Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Kobe Lloyd Franklin | ||
Date of birth | May 10, 2003 | ||
Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Toronto FC | ||
Number | 19 | ||
Youth career | |||
Beach Community Soccer | |||
Power Soccer | |||
Evanston SC | |||
2012–2016 | Chicago Fire FC | ||
2017–2021 | Toronto FC | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2018 | Toronto FC III | 1 | (1) |
2021–2022 | Toronto FC II | 44 | (4) |
2022 | → Toronto FC (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2023– | Toronto FC | 44 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2019 | Canada U17 | 2 | (0) |
2022– | Canada U20 | 4 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of July 6, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 26, 2022 |
Kobe Lloyd Franklin (born May 10, 2003) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a defender for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.
Early life
[edit]Born in Toronto, Franklin began playing soccer at age four with Beach Community Soccer.[1][2] Shortly after he began to play with Power Soccer Academy.[3] When he was 9, his family moved to Chicago, where he began playing with Evanston SC before quickly joining the academy of Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire.[3] He later returned to Toronto, joining the Toronto FC Academy in February 2017.[4]
Club career
[edit]He made his senior debut playing for the Senior Academy team, Toronto FC III, on August 19, 2018, in League1 Ontario against Ottawa South United, scoring a 94th minute goal, becoming the youngest ever goal scorer in League1 Ontario at the age of 15 years, 3 months.[5]
On May 13, 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Toronto FC II of USL League One to join the team for the 2021 season.[4] He made his debut for Toronto FC II on May 22, 2021, against North Texas SC.[6] He scored his first professional goal on August 18 against Forward Madison.[7] On October 1, he recorded two assists and set up a third goal (although was not credited with a third assist) in a 3–0 victory over North Carolina FC.[8] For the 2021 season, he was named a league First Team All-Star and was a finalist for both the USL League One Young Player of the Year and Defender of the Year awards.[9][10] He was subsequently invited to training camp with the first team ahead of the 2022 season (and once again for the 2023 season).[11]
On April 1, 2022, he joined the first team, Toronto FC on a short-term four-day loan.[12] He signed additional four day loans on April 23, May 4, and May 7.[13][14][15] He made his Major League Soccer debut on May 4, 2022, as a second half substitute against FC Cincinnati.[16] In February 2023, he signed a two-year homegrown player contract with two option years with Toronto FC.[17][18] After a few substitute appearances, Franklin made his first start on April 29, 2023 against New York City FC.[19][20] On August 4, 2024, he scored his first goal for the club, netting the winning goal, in a 2-1 victory over Mexican side Pachuca in the 2024 Leagues Cup.[21][22]
International career
[edit]Franklin represented the Canada U17 team at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[23] In June 2022, he was named to the Canadian U-20 team for the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[24]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played August 8, 2024[25]
Club | Season | League | Playoffs | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Toronto FC III | 2018[26] | League1 Ontario | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Toronto FC II | 2021 | USL League One | 24 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 2 | ||||
2022 | MLS Next Pro | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 22 | 2 | ||||
Total | 44 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 0 | ||
Toronto FC (loan) | 2022 | Major League Soccer | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
Toronto FC | 2023 | 27 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 29 | 0 | |||
2024 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 1 | 23 | 1 | |||
Total | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 53 | 1 | ||
Career total | 90 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 100 | 6 |
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup
References
[edit]- ^ Kobe Franklin at the Canadian Soccer Association
- ^ Vigliano, Ricardo (October 9, 2019). "Kobe Franklin, who started his soccer career in the Beach, set to suit up for Canada at FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil". Beach Metro Community News.
- ^ a b Franklin, Kobe. "My Story". Kobe Franklin.
- ^ a b "Toronto FC II Sign Kobe Franklin". Toronto FC. May 13, 2021.
- ^ Whyte, Kacian (August 20, 2018). "TFC III Roll Over OSU 4-0 As Franklin Makes History". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "North Texas SC Falls 2-1 Away to Toronto FC II". FC Dallas. May 22, 2021.
- ^ Steiner, Ben (August 19, 2021). "A Resilient Group: TFC II level twice to claim a point in Wisconsin". Waking the Red.
- ^ Schnittker, Nicholas (October 1, 2021). "Trio of rapid second-half goals sinks North Carolina FC in Toronto". Technician.
- ^ "Franklin racks up two nominations for USL League One Awards". Toronto FC. November 9, 2021.
- ^ Molinaro, John (November 29, 2023). "Kobe Franklin a rare success story in TFC's disastrous season". TFC Republic.
- ^ Molinaro, John (March 10, 2023). "TFC's Kobe Franklin: 'Never any doubts in my mind I could play at this level so soon'". TFC Republic.
- ^ "Toronto FC sign defender Kobe Franklin to short-term agreement". Toronto FC. April 1, 2022.
- ^ "Toronto FC sign Antonoglou and Franklin to short-term agreement". Toronto FC. April 23, 2022.
- ^ "Toronto FC sign Antonoglou, Franklin, Rothrock and Yeates to short-term agreements". Toronto FC. May 4, 2022.
- ^ "Toronto adds Antonoglou, Franklin, Rothrock and Yeates to weekend roster". Toronto FC. May 7, 2022.
- ^ "Depleted Toronto FC concede early, drop 3rd straight in shutout loss to Cincinnati FC". CBC Sports. May 4, 2022.
- ^ "Toronto FC Sign Homegrown Defender Kobe Franklin". Toronto FC. February 24, 2023.
- ^ Molinaro, John (February 24, 2023). "Transaction tracker: TFC adds defender Kobe Franklin to roster". TFC Republic.
- ^ Molinaro, John (May 3, 2023). "Kobe Franklin rose to the occasion in his first start for TFC". TFC Republic.
- ^ Molinaro, John (September 13, 2023). "TFC's Kobe Franklin continues to come of age in his rookie year". TFC Republic.
- ^ "Franklin scores off bench as TFC edges Pachuca in Leagues Cup". TSN. August 4, 2024.
- ^ Molinaro, John (August 5, 2024). "TFC Tidbits: 1st career goal a proud moment for Kobe Franklin". TFC Republic.
- ^ Molinaro, John (October 25, 2019). "What you need to know: Canada at the U-17 FIFA World Cup". Canadian Premier League.
- ^ "Canada announces squad for Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship". Toronto FC. June 10, 2022.
- ^ Kobe Franklin at Soccerway
- ^ "Kobe Franklin 2018 Stats". League1 Ontario.