technical growth in a professional setting. Afolabi left in the summer of 2019 upon the expiration of his and signed an initial three-year youth contract with Celtic in August of that year at age 19, marking his transition to Scottish professional youth development.

Club career

Celtic (2019–2022)

Jonathan Afolabi signed for Celtic on a three-year contract on 21 August 2019, having previously been released by Southampton's academy. Despite impressing in the youth ranks, he made no first-team appearances for Celtic's senior squad during his tenure. On 27 January 2020, Afolabi joined side Athletic on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season. He featured in 6 league appearances, scoring 2 goals, providing early senior experience amid the season's disruptions from the . Afolabi's next loan came on 29 September 2020, when he moved to in the for the duration of the 2020–21 season. Over 19 league appearances, he scored 3 goals, including a key strike in Dundee's 3–0 playoff semi-final victory over Ayr United, contributing to the club's promotion to the after defeating in the final. On 2 August 2021, he was loaned to club Ayr United until January 2022. He made 14 league appearances and scored 1 goal before the loan was curtailed. The loan switch to Airdrieonians in followed on 11 February 2022, lasting until the season's end. Afolabi recorded 12 league appearances and 2 goals, helping Airdrieonians secure promotion as champions. Afolabi's contract with Celtic expired in June 2022, after which he departed without achieving a senior breakthrough at the club.

Bohemians (2022–2023)

Jonathan Afolabi joined Bohemians on a permanent transfer from Celtic on 5 August 2022. The move marked his return to Irish football after several loan spells in , allowing him to establish himself in the League of Ireland Premier Division. During his time at Bohemians, Afolabi made 44 appearances and scored 21 goals across all competitions, emerging as a key figure in the 2023 season. His league tally of 15 goals made him the joint-top scorer for the club alongside in the Men's Premier Division. Afolabi's form included a prolific run in the , where he netted five goals in five matches, highlighted by his early penalty in the final against St Patrick's Athletic on 12 November 2023. Despite Bohemians taking the lead through his spot-kick, they lost 3-1 to St Patrick's Athletic in front of a record-breaking crowd of 43,881 at the . Bohemians won the Leinster Senior Cup for a record 33rd time with a 5-0 victory over Usher Celtic in the final on 19 September 2023. His overall impact helped stabilize Bohemians' attack during a challenging campaign. Afolabi departed Bohemians in December 2023, signing with Belgian club for an undisclosed fee after just over a year with the Gypsies.

KV Kortrijk (2024–present)

On 1 January 2024, Jonathan Afolabi signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Belgian club , running until June 2026, for an undisclosed fee from Bohemians. During the 2023–24 season in the , he made 13 appearances and scored 1 goal for the club, including his debut strike in a 3–0 win over on 30 January 2024. Seeking more consistent playing time ahead of the 2024–25 campaign, Afolabi joined Dutch Eerste Divisie side SC Cambuur on a season-long loan on 2 September 2024, with an option for a permanent transfer. At Cambuur, he featured in 14 matches, scoring 2 goals, primarily as a substitute. In April 2025, Cambuur manager Henk de Jong announced that Afolabi would not feature for the remainder of the season, describing the decision as a "difficult knot to cut" due to the player's persistent Achilles tendon injury and its mounting mental impact, despite praising him as a "great guy who wants to do his best." Afolabi returned to upon the loan's conclusion in late June 2025. As of November 2025, he has made no further appearances for the club in the , though he was named on the bench for the first time on 8 November 2025 against Patro Eisden , remaining on the fringes of the squad amid limited opportunities due to a injury.

International career

Youth international career

Afolabi began his international career with the at under-17 level, featuring in European qualification tournaments during the 2017–2018 season. He progressed to the under-19 team in 2017, earning 16 caps and scoring 6 goals overall. A key moment came in October 2017 when he helped top their preliminary qualifying group for the 2019 . At the finals in , Afolabi started all three group stage matches, including scoring a spectacular solo goal in a 2–1 win over the . advanced to the semi-finals, where they lost to , and Afolabi's performances earned him a place in the tournament's Team of the Tournament as one of the standout forwards. Afolabi made his under-21 debut in 2019 during qualifiers, including an appearance in a 3–1 victory over in September. He accumulated 5 caps for the U21 side through 2021, scoring once. His goal came on 26 March 2021 in a 2–1 friendly win against , arriving as a substitute and tapping in to level the score before an secured victory. These youth international opportunities coincided with his development at Celtic, including loan spells that provided senior experience while maintaining his progression through Ireland's underage ranks.

Senior international career

Jonathan Afolabi received his first call-up to the senior national team on 8 September 2023, ahead of the match against the . The inclusion came amid an injury crisis in the forward line following the 0-0 draw with three days earlier, with Afolabi joining the squad alongside Queens Park Rangers' . Despite traveling with the team to the , Afolabi was not selected for the matchday squad of 23 players and did not make his senior international debut in the 1-2 defeat to the on 10 September 2023. As of November 2025, Afolabi has yet to earn a senior cap for and has not received any additional call-ups to the national team.

Career statistics

Club statistics

Jonathan Afolabi has accumulated 115 appearances and 26 goals in league competitions throughout his club career as of 19 November 2025. These figures remain unchanged due to limited playing time from injury during the 2025–26 season with . He has also featured in cup and playoff fixtures, such as the during his loans in , the with Bohemians (5 appearances, 5 goals), and Belgian Pro League playoffs with (3 appearances, 0 goals), contributing to overall club totals exceeding 130 appearances and 35 goals across all competitions. The following table details his league statistics by season, including available assists data:
SeasonClubDivisionAppsGoalsAssists
2019–20Dunfermline Athletic (loan)620
2020–21 (loan)1930
2021–22Ayr United (loan)1411
2021–22Airdrieonians (loan)1220
2022–23Bohemians37155
2023–241310
2024–25 (loan)1420
Total115266
Statistics exclude youth appearances at Celtic, where he recorded 0 senior-level outings.

International statistics

Jonathan Afolabi has represented the Republic of Ireland at various youth international levels, accumulating appearances and goals primarily through UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifiers and finals, as well as Under-21 European Championship qualifiers and friendlies. Specific statistics for the Under-17 level are not extensively documented, but he participated in early youth development matches without detailed records of appearances or goals available. For the Under-19 team, he recorded 16 appearances and 6 goals across qualifiers and the 2019 finals, where he contributed significantly to the squad's campaign. At the Under-21 level, Afolabi made 5 appearances and scored 1 goal, including his debut international goal in a friendly against Wales in March 2021.
National TeamCompetitionAppearancesGoals
U17Various youth internationalsNot specifiedNot specified
U19UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifiers and finals166
U21UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers and friendlies51
SeniorN/A00
As of 19 November 2025, Afolabi has yet to earn a senior international cap for the .

Honours

Club honours

Dundee Bohemians
  • Leinster Senior Cup: 2023
  • runner-up: 2023

Individual honours

During his time with Bohemians, Jonathan Afolabi was named the SSE Airtricity Player of the Month for July 2023, after scoring five goals in four appearances that month. In recognition of his standout performances in the 2023 League of Ireland Premier Division season, Afolabi was selected to the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland (PFAI) Team of the Year. League of Ireland Premier Division top goalscorer: 2023 (joint, 15 goals) FAI Cup top scorer: 2023 (5 goals) Earlier in his career, Afolabi earned a place in the Team of the Tournament at the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, where he contributed one goal for the during the finals in . Afolabi finished as Bohemians' top scorer in 2023, netting 20 goals across all competitions.

References

  1. https://www.transfermarkt.us/jonathan-afolabi/profil/spieler/444209
  2. https://www.extratime.com/player/11126435/jonathan_afolabi/
  3. https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=97131
  4. https://www.fotmob.com/players/798653/jonathan-afolabi
  5. https://www.transfermarkt.us/jonathan-afolabi/leistungsdaten/spieler/444209
  6. https://us.soccerway.com/player/afolabi-jonathan/rquDN7jB/
  7. https://footystats.org/players/republic-of-ireland/jonathan-afolabi
  8. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/afolabi-my-ma-wants-me-to-play-for-nigeria-but/
  9. https://www.echo.ie/abuse-of-tallaght-s-jonathan-afolabi-condemned-by-dundee/
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1710511/2020/04/01/jonathan-afolabi-celtic/
  11. https://www.the42.ie/jonathan-afolabi-interview-4698504-Jun2019/
  12. https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/1110/1415861-afolabi-gunning-to-hit-20-goal-target-at-fai-cup-final/
  13. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/jonathan-afolabi-targeting-progress-in-paradise-1.3992890
  14. https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/0929/1168247-irish-striker-afolabi-joins-dundee-on-season-long-loan/
  15. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49383612
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  17. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54344616
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  19. https://fbref.com/en/squads/00032902/2020-2021/Dundee-Stats
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  22. https://www.transfermarkt.us/jonathan-afolabi/transfers/spieler/444209
  23. https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/11593553/forgotten-celtic-transfer-career-revival-jonathan-afolabi/
  24. https://www.the42.ie/jonathan-afolabi-bohemians-5834444-Aug2022/
  25. https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-40934303.html
  26. https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/bohs-announce-signing-of-ireland-u-21-cap-jonathan-afolabi-from-celtic/41892913.html
  27. https://www.transfermarkt.com/jonathan-afolabi/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/444209
  28. https://www.leagueofireland.ie/news/afolabi-leaves-bohemians/
  29. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/12/29/league-of-ireland-top-scorer-jonathan-afolabi-seals-move-to-belgian-side-kv-kortrijk/
  30. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67397471
  31. https://www.stpatsfc.com/report.php?report=1780
  32. https://www.extratime.com/articles/31947/bohemians-secure-leinster-senior-cup-crown-win-over-usher-celtic/
  33. https://www.the42.ie/jonathan-afolabi-kv-kortrijk-6260304-Dec2023/
  34. https://www.the42.ie/jonathan-afolabi-first-goal-6286104-Jan2024/
  35. https://www.the42.ie/afolabi-sc-cambuur-6478183-Sep2024/
  36. https://friesland.headliner.nl/item/henk-de-jong-hakt-lastige-knoop-door-jonathan-afolabi-komt-dit-seizoen-niet-meer-in-actie-voor-sc-cambuur-lc-100397
  37. https://www.omropfryslan.nl/nl/nieuws/17364491/jonathan-afolabi-komt-niet-meer-in-actie-voor-cambuur
  38. https://www.worldfootball.net/team_performance/kv-kortrijk/bel-challenger-pro-league-2025-2026/
  39. https://www.playmakerstats.com/player/jonathan-afolabi/532673
  40. https://www.uefa.com/under19/news/0257-0dee760cd4e2-e928f9ee9b69-1000--u19-euro-four-of-the-best/
  41. https://www.uefa.com/under19/news/0257-0dee7760e7c2-87b8e8ee3fc9-1000--2019-u19-euro-team-of-the-tournament/
  42. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49555009
  43. https://www.transfermarkt.co.in/wales-u21_republic-of-ireland-u21/index/spielbericht/3527366
  44. https://www.thecelticwiki.com/afolabi-jonathan/
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  46. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/09/08/in-form-bohemians-striker-jonathan-afolabi-called-up-to-ireland-squad-for-dutch-game/
  47. https://www.balls.ie/football/ireland-team-netherlands-sep-2023-569954
  48. https://www.transfermarkt.us/jonathan-afolabi/nationalmannschaft/spieler/444209
  49. https://www.transfermarkt.us/jonathan-afolabi/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/444209
  50. https://fbref.com/en/players/d87e664d/Jonathan-Afolabi
  51. https://www.besoccer.com/player/j-afolabi-356043
  52. https://www.the42.ie/ireland-u21s-5392726-Mar2021/
  53. https://www.extratime.com/articles/31662/jonathan-afolabi-crowned-sse-airtricitysoccer-writers-ireland-player-of-the-month-for-july/
  54. https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/1115/1416638-pfai-team-of-year-includes-one-shamrock-rovers-player/
  55. https://www.extratime.com/articles/32479/2023-season-review-bohemian-fc/
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