Gboly Ariyibi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gboly Ariyibi

Ariyibi with Chesterfield in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Omogbolahan Gregory Ariyibi
Date of birth	(1995-01-18) January 18, 1995 (age 30)
Place of birth	Arlington, Virginia, United States
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Boavista
Number	11
Youth career
2005–2013	Southampton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2014	Leeds United	2	(0)
2014	→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)	2	(0)
2014–2017	Chesterfield	83	(3)
2017–2019	Nottingham Forest	0	(0)
2017–2018	→ Milton Keynes Dons (loan)	22	(3)
2018	→ Northampton Town (loan)	12	(0)
2019	→ Motherwell (loan)	17	(2)
2019–2021	Panetolikos	48	(5)
2021–2023	MKE Ankaragücü	40	(3)
2023–2024	Ankara Keçiörengücü	24	(1)
2025–	Boavista	11	(0)
International career
2014	United States U20	1	(0)
2015	United States U23	4	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 3, 2025

Omogbolahan Gregory "Gboly" Ariyibi (born January 18, 1995) is an American professional soccer player. He plays as a winger for Primeira Liga club Boavista.

Gboly has also played for the United States under-20 and under-23 national teams.

Gboly's Early Life

Gboly Ariyibi was born in Arlington, Virginia, United States. His parents are from Nigeria. When he was two months old, his family moved to England. They lived in London for a while. Then, they spent a short time in Nigeria. After that, they moved back to England and settled in Oxford. Gboly considers Oxford his hometown.

Gboly's Club Career

Gboly Ariyibi has played for many different football clubs. Let's look at his journey.

Starting at Southampton

Gboly began his youth career at Southampton in 2005. He was spotted playing for a youth team called Quarry Rovers in Oxford. He trained alongside future famous players like Luke Shaw and James Ward-Prowse. Gboly moved up through the youth teams to the Under 21s squad. He was listed as one of Southampton's promising young players for the 2012–13 season.

After leaving Southampton, Gboly tried out for several other clubs. He also joined a special team called UK Football Finder FC. This team helps players find new clubs.

Playing for Leeds United

On December 11, 2013, Gboly signed with Leeds United. He joined them after a short trial period. The manager, Brian McDermott, said Gboly was "an exciting player" and "very, very quick."

Gboly got the number 27 shirt. He made his first appearance for Leeds United on December 29, 2013. He came on as a substitute against Nottingham Forest. A few days later, on January 1, 2014, he started his first game against Blackburn Rovers.

Loan to Tranmere Rovers

On March 25, 2014, Gboly joined Tranmere Rovers on loan. He played two games for them as a substitute. However, he then got an injury and could not play for the rest of the season. Leeds United released him in May 2014.

Time at Chesterfield

After leaving Leeds, Gboly tried out for Premier League club Burnley. But on August 29, 2014, he decided to join Football League One team Chesterfield. He signed a 12-month contract.

Gboly made his Chesterfield debut on September 13, 2014. At first, he did not play much due to injuries and being on the bench. By February 2015, he started getting more playing time. He helped his team win 3–0 against Fleetwood Town by setting up two goals. His good play earned him a new contract until 2017.

First Goal for Chesterfield

A week later, on March 14, 2015, Gboly scored his first goal for Chesterfield. It was in a game they lost 3–2 against Coventry City. He became a regular player for the rest of that season. He played 19 games and scored one goal.

In the 2015–16 season, Gboly played even more. He scored his first goal of that season in an FA Cup match. It was a 4–1 win against F.C. United of Manchester. In 2016, he helped his team win 7–1 against Shrewsbury Town by setting up two goals. He scored again on April 2, 2016, in a 4–2 win over Port Vale. He also set up two goals in that game. He finished the season with 41 appearances and three goals.

In the 2016–17 season, other clubs like Reading became interested in Gboly. He stayed at Chesterfield even though he turned down a new contract. He continued to play well for the team.

Moving to Nottingham Forest

On January 31, 2017, Gboly signed with Championship club Nottingham Forest. This club used to be a European Champion! Even though he played well for their younger teams, Gboly did not play any games for the main team.

Loan Spells

• Milton Keynes Dons: On July 17, 2017, Gboly went on loan to Milton Keynes Dons. He scored his first goal for them on August 8, 2017, in an EFL Cup game. He played 28 games for them before his loan ended in January 2018.
• Northampton Town: After that, Gboly joined Northampton Town on loan. His loan ended early in April 2018 because of an injury.
• Motherwell: On January 7, 2019, Gboly went on loan to Motherwell in Scotland. He played 17 games and scored 2 goals for them.

Playing in Greece and Turkey

On September 1, 2019, Gboly moved to Greece. He joined Super League Greece team Panetolikos on a two-year deal. He scored his first goal for them on November 9, 2019. He played 48 games and scored 5 goals for Panetolikos.

After Panetolikos, Gboly played for MKE Ankaragücü in Turkey from 2021 to 2023. He then moved to another Turkish club, Ankara Keçiörengücü, where he played until 2024.

Current Club: Boavista

Since 2025, Gboly Ariyibi has been playing as a winger for Boavista, a club in Portugal's top league.

International Career

Gboly Ariyibi was born in the United States. But because his parents are from Nigeria, he could also play for the Nigerian national team. He could also play for England because he grew up there. In 2013, Gboly said he wanted to play for the United States youth teams.

In September 2014, Gboly was called up to the United States under-20 team. He played one game for them. In August 2015, he was called up to the United States under-23 team. He made his debut for them in a game against England U21. On September 8, 2015, Gboly scored his first international goal in a match against the Qatar under-23 team.

Career Statistics

Here is a table showing Gboly Ariyibi's appearances and goals for different clubs.

See also

In Spanish: Gboly Ariyibi para niños