Nathaniel Opoku is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a forward or an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Leicester City.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nathaniel Opoku | ||
| Date of birth | 22 July 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward, attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Leicester City | ||
| Youth career | |||
| FDM Field Masters | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021 | Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders | 19 | (19) |
| 2022 | Syracuse Orange | 25 | (11) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022 | Ventura County Fusion | 16 | (11) |
| 2023– | Leicester City | 0 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → OH Leuven (loan) | 27 | (5) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 May 2024 | |||
Early life
editOpoku started playing football in Ghana with the FDM Field Masters where he was a teammate of Kamal Sowah.[2]
Career
editCollege in United States
editOpoku played for Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky, where he scored 19 goals and five assists in 19 games in 2021.[3]
In 2022, Opoku transferred to Syracuse University, where he became a prominent striker in the Atlantic Coast Conference under head coach Ian McIntyre.[4][5] He helped Syracuse Orange men's soccer team win the National Championship in the 2022 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, scoring in the final before they defeated eight-time NCAA Champions Indiana 7-6 on penalties.[6] He totaled 11 goals and eight assists in 25 matches for Syracuse.[5] At the end of the 2022 season, Opoku was named to United Soccer Coaches’ Third-Team All-America and All-ACC First Team[7] as well as he was the NCAA College Cup Most Outstanding Offensive Player,[8] 2022 NCAA All-Tournament Team honoree.[1]
Ventura County Fusion
editOpoku played for Ventura County Fusion in USL League Two in 2022. He played and was named as the MVP as Fusion defeated the Long Island Rough Riders to win the USL League Two championship in 2022.[9] Opoku scored 11 goals in 16 appearances in 2022 for Ventura County Fusion.[10]
Leicester City and loan to Belgium
editIn January 2023, Opoku was reported to have signed for Premier League club Leicester City and loaned to Belgian club OH Leuven.[11][12] According to Sky Sports News, Opoku rejected the opportunity to be a top pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft in favour of the European move.[13] Opoku scored his first league goal for Leuven on April 8, 2023 in a 4–1 home win against KV Mechelen.[14] In April 2024, he suffered a double leg fracture playing for Leuven against Westerlo.[15]
Personal life
editOpoku is from Accra, Ghana.[16]
Honours
editSyracuse University
- Atlantic Division regular season: 2022
- ACC men's soccer tournament: 2022[17]
- NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament: 2022[18]
- Ventura County Fusion
Individual
References
edit- ^ a b "Nathan Opoku". cuse.com. 2022.
- ^ "NATHAN OPOKU NAAR OH LEUVEN". Ohleuven.com (Press release).
- ^ Carlisle, Jeff (31 January 2023). "Leicester sign forward Opoku out of Syracuse". ESPN.com. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ Bambini, Cole (31 January 2023). "Nathan Opoku reportedly signing with Premier League's Leicester City". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Opoku Signs With Leicester City F.C." Syracuse University Athletics. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ Camargo, Alberto (13 December 2022). "Syracuse wins the 2022 Men's College Cup on PKs after dramatic 2-2 draw". NCAA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "2022 All-ACC Men's Soccer Team Announced". theacc.com (Press release). Atlantic Coast Conference. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ @NCAASoccer (12 December 2022). "Russell Shealy is the Defensive MOP!!! 🤩 Congratulations to Nathan Opoku on being named the 2022 Most Outstanding Offensive Player of The NCAA Tournament! #MCollegeCup x @CuseMSOC" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Ventura County Fusion win 2022 League Two Playoff Final". USL League Two.
- ^ "Nathaniel Opoku". uslleaguetwo.com.
- ^ "Leicester City 'complete' first transfer deadline day signing". Leicester Mercury. 31 January 2023.
- ^ "Foxes sign youngster Opoku before loan move". BBC Sport.
- ^ Bloomer, Danny (31 January 2023). "Nathan Opoku in profile as Leicester City seal deadline day transfer". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "Ghanaian youngster Nathaniel Opoku scores debut goal, assists as OH Leuven thrash KV Mechelen". kickgh.com. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ Blackwell, Jordan (24 April 2024). "Leicester City loanee faces months out after double leg fracture". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ "Leicester City sign Ghanaian youngster Nathan Opoku". Ghanasoccernet.com.
- ^ "Syracuse Downs Clemson, 2-0, to Win 2022 ACC Men's Soccer Championship". The ACC. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "Syracuse Wins 2022 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship". theacc.com. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "Ventura County Fusion win 2022 League Two Playoff Final". USL League Two. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "Ventura County Fusion win 2022 League Two Playoff Final". USL League Two. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "2022 USL League Two All-League teams Announced". uslleaguetwo.com. USL League Two. 21 September 2022.
- ^ "2022 USL League Two All-Conference Teams Announced". uslleaguetwo.com. USL League Two. 9 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Syracuse Wins 2022 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship". theacc.com. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "2022 All-ACC Men's Soccer Team Announced". theacc.com. Atlantic Coast Conference. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ "2022 NCAA Division I Men's All-Americans Announced". United Soccer Coaches. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.