Freddie Issaka

Freddie Issaka
Personal information
Full name Frederick Habib Yampabu Issaka[1]
Date of birth (2006-07-28) 28 July 2006 (age 18)
Place of birth Truro, England
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Plymouth Argyle
Number 35
Youth career
–2021 Truro City
2021–2022 Plymouth Argyle
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Plymouth Argyle 12 (1)
International career‡
2021 England U16 2 (0)
2022–2023 Wales U17 10 (1)
2023– Wales U19 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 05:42, 30 October 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:13, 22 October 2022 (UTC)

Frederick Habib Yampabu Issaka (born 28 July 2006) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle. He is a Wales under-19 international.

Club career

Issaka became Plymouth Argyle's youngest ever player when he made his professional debut on 31 August 2021, when he featured off the bench in a 2–0 EFL Cup defeat to Newport County.[3] Aged just 15 years and 34 days, he broke the record previously set by Lee Phillips in 1996.

On 12 November 2022, Issaka made his league debut, appearing as a substitute in Plymouth Argyle's 1–1 EFL League One draw away to Lincoln City.

In July 2023 Issaka signed his first professional contract with Plymouth.[4]

He scored his first goal for The Greens in a 3–3 home thriller on 26 October 2024 versus Preston in which Preston came back from 0–3 down.[5]

International career

In September 2021, he was called-up by a Wales U16 training camp. The next month he was selected in the squad for their Victory Shield campaign.[6]

In December 2021, Issaka featured twice for England U16s, in a pair of friendlies at St George's Park vs Turkey U16s.[7][8]

In 2022 Issaka was again selected to represent Wales. In April he featured in an under-16 UEFA Development Tournament,[9] and in October playing for the under-17s in three UEFA Euro U17 Championship qualifiers, scoring in a 3–3 draw with Sweden.[10] In October 2023 Issaka was selected for the Wales Under 19 squad.[11]

Career statistics

As of match played 26 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Plymouth Argyle
2021–22[12] EFL League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 1 0
2022–23[13] EFL League One 1 0 0 0 0 0 5[a] 0 6 0
2023–24[14] EFL Championship 5 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 9 0
2024–25[15] EFL Championship 6 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 7 1
Career total 12 1 2 0 3 0 6 0 23 1
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

References

  1. ^ "Freddie Issaka". www.greensonscreen.co.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Freddie Issaka - Foreign Players of Ghanaian Descent". GhanaSoccernet. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Issaka makes Argyle history". www.pafc.co.uk. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  4. ^ Issaka Plymouth pro deal
  5. ^ "Plymouth Argyle 3–3 Preston North End". BBC Sport. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Freddie's call up". www.pafc.co.uk. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Freddie starts for England". www.pafc.co.uk. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  8. ^ "England U16 v Turkey U16". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Issaka and Hatch star for Wales". www.pafc.co.uk. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Issaka and Hatch Star for Wales Under-17s". www.pafc.co.uk. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  11. ^ Issaka Wales under-19
  12. ^ "Games played by Freddie Issaka in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Games played by Freddie Issaka in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Games played by Freddie Issaka in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Games played by Freddie Issaka in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 October 2024.