Joel Kojo

Joel Kojo

Personal information
Full name	Joel Kojo
Date of birth	(1998-08-21) 21 August 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Accra, Ghana
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Esteghlal
Number	11
Youth career
	KK Adonteng Stars
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2021	Alay	59	(52)
2021–2023	Dordoi Bishkek	35	(14)
2023–202‌4	Dinamo Samarqand	41	(19)
2025–	Esteghlal	2	(0)
International career^‡
2023–	Kyrgyzstan	23	(10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 January 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024

Joel Kojo (Russian: Джоэл Коджо; born 21 August 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Persian Gulf Pro League club Esteghlal. Born in Ghana, he plays for the Kyrgyzstan national team.

Club career

Alay

Kojo finished the 2018 season as the club's and the league's top scorer with 26 goals.[2]

Dordoi Bishkek

On 11 January 2022, Dordoi Bishkek announced the signing of Kojo on a one-year contract.[3]

Kojo finished the 2022 season as the club's top scorer, scoring 10 goals in the league and once in the Kyrgyzstan Super Cup.[4] On 24 January 2023, Dordoi Bishkek announced the departure of Kojo following the expiration of his contract the previous November.[5]

Dinamo Samarqand

On 27 February 2023, Dinamo Samarqand announced the signing of Kojo on a one-year contract.[6]

On 29 March 2023, Kojo scored a hat-trick for Dinamo Samarqand in their 3–0 victory over Navbahor Namangan-2.[7]

Esteghlal

On 11 January 2025, Persian Gulf Pro League club Esteghlal announced the signing of Kojo.[8]

International career

On 18 May 2023, Kojo was called up to the Kyrgyzstan national team for the first time as part of their 2023 CAFA Nations Cup squad.[9] On 16 June 2023, Kojo made his debut for Kyrgyzstan, coming on as a 58th minute substitute for Atay Dzhumashev in a 5–1 defeat to Iran.[10][11]

On 25 January 2024, Kojo scored the only goal for Kyrgyzstan in their 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign in a 1–1 tie against Oman, a goal that directly killed off hopes of both his adopted country and Oman from advancing at the expense of Indonesia.

On 26 March 2024, Kojo scored his first international hat-trick during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Chinese Taipei in a 5–1 home win.

Personal life

Born in Ghana, Kojo is a Ghanaian Muslim. He was naturalized by Kyrgyzstan and joined the Kyrgyzstan national team after competing in that country for a long time.[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 November 2024[13][11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Alay	2018	Kyrgyz Premier League	21	26			—		6[b]	1	—		27	16
	2019		24	19			—		2[b]	0	—		26	19
	2020		14	7			—		—		—		14	7
	Total		59	41			—		8	1	—		67	52
Dordoi Bishkek	2021	Kyrgyz Premier League	13	4			—		2[b]	1	—		15	5
	2022		22	10			—		2[b]	0	—		24	10
	Total		35	14			—		4	1	—		39	15
Dinamo Samarqand	2023	Uzbekistan Pro League	17	11	6	4	—		—		—		23	15
	2024	Uzbekistan Super League	24	8	3	3	—		—		—		27	11
	Total		41	19	9	7	—		—		—		50	26
Career total			135	74	9	7	—		12	2	—		156	83

1. Includes Kyrgyzstan Cup, Uzbekistan Cup
2. Appearances and goals in the AFC Cup

International

Statistics accurate as of match played 19 November 2024[11]

Kyrgyzstan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2023	9	2
2024	14	8
Total	23	10

International goals

Scores and results list Kyrgyzstan's goal tally first.[11]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	11 September 2023	The Sevens Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates	Kuwait	2–1	3–1	Friendly
2.				3–1
3.	9 January 2024	Al Egla Training Facility, Doha, Qatar	Vietnam	1–0	2–1	Friendly
4.	25 January 2024	Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar	Oman	1–1	1–1	2023 AFC Asian Cup
5.	26 March 2024	Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan	Chinese Taipei	1–0	5–1	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification 2nd round
6.				2–0
7.				3–0
8.	10 September 2024	Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan	Uzbekistan	1–0	2–3	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
9.	19 November 2024	Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan	Iran	1–2	2–3	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification 2nd round
10.				2–2

Honours

Alay

• Kyrgyzstan Cup: 2020
• Kyrgyzstan Super Cup: 2018

Dordoi Bishkek

• Kyrgyz Premier League: 2021
• Kyrgyzstan Super Cup: 2021, 2022

Individual

• Kyrgyz Premier League top-goalscorer: 2018[14]
• KFU Footballer of the year Awards: 2024[15]

References

1. "Joel Kojo". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
2. "Жоел Кожо из Ганы — лучший бомбардир чемпионата Кыргызстана по футболу (список)". sport.akipress.org (in Russian). Sport Akipress. 7 November 2018. Archived from the original on 5 January 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
3. "Кожо Жоэл стал игроком "Дордоя"". fc-dordoi.kg (in Russian). FC Dordoi Bishkek. 11 January 2022. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
4. "Кожо Жоэль - лучший бомбардир "Дордоя" в этом сезоне". fc-dordoi.kg (in Russian). FC Dordoi Bishkek. 18 November 2022. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
5. "Форвард из Ганы Кожо Жоэль покинул "Дордой"". fc-dordoi.kg (in Russian). FC Dordoi Bishkek. 24 January 2023. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
6. "В"ДинамоВ" жамоаси Про лига янги мавсуми олдидан ўз сафига янги ўйинчиларни Т›ўшиб олишда давом этмоТ›да". fcdinamo.uz (in Uzbek). FC Dinamo Samarqand. 27 February 2023. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
7. "Navbahor Farm 0-3 Dinamo". pfl.uz. Uzbekistan Professional Football League. 29 March 2023. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
8. "Here we go Joel Kojo". instagram.com/esteghlal.fc.official/. Esteghlal F.C. Instagram. 11 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
9. "СПИСОК ИГРОКОВ, ВЫЗВАННЫХ В СБОРНУЮ КЫРГЫЗСТАНА" (in Russian). Кыргызский футбольный союз. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
10. "Joel Kojo debuts for Kyrgyzstan in heavy defeat to Iran after ditching Ghana". ghanaweb.com. Ghana Web. 17 June 2023. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
11. "Joel Kojo". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
12. "Akun Instagram Kojo Joel Striker Muslim Kyrgyzstan Diserbu Netizen Indonesia Pasca Samakan Kedudukan". Tribun Priangan (in Indonesian). 26 January 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
13. Joel Kojo at Soccerway
14. "Жоел Кожо из Ганы — лучший бомбардир чемпионата Кыргызстана по футболу (список)". sport.akipress.org/ (in Russian). Aki Press. 7 November 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
15. "Instagram".

External links

• Joel Kojo at Soccerway
• PFL.uz Profile