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Kekuta Manneh
Manneh Kekuta Columbus Crew SC Meet the Team 2017.jpg
Manneh in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-12-30) 30 December 1994 (age 29)
Place of birth Bakau, The Gambia
Height 1.75 m
Playing position Winger, forward
Club information
Current club Pacific FC
Number 31
Youth career
2010–2011 Texas Rush
2011–2012 Lonestar SC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2010 Steve Biko 12 (17)
2012 Austin Aztex 12 (10)
2013–2017 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 101 (22)
2017 Columbus Crew 19 (4)
2018 Pachuca 1 (0)
2018–2019 St. Gallen 7 (0)
2019–2020 FC Cincinnati 29 (4)
2020 New England Revolution 6 (1)
2021 Austin FC 16 (0)
2022 San Antonio FC 0 (0)
2023– Pacific FC 19 (2)
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 7, 2023.
† Appearances (Goals).

Kekuta Manneh (born 30 December 1994) is a Gambian American professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Canadian Premier League club Pacific FC. In 2016, he obtained his American citizenship and has previously been called up to the United States national team, although he has not made an appearance.

Club career

Youth and amateur

Manneh began his career at the several youth academies, including Gilcock Academy, in Gambia before moving to the GFA League First Division, the nation's top league. After leaving Africa in 2010, Manneh led second-division Georgia Rush to the state cup quarter-finals and played for Texas Rush before signing with Lonestar Soccer Club, another youth club from Texas, for the 2011 season. Both clubs compete as part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. In 2010, Manneh scored 35 goals in 23 matches for the Rush. Because of his performance with the Rush, Manneh was named to the 2010 Disney’s Soccer Showcase All-Star Team and was given a week-long training stint with the Chelsea F.C. academy. For Lonestar SC, Manneh scored 21 goals in 16 matches. In October 2011, Manneh was observed by a scout from Arsenal in a match against the FC Dallas Development Academy. Following his successful season with Lonestar Soccer Club, Manneh signed for the Austin Aztex of the Premier Development League and scored 10 goals in 12 regular season matches, including a 4-goal performance against the Texas Dutch Lions on matchday 5.

Professional

Kekuta Manneh 2015
Manneh celebrating the 2015 Canadian Championship

Before coming to the United States in 2010, Manneh played for Steve Biko Football Club of the GFA League First Division, the highest level of football in the Gambia. Manneh helped the club finish second in the league in 2009 by scoring 17 goals in 12 matches. Despite successful trials with top clubs in the Gambia, Manneh decided to move to the United States and join the Texas-based academies. In 2012, it was reported that Manneh was on trial with the reigning Major League Soccer champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy but was ultimately not signed to a contract. Manneh had also trained with the Colorado Rapids and clubs in England and Germany. In January 2013, Manneh signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer in order to take part in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. A week later, Manneh was selected fourth overall by Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Vancouver made a trade with Toronto FC involving swapping picks and allocation money to get an earlier selection in order to draft Manneh.

Manneh scored two goals for the Whitecaps in a 3–2 preseason victory over the Charleston Battery in the 2013 Carolina Challenge Cup. On 3 March 2013 Manneh made his league debut for the Whitecaps, starting the match and playing 45 minutes of a 1–0 opening-day victory over Toronto FC.

Kekuta Manneh 11 April 2015
Manneh in 2015 against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Manneh scored his first professional goal on 27 April 2013, in a 2–2 draw with FC Dallas. After coming on as a 54th-minute substitute, he scored a 72nd-minute goal. Three minutes later, Manneh made a surging run past three defenders down the flank to set up Camilo's equalizer in the 75th minute. Manneh's goal and assist earned him man of the match honours. Manneh scored his first professional, and the Whitecaps' first MLS, hat-trick on 9 October 2013, in a 4–1 win over Seattle Sounders FC. At 18 years and 283 days, Manneh became the youngest player to have scored an MLS hat trick. On the following matchday, Manneh scored a curler from outside the penalty box against the Colorado Rapids.

Following a string of impressive performances in October 2013, it was reported that English Premier League powerhouses Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool were in the hunt to sign the 18-year-old from Vancouver, with the latter apparently linked with a move for the player the previous summer.

2019-03-17 - Kekuta Manneh (cropped)
Manneh in 2019

In a deal announced 30 March 2017, Manneh was traded to Columbus Crew SC for Tony Tchani. The Whitecaps also received $300,000 in various allocation funds and a conditional first round draft pick. Manneh's contract expired at the end of the season, and although he was offered a new contract by Crew SC, he chose to head overseas and go on trial with Union Berlin.

On 26 December 2017, Manneh joined Mexican side Pachuca. However, the player made only one league appearance, playing only eight minutes, during his short tenure at the club.

Manneh transferred to Swiss Super League club FC St. Gallen in late June 2018.

On 13 February 2019, Manneh returned to the United States, joining FC Cincinnati ahead of their inaugural season in MLS. Cincinnati acquired his MLS rights from Columbus in exchange for $250,000 in Targeted Allocation Money and $50,000 in General Allocation Money. He scored his first goal for Cincinnati on March 24, 2019 against the New England Revolution.

On 17 August 2020, Manneh was traded to New England Revolution for an international roster slot. He scored his first goal for New England on October 14, 2020.

Manneh returned to the city of Austin on 22 January 2021, signing as a free agent with Austin FC ahead of their inaugural MLS season. Following the 2021 season, Manneh's contract option was declined by Austin.

On 7 February 2022, it was announced that Manneh had signed with USL Championship club San Antonio FC ahead of their upcoming 2022 season.

On 3 April 2023, Manneh signed with Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC for their 2023 season.

International career

Because of Manneh's performances with Steve Biko FC, he was called up for the Gambia's U20 national squad for the 2011 African Youth Championship in Tripoli, Libya in March of that year. Because of political unrest in Libya, the tournament was held in South Africa from 17–2 April May instead. In March 2014, Manneh was one of seven foreign-based players contacted by new Gambia Under-20 coach Tapha Manneh to be part of the squad for 2015 African U-20 Championship qualification, including the match against Liberia on 6 April. However, he was unable to accept the call up because of injury. Manneh has stated he wants to play for the United States after he receives his U.S. citizenship in September 2016. He was called up into the United States squad for the January 2017 camp as well as for a friendly against Paraguay in March 2018, but has not yet made an appearance for the team.

Personal life

Manneh earned his U.S. citizenship in 2016. While playing for the Canada-based Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Manneh lived in the U.S. exclave of Point Roberts, Washington in order to fulfill his residency requirements for U.S. citizenship.

Manneh is Muslim and has observed the Islamic month of Ramadan to some extent.

Career statistics

Club Season League Playoffs Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Austin Aztex 2012 PDL 12 10 2 3 14 13
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2013 Major League Soccer 20 6 1 0 21 6
2014 29 4 0 0 2 1 31 5
2015 32 7 2 0 4 0 1 0 39 7
2016 17 5 4 0 0 0 21 5
2017 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 1
Total 101 22 2 0 11 1 3 1 117 24
Columbus Crew SC 2017 Major League Soccer 19 4 5 0 0 0 24 4
Pachuca 2017–18 Liga MX 1 0 5 0 6 0
St. Gallen 2018–19 Swiss Super League 7 0 2 0 0 0 9 0
FC Cincinnati 2019 Major League Soccer 27 4 27 4
2020 2 1 2 1
Total 29 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 5
New England Revolution 2020 Major League Soccer 6 1 6 1
Austin FC 2021 Major League Soccer 16 0 16 0
San Antonio FC 2022 USL Championship 0 0 0 0
Pacific FC 2023 Canadian Premier League 19 1 3 1 2 0 24 2
Career total 210 43 12 4 30 1 3 1 245 49

Honors

See also

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