Freddie Issaka
Personal information
Full name Frederick Habib Yampabu Issaka[1]
Date of birth (2006-07-28) 28 July 2006 (age 17)
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 6 (0)
International career‡
2021 England U16 2 (0)
2022–2023 Wales U17 10 (1)
2023– Wales U19 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:33, 3 January 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. Born in England, he is an under-19 international for Wales.

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]

International career

Born in England, Issaka is of Ghanaian, English and Welsh descent.[5] 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

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 EFL League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 1 0
2022–23 1 0 0 0 0 0 5[a] 0 6 0
2023–24 EFL Championship 5 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 9 0
Career total 6 0 2 0 2 0 6 0 16 0
  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. ^ Fora, Clare (17 February 2022). "England will be beaten by Wales for 15-year-old star Freddie Issaka after becoming Plymouth's youngest player". Daily Nation. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  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

External links

Plymouth Argyle F.C. – current squad
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