Kunle Dada-Luke

Kunle Dada-Luke
Dada-Luke receives L1O Young Player of the Year award in 2018
Personal information
Full name Olakunle Olumide Dada-Luke
Date of birth (2000-01-12) January 12, 2000 (age 25)
Place of birth Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Full-back,Winger
Team information
Current team
 Pacific FC
Number 13
Youth career
2003–2013 West Toronto SC
2013–2018 Toronto FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Toronto FC III 25 (6)
2018 Toronto FC II 5 (0)
2019 Helsingør 0 (0)
2020 Atlético Ottawa 0 (0)
2021- Pacific FC 95 (1)
International career
2017 Canada U17 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 28, 2024

Olakunle Olumide Dada-Luke (born January 12, 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a full-back for Pacific FC in the Canadian Premier League.

Early life

Dada-Luke began playing youth soccer with West Toronto SC at age of three.[1][2] After ten years with West Toronto, he joined the Toronto FC Academy in 2013.[3][4] On March 15, 2017, he scored in a 1-1 draw at the Viareggio Cup against the Juventus academy team.[5]

Club career

From 2016 to 2018, he played with Toronto FC III in League1 Ontario. In 2018, he was named co-Young Player of the Year and was named to the league 2nd all-star team.[6]

In 2018, he began playing for Toronto FC II in the USL, making five total appearances.[7]

In July 2019, Dada-Luke joined Danish club FC Helsingør on a three-year contract after a successful trial.[8] While at Helsingør, he converted from playing winger to becoming a defender at right-back.[9] On January 14, 2020, they announced he had left the club, after not making any appearances.[10][11]

In March 2020, he joined Atlético Ottawa in the Canadian Premier League .[12][13] However, he was unable to travel to Prince Edward Island for the shortened 2020 season due to an ankle injury, and never appeared for the club as a result.[14][15]

In March 2021, Dada-Luke signed with Pacific FC.[16] He recorded two assists in his debut season and also caused the winning goal in the semi-final against Cavalry FC (which was ultimately ruled an own goal), en route to winning the CPL title that season.[17] On September 3, 2022, he scored his first professional goal against York United FC, which helped him earn CPL Team of the Week honours for the second time that season.[18] In January 2023, he re-signed with the club for another season, with an option for 2024.[19][20] In January 2024, the club picked up his option for the 2024 season.[21][22]

International career

Dada-Luke was born in Canada and is of Nigerian descent.[23][24] In October 2014, he made his debut in the Canadian youth program at an identification camp for the Canada U15 team.[1] He was named to the roster for the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, where he made two appearances.[25]

Career statistics

As of October 23, 2024[26]
Club Season League Playoffs Domestic Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Toronto FC III 2016[27] League1 Ontario 1 0 — — 0 0 — 1 0
2017[28] 11 0 — — 1 0 — 12 0
2018[29] 13 6 — — 4 3 — 17 9
Total 25 6 0 0 0 0 5 3 0 0 30 9
Toronto FC II 2018 USL 5 0 — — — — 5 0
FC Helsingør 2019–20 Danish 2nd Division 0 0 — 0 0 — — 0 0
Atlético Ottawa 2020 Canadian Premier League 0 0 — — — — 0 0
Pacific FC 2021 Canadian Premier League 19 0 2 0 2 0 — — 23 0
2022 23 1 2 0 1 0 — 4 0 30 1
2023 27 0 2 0 3 0 — — 32 0
2024 26 0 1 0 5 0 — — 32 0
Total 95 1 7 0 11 0 0 0 4 0 117 1
Career total 125 7 7 0 11 0 5 3 4 0 152 10

Honours

Pacific FC

References

  1. ^ a b Kunle Dada-Luke at the Canadian Soccer Association
  2. ^ "Holding Down the Fort: Dada-Luke and Mukumbilwa excited to return for 2024 CPL season". Pacific FC. January 11, 2024.
  3. ^ "Atlético Ottawa's Welcomes Canadian Kunle Dada-Luke". Canadian Premier League. March 11, 2020.
  4. ^ Longo, Jack (February 18, 2022). "Black History Month : Kunle Dada-Luke". Pacific FC.
  5. ^ "TFC academy side ties defending champ Juventus at Viareggio Cup". Sportsnet. March 15, 2017.
  6. ^ Krueger, Adam (November 27, 2018). "Academy players honoured with League1 Ontario Awards". Toronto FC.
  7. ^ Jacques, John (February 2, 2022). "Pacific FC Keeps Kunle Dada-Luke". Northern Tribune.
  8. ^ "FC Helsingør Føjer to Canadiske Talenter til Truppen" [FC Helsingør adds Two Canadian Talents to the Squad]. FC Helsingør (in Danish). July 18, 2019.
  9. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (March 12, 2020). "Atlético Ottawa's Dada-Luke hopes to show 'full potential' after standout trial". Canadian Premier League.
  10. ^ "FC Helsingør trimmer truppen til Foråret" [FC Helsingør is trimming the squad for the Spring]. FC Helsingør (in Danish). January 14, 2020.
  11. ^ Jacques, John (March 11, 2020). "Atletico Ottawa Signs Canadian Full-Back Kunle Dada-Luke". Northern Tribune.
  12. ^ "Atlético Ottawa adds Canadian fullback Kunle Dada-Luke". Atlético Ottawa. March 11, 2020.
  13. ^ "Atletico Ottawa adds fullback Kunle Dade-Luke". Ottawa Sun. March 11, 2020.
  14. ^ "Atlético Ottawa completes roster with 6 signings, including Kourouma, McKendry". Canadian Premier League. August 10, 2020.
  15. ^ Jacques, John (March 13, 2021). "Dada-Luke Ready For Reset At Pacific FC". Northern Tribune.
  16. ^ "Pacific FC signs former Atlético Ottawa fullback Kunle Dada-Luke". Canadian Premier League. March 11, 2021.
  17. ^ Longo, Jack (February 2, 2022). "Kunle Dada-Luke returning to Pacific FC". Pacific FC.
  18. ^ Longo, Jack (September 6, 2022). "Dada-Luke named to Team of the Week – Week 22". Pacific FC.
  19. ^ Longo, Jack (January 10, 2023). "Dada-Luke Returning for 2023!". Pacific FC.
  20. ^ Jacques, John (January 10, 2023). "Pacific FC Re-Signs Kunle Dada-Luke". Northern Tribune.
  21. ^ "Pacific FC brings back Dada-Luke and Mukumbilwa". Pacific FC. January 11, 2024.
  22. ^ Jacques, John (January 11, 2024). "Pacific Activates Dada-Luke Option". Northern Tribune.
  23. ^ "Black History Month Conversations: Kunle Dada-Luke". Canadian Premier League. February 6, 2024.
  24. ^ Healey, Josh (October 27, 2024). "Sources: Pacific star Kunle Dada-Luke set to leave Vancouver Island". Wanderers Notebook.
  25. ^ Jacques, John (March 11, 2021). "Pacific FC Brings In Full-Back Kunle Dada-Luke". Northern Tribune.
  26. ^ Kunle Dada-Luke at Soccerway
  27. ^ "Olakunle Dada-Luke 2016 Stats". League1 Ontario.
  28. ^ "Olakunle Dada-Luke 2017 Stats". League1 Ontario.
  29. ^ "Kunle Dada-Luke 2018 Stats". League1 Ontario.