Vimal Yoganathan

Vimal Yoganathan
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-01-13) 13 January 2006 (age 18)
Place of birth Trelawnyd, Wales
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Barnsley
Number 45
Youth career
–2011 Connah's Quay Nomads
2011–2013 Prestatyn Town
2014–2021 Liverpool
2021–2023 Barnsley
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Barnsley 1 (0)
International career‡
2024– Wales U19 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:24, 04 September 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:38, 02 April 2024 (UTC)

Vimal Yoganathan (born 13 January 2006) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Barnsley.[1][2]

Club career

Yoganathan was raised in Trelawnyd, Wales and began his career with local side Connah's Quay Nomads.[3] He then move to Prestatyn Town. At age six he was scouted by Liverpool and joined the club's shadow squad the following year. At age eight he was officially signed to the club's academy in the presence of Brendan Rodgers.[4]

Yoganathan later joined the under-16 side of Barnsley.[5] In 2023 he won the U18 division with the club.[6] That season he took part in twenty-nine of thirty-four matches.[7] Yoganathan made his professional debut with the club on 8 August 2023 in a 2023–24 EFL Cup match against Tranmere Rovers. He entered the match as a 65th-minute substitute for Herbie Kane.[8] With the appearance, he became the first player of Tamil heritage to play a professional senior game in English football.[9] He scored his first senior goals when he scored twice in an EFL Trophy tie against Manchester United U21s on 20 August 2024.[10]

International career

Yoganathan is of Sri Lankan Tamil descent and grew up in Trelawnyd.[11] As a schoolboy, Yoganathan was called up for Wales at the youth level to participate in training camps.[6][7] On 22 March 2024, he made his debut for Wales under-19s as a substitute against Belgium.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Soccerway profile". Soccerway. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  2. ^ Yasin, Abu (November 2, 2024). "England's first Tamil footballer Vimal Yoganathan aims to inspire". BBC Home. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  3. ^ Mesney, Nik. "Academy trio make Football League moves". Connah's Quay Nomads F.C. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  4. ^ Jones, Dean. "Vimal signs for Liverpool FC academy". The Rhyl, Prestatyn, and Abergele Journal. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  5. ^ "17 year old Tamil footballer Yoganthan makes his professional UK debut for Barnsley FC". Thamarai. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Ravenhill, Rogan. "Barnsley's title-winning under 18s squad". The Barnsley Chronicle. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Jones, John. "Young Guns". draggonsoccer.co.uk. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  8. ^ "Vimal Yoganathan on Making Reds Debut". Barnsley FC. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  9. ^ Gibbs, Thom. "Vimal Yoganathan: From four-year-old tantrums to England's first Tamil footballer". The Telegraph. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  10. ^ "Man Utd U21s produce late comeback in EFL Trophy". BBC. August 20, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  11. ^ "Vimal Yoganathan: The Tamil footballer from Trelawnyd". tamil Guardian. January 14, 2024.
  12. ^ "Wales' Under 19s squad (U18s)". dragonsoccer.co.uk. March 25, 2024.