Manuel Akanji facts for kids
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Akanji playing for Switzerland at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manuel Obafemi Akanji | ||
| Date of birth | 19 July 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Wiesendangen, Switzerland | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Manchester City | ||
| Number | 25 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2007 | FC Wiesendangen | ||
| 2007–2013 | FC Winterthur | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2014 | FC Winterthur II | 18 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | FC Winterthur | 35 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | FC Basel II | 4 | (0) |
| 2015–2018 | FC Basel | 42 | (5) |
| 2018–2022 | Borussia Dortmund | 119 | (4) |
| 2022– | Manchester City | 85 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2014 | Switzerland U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Switzerland U21 | 6 | (0) |
| 2017– | Switzerland | 71 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:29, 25 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 07:06, 11 June 2025 (UTC) |
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Manuel Akanji, born on July 19, 1995, is a professional football player from Switzerland. He plays as a defender for the famous English club Manchester City and also for the Swiss national team.
Akanji started his football journey in the youth academy of FC Winterthur. He began his professional career in 2014. Later, he moved to FC Basel in 2015. There, he helped the team win the Swiss league title two times in a row. They also won the Swiss Cup once.
In 2018, Akanji joined Borussia Dortmund in Germany. With Dortmund, he won the German Supercup in 2019 and the German Cup in 2021. In 2022, he moved to Manchester City. In his first season with City, he helped them win a "continental treble." This means they won three major trophies: the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. He also won another Premier League title in the 2023–24 season.
Manuel Akanji also plays for his country, Switzerland. He first played for the senior national team in 2017. Before that, he played for the Swiss under-20 and under-21 teams. He has represented Switzerland in two European Championships (2020 and 2024) and two FIFA World Cups (2018 and 2022).
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting in Youth Football
Akanji started playing football at a young age in his hometown of Wiesendangen, Switzerland. In 2007, he joined the youth team of FC Winterthur. He played for their under-18 team and later for their second team. By the 2014–15 season, he became a regular player for Winterthur's main team.
Playing for FC Basel
On April 15, 2015, Akanji moved to FC Basel, a top club in Switzerland. He made his debut in the Swiss Super League on September 26, 2015. Under manager Urs Fischer, Akanji helped Basel win the Swiss Super League championship in the 2015–16 season.
The next season, 2016–17, was even better. Basel won both the Swiss Super League and the Swiss Cup. This was a special achievement for the club. As Swiss champions, Basel also got to play in the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League. Akanji played in all six group stage games, helping his team reach the knockout rounds.
Time at Borussia Dortmund
Manuel Akanji joined Borussia Dortmund in Germany on January 15, 2018. He signed a contract until June 2022. His first game for Dortmund was on February 2, when he came on as a substitute in a 3–2 win.
On September 27, 2018, Akanji scored his first goal for Dortmund in a big 7–0 win. He played a full 90 minutes when Dortmund beat RB Leipzig 4–1 in the 2021 DFB-Pokal Final on May 13, 2021. This win helped Dortmund lift the German Cup.
Joining Manchester City
First Season: 2022–23
On September 1, 2022, Akanji moved to Premier League champions Manchester City. He signed a contract until 2027. He played his first game for City five days later in a UEFA Champions League match against Sevilla, which City won 4–0. His Premier League debut was on September 17, in a 3–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Akanji was voted Manchester City's Player of the Month for October. On May 17, 2023, he scored his first goal for the club. It was also his first goal in the Champions League, scored against Real Madrid in a 4–0 semi-final win. In his first season, Akanji played more minutes than any other defender for Manchester City. The team won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, completing a historic treble.
Second Season: 2023–24
On October 21, 2023, Akanji received his first red card for Manchester City in a 2–1 win against Brighton & Hove Albion. A few days later, on October 25, he scored his first goal of the season in a Champions League match. He scored his first Premier League goal of the season on November 4 in a 6–1 win against Bournemouth. He even scored in a third straight match on November 12, when City drew 4–4 with Chelsea.
Current Season: 2024–25
On August 10, 2024, Akanji scored the winning penalty kick. This helped Manchester City beat Manchester United 7–6 in a penalty shootout to win the 2024 FA Community Shield. The game had ended 1–1 in regular time.
International Career
Akanji played two games for the Switzerland U-20 national team. He then joined the Switzerland U-21 team in 2014.
On June 9, 2017, Akanji made his first appearance for the Swiss senior team. This was in a 2–0 win against the Faroe Islands during a World Cup qualifying match. He played the whole game.
He was part of Switzerland's team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He started all four of the team's matches as they reached the Round of 16. In May 2019, Akanji also played in the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals.
In 2021, he was chosen for the Swiss team for UEFA Euro 2020. He played in all five of Switzerland's matches. The team reached the quarter-finals. Akanji scored his penalty kick when Switzerland beat France in a shootout in the Round of 16. However, in the quarter-final against Spain, he missed his penalty, and Switzerland lost.
On September 24, 2022, Akanji scored his first goal for the senior national team. It was against Spain in a 2–1 win in the UEFA Nations League. He was also part of the Swiss team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. On December 7, 2022, he scored Switzerland's only goal in a 6–1 loss to Portugal in the Round of 16.
On June 7, 2024, Akanji was named in Switzerland's team for UEFA Euro 2024. He played every minute in their opening game, a 3–1 win against Hungary. He helped Switzerland reach the quarter-finals for the second European Championship in a row. They were knocked out by England after a penalty shootout. Akanji took the first penalty for Switzerland, but it was saved. For his great performances, Akanji was chosen for the Team of the Tournament.
How Manuel Akanji Plays
Akanji is known for his smart and calm style of play. He is very good with the ball and can pass it accurately. He is also a strong defender who is good at winning the ball from opponents. He can also stop passes and make important tackles.
Fans of the English Premier League often notice his ability to understand the game. He can make key interceptions and stays calm under pressure. Akanji's passing is a big part of his game. He often helps start attacks from the back of the field. His long passes are especially good. He can switch the play across the field to create space for his teammates. Because he is so good at passing, Manchester City's manager, Pep Guardiola, sometimes plays Akanji in different positions. He has played as a left-back, right-back, and even as a libero, similar to his teammate John Stones.
Personal Life
Manuel Akanji was born in Wiesendangen, Switzerland. His mother is Swiss, and his father is Nigerian. His sister, Sarah, used to play football and is now a politician.
In 2017, even though he was already a professional footballer, he finished his vocational training as a tradesman. In 2018, he showed on Swiss TV that he is very good at mental math!
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Winterthur II | 2013–14 | 1. Liga Classic | 18 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||||
| FC Winterthur | 2013–14 | Swiss Challenge League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2014–15 | Swiss Challenge League | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 35 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 1 | |||
| FC Basel II | 2015–16 | Swiss Promotion League | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Swiss Promotion League | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||||
| FC Basel | 2015–16 | Swiss Super League | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Swiss Super League | 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 5 | |||
| 2017–18 | Swiss Super League | 19 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 28 | 2 | |||
| Total | 42 | 5 | 9 | 2 | — | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 7 | |||
| Borussia Dortmund | 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 11 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | Bundesliga | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 31 | 1 | |||
| 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | Bundesliga | 28 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 26 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 1 | ||
| Total | 119 | 4 | 12 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 158 | 4 | |||
| Manchester City | 2022–23 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | — | 48 | 1 | |
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 30 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 48 | 4 | |
| 2024–25 | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| Total | 85 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 136 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 303 | 12 | 36 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 58 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 411 | 17 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 2017 | 4 | 0 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 71 | 3 | |
- Scores and results list Switzerland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Akanji goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 September 2022 | La Romareda, Zaragoza, Spain |  Spain |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A |
| 2 | 6 December 2022 | Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar |  Portugal |
1–4 | 1–6 | 2022 FIFA World Cup |
| 3 | 15 October 2023 | Kybunpark, St. Gallen, Switzerland |  Belarus |
2–3 | 3–3 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
Honours and Awards
FC Basel
- Swiss Super League: 2015–16, 2016–17
- Swiss Cup: 2016–17
Borussia Dortmund
- DFB-Pokal: 2020–21
- DFL-Supercup: 2019
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2022–23, 2023–24
- FA Cup: 2022–23; runner-up: 2023–24, 2024–25
- FA Community Shield: 2024
- UEFA Champions League: 2022–23
- UEFA Super Cup: 2023
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2023
Individual Awards
- Swiss Super League Team of the Year: 2017–18
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2024
See also
In Spanish: Manuel Akanji para niños
