Michael Kayode

Michael Kayode
Personal information
Full name Michael Olabode Kayode
Date of birth (2004-07-10) 10 July 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Borgomanero, Italy
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Fiorentina
Number 33
Youth career
2014−2018 Juventus
2018−2020 Gozzano
2021−2023 Fiorentina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020−2021 Gozzano 34 (2)
2021− Fiorentina 30 (1)
International career‡
2021−2022 Italy U18 4 (0)
2022−2023 Italy U19 12 (1)
2023− Italy U21 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:08, 24 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 March 2024

Michael Olabode Kayode (born 10 July 2004) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Serie A club Fiorentina.

Early life

Born in Italy, Kayode is of Nigerian descent.[1]

Club career

The son of Yoruba parents, Kayode started his youth career at Juventus, where he remained for seven years until 2018.[2][3] He played the 2020–21 season with Serie D club Gozzano, with which he scored two goals and two assists in 34 matches, and gained promotion to Serie C.[2] He cited his experience in Serie D as "a step backwards to make two forwards".[2]

Kayode joined Fiorentina after his spell in Serie D in 2021 and was integrated into their youth sector.[2] With Fiorentina, he won one Coppa Italia Primavera and one Supercoppa Italiana Primavera.[3]

On 19 August 2023, Kayode made his Serie A debut for Fiorentina in a 4–1 away victory over Genoa.[4] By the end of the season, Kayode had become a regular in Fiorentina's first team with his performances reportedly attracting international attention from clubs around Europe,[5][6] featuring heavily in Serie A and in the squad that reached the final of the UEFA Conference League.[7]

International career

In July 2023, Kayode decided the final of the 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, which Italy won 1–0 to Portugal.[2]

On 17 October 2023 he made his debut with the Italy U21, in the qualifying match won 2–0 against Norway in Bolzano.

Career statistics

As of match played 12 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Coppa Italia Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Gozzano 2020–21 Serie D 34 2 — — — 34 2
Fiorentina 2023–24 Serie A 26 1 4 0 6[a] 0 1[b] 0 37 1
2024–25 Serie A 4 0 0 0 7[a] 0 — 11 0
Total 30 1 4 0 13 0 1 0 48 1
Career total 64 3 4 0 13 0 1 0 82 3
  1. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  2. ^ Appearance in Supercoppa Italiana

Honours

Italy U19

Fiorentina U19

Fiorentina

Individual

References

  1. ^ "'He plays like a veteran' - Pundit hails 19yo Kayode after Serie A debut for Fiorentina". allnigeriasoccer.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Chi è Kayode, il laterale che ha consegnato gli Europei all'Italia Under 19". Goal.com (in Italian). 19 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b "La Juve, la Serie D e ora la Viola: chi è Kayode". sport.sky.it (in Italian). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Genoa vs. Fiorentina - 19 August 2023 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Michael Kayode: Italy's Future Starter at Right Back?". Breaking The Lines. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Top Premier League club spy on Michael Kayode". Score Nigeria. 24 June 2024. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ a b "History: Olympiacos 1-0 Fiorentina | UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Final". UEFA.com. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Portugal 0-1 Italy: Kayode heads resilient Azzurrini to second Under-19 title". UEFA. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Fiorentina U19 vs. Atalanta U19 - 4 May 2022 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Fiorentina U19 vs. Torino U19 - 4 April 2024 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2024.