Yunus Musah facts for kids
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Musah with the United States at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | November 29, 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | New York City, United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | AC Milan | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 80 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2012 | Giorgione | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2019 | Arsenal | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Valencia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Valencia B | 17 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2023 | Valencia | 94 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | AC Milan | 45 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | England U15 | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | England U16 | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | England U17 | 9 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | England U18 | 8 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2020– | United States | 45 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Yunus Dimoara Musah (born November 29, 2002) is an American professional soccer player. He plays as a midfielder for the Italian club AC Milan and the United States national team.
Yunus grew up in Italy and England. He trained at Arsenal's famous youth academy. He started his professional career with La Liga club Valencia in 2020 when he was just 17. He quickly moved up from their youth and reserve teams. At Valencia, he played in 94 league games. He was even nominated for the 2022 Golden Boy award, which recognizes the best young player in Europe. In August 2023, he joined Serie A club AC Milan.
Before playing for the United States, Yunus played for England's youth teams. He decided to play for the United States in 2021. He represented the U.S. at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and helped them win the CONCACAF Nations League in 2021, 2023, and 2024. In 2022, he won the U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year award.
Contents
Club Career: Yunus Musah's Journey in Soccer
Early Steps: From Italy to Arsenal
Yunus Musah was born in New York City, United States. His parents are from Ghana. His mother was visiting the U.S. when he was born. After he was born, his family moved to Castelfranco Veneto, Italy. This is where he started playing soccer for a local team called Giorgione Calcio 2000.
In 2012, when Yunus was nine, his family moved to London, England. He joined Arsenal's Academy, a top youth soccer program. His coach at Arsenal, Trevor Bumstead, was very impressed. He said Yunus had amazing physical skills and a strong desire to succeed. He could play anywhere but loved being a central attacking midfielder.
Valencia: Becoming a Pro Player
In the summer of 2019, Yunus joined Valencia in Spain. He was 16 years old. He started with their reserve team, Valencia B. He played his first game for the B-team on September 15, 2019. He scored his first goal for them on March 1, 2020.
When a new manager, Javi Gracia, joined Valencia's main team, Yunus trained with them. On September 13, 2020, at 17 years and eight months old, he played his first game in La Liga, Spain's top league. He became the first English and American player to debut for Valencia.
On November 1, 2020, Yunus scored a goal against Getafe CF. He was 17 years and 338 days old. This made him the youngest non-Spanish player to score for Valencia. The next month, he signed a contract to stay with Valencia until 2026. He also scored a crucial goal in the Copa del Rey (a Spanish cup competition) in December 2020, helping his team win in extra time.
In the 2021–22 Copa del Rey, Yunus scored in early rounds. In the final game on April 23, he came on as a substitute. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. In the penalty shootout, he was the only player to miss, and Valencia lost.
AC Milan: A New Chapter in Italy
On August 4, 2023, Yunus Musah joined Serie A club AC Milan in Italy. He signed a contract until June 2028. He chose the jersey number 80, which was famously worn by Ronaldinho.
On September 19, when he was 20, Yunus played his first UEFA Champions League game. He came on as a substitute against Newcastle United. On October 7, he made his first assist for Milan, helping Christian Pulisic score the winning goal against Genoa.
On August 17, 2024, in the first game of the 2024–25 season, Yunus assisted Noah Okafor's goal. This helped Milan tie the game 2-2 against Torino in the final moments.
International Career: Choosing His Country
Yunus Musah could have played for several countries. He was eligible for the United States, Ghana, Italy, and England.
Playing for England's Youth Teams
Yunus first played for England's under-15s team in 2016. He continued to play for England's youth teams up to the under-18 level. He played more than 30 games for England's youth teams in total.
Joining the U.S. Men's Team
On November 2, 2020, Yunus accepted an invitation to play for the United States senior squad. He played in friendly games against Wales and Panama. The U.S. team had many young players based in Europe. Yunus made his first international appearance for the U.S. on November 11, starting in a 0-0 draw against Wales.
Even though Yunus played for the U.S., England's senior manager, Gareth Southgate, tried to convince him to play for England. However, on March 15, 2021, Yunus officially decided to represent the United States in international soccer.
Yunus played for the U.S. at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He was seen as one of the best young players in the tournament. His performances against England and Iran were very impressive. In 2022, he won the U.S. Soccer Young Player of the Year award. On October 12, 2024, Yunus scored his first goal for the United States in a friendly match against Panama. The U.S. won 2-0.
Personal Life and Playing Style
Yunus Musah is a devoted Muslim. He follows the five daily prayers in Islam. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he said he enjoyed being able to practice his religion. Besides English and Italian, Yunus also speaks Spanish fluently.
Yunus is known for his great technical skills, how well he moves on the field, and his strength.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Valencia B | 2019–20 | Segunda División B | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| Valencia | 2020–21 | La Liga | 32 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 35 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | La Liga | 29 | 1 | 7 | 2 | — | — | 36 | 3 | |||
| 2022–23 | La Liga | 33 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| Total | 94 | 2 | 13 | 3 | — | 1 | 0 | 108 | 5 | |||
| AC Milan | 2023–24 | Serie A | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | 40 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | Serie A | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| Total | 45 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 63 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 156 | 3 | 15 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 188 | 6 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 12 | 1 | |
| Total | 45 | 1 | |
- United States score listed first, score column indicates score after each United States goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 October 2024 | Q2 Stadium, Austin, United States | 42 |  Panama |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
Honors: Awards and Trophies
Valencia
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2021–22 (finished second in the Spanish Cup)
AC Milan
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2024–25 (won the Italian Super Cup)
United States
- CONCACAF Nations League: 2019–20, 2022–23, 2023–24 (won this North American championship three times)
Individual
- U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year: 2022 (recognized as the best young male player in U.S. soccer)
- CONCACAF Nations League Finals Best XI: 2023 (chosen as one of the best 11 players in the tournament)
Images for kids
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Musah at the 2022 FIFA World Cup against Iran
See also
In Spanish: Yunus Musah para niños
