Kobe Franklin

Kobe Lloyd Franklin (born May 10, 2003) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a defender for Toronto FC II in MLS Next Pro.

Kobe Franklin
Personal information
Full name Kobe Lloyd Franklin
Date of birth (2003-05-10) May 10, 2003
Place of birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Toronto FC II
Number 58
Youth career
Beach Community Soccer
Power Soccer
Evanston SC
2012–2016 Chicago Fire FC
2017–2021 Toronto FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Toronto FC III 1 (1)
2021– Toronto FC II 28 (3)
2022 → Toronto FC (loan) 0 (0)
National team‡
2019 Canada U17 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 30, 2022
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of April 3, 2022

Early life

He began playing soccer at age four for Beach Community Soccer.[1][2] Shortly after he began to play with Power Soccer Academy.[3] When he was 9, his family moved to Chicago, where he began playing with Evanson SC before quickly joining the academy of Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire.[3] He later returned to Toronto, joining the Toronto FC Academy in February 2017.[4]

Career

He made his senior debut playing for the Senior Academy team, Toronto FC III, on August 19, 2018 in League1 Ontario against Ottawa South United, scoring a 94th minute goal, becoming the youngest ever goal scorer in League1 Ontario at the age of 15 years, 3 months.[5]

On May 13, 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Toronto FC II of USL League One to join the team for the 2021 season.[4] He made his debut for Toronto FC II on May 22, 2021 against North Texas SC.[6] He scored his first professional goal on August 18 against Forward Madison.[7] On October 1, he recorded two assists and set up a third goal (although was not credited with a third assist) in a 3-0 victory over North Carolina FC.[8] For the 2021 season, he was a finalist for both the USL League One Young Player of the Year and Defender of the Year awards.[9]

On April 1, 2022, he joined the first team, Toronto FC on a short-term four-day loan.[10]

International career

Franklin represented the Canada U17 team at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[11]

Career statistics

Club
As of October 29, 2021[12]
Club Season League Playoffs Domestic Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Toronto FC III 2018[13] League1 Ontario 11——00—11
Toronto FC II 2021 USL League One 242————242
Career total 25300000000253

References
  1. "Kobe Franklin Canada profile". Canadian Soccer Association.
  2. Vigliano, Ricardo (October 9, 2019). "Kobe Franklin, who started his soccer career in the Beach, set to suit up for Canada at FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil". Beach Metro Community News.
  3. Franklin, Kobe. "My Story". Kobe Franklin.
  4. "Toronto FC II Sign Kobe Franklin". Toronto FC. May 13, 2021.
  5. Whyte, Kacian (August 20, 2018). "TFC III Roll Over OSU 4-0 As Franklin Makes History". League1 Ontario.
  6. "North Texas SC Falls 2-1 Away to Toronto FC II". FC Dallas. May 22, 2021.
  7. Steiner, Ben (August 19, 2021). "A Resilient Group: TFC II level twice to claim a point in Wisconsin". Waking the Red.
  8. Schnittker, Nicholas (October 1, 2021). "Trio of rapid second-half goals sinks North Carolina FC in Toronto". Technician.
  9. "Franklin racks up two nominations for USL League One Awards". Toronto FC. November 9, 2021.
  10. "Toronto FC sign defender Kobe Franklin to short-term agreement". Toronto FC. April 1, 2022.
  11. Molinaro, John (October 25, 2019). "What you need to know: Canada at the U-17 FIFA World Cup". Canadian Premier League.
  12. Kobe Franklin at Soccerway
  13. "Kobe Franklin 2018 Stats". League1 Ontario.
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