Yannick Yankam

Yannick Yankam
Personal information
Full name Yannick Yankam
Date of birth (1997-12-12) 12 December 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Qormi, Malta
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Lexington SC
Number 8
Youth career
–2015 Qormi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2019 Qormi 89 (9)
2019–2023 Birkirkara 90 (10)
2024– Lexington SC 17 (2)
International career‡
2023– Malta 10 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 December 2023

Yannick Yankam (born 12 December 1997) is a Maltese professional footballer and rapper who plays as a midfielder for Lexington SC of USL League One and the Malta national team.[1]

Club career

Yankam started his career with Qormi, where he played for as a youth player.[2] In 2019, he joined Birkirkara.[3] He made his senior team debut on 23 August 2019 in a 1–0 league loss against Floriana.[4] He scored his first goal on 22 February 2020 in a 2–1 league win against Hibernians.[5] While playing football, he has received racist abuse during games.[6][7] In 2023, after scoring his first international goal, Yankam was regarded as a prospect in Maltese football.[8]

On 8 January 2024, Yankam joined American club Lexington SC in the USL League One on a permanent deal, signing a two-year contract.[9][10]

International career

Yankam made his senior team debut on 23 March 2023, scoring in a 2–1 UEFA European Championship qualifying defeat against North Macedonia.[11]

Style of play

Yankam mainly operates as a midfielder.[12]

Music career

Yankam is also a rapper who goes by the name Yannick.[13][14] He was a part of the Maltese rap collective 215collective, together with rappers Caro and Eddie Fresco.[15] In 2019, he released his debut EP.[16] He was nominated for the 2020 Bay Music Awards Best Hip Hop/ RnB Artist.[17]

Personal life

Yankam was born in Malta to a Cameroonian father and a Maltese mother.[18]

Career statistics

Club

As of 26 March 2023[1]
Appearances and goals by club and year
Club Year Apps Goals
Qormi 2015–16 22 0
2016–17 20 2
2017–18 25 3
2018–19 27 4
Birkirkara 2019–20 14 1
2020–21 24 4
2021–22 26 2
2022–23 24 6
Total 182 22

International

As of 1 December 2023[1]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Malta 2023 10 1
Total 10 1

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 23 March 2023 Toše Proeski Arena, Skopje, North Macedonia  North Macedonia
1–2
1–2
 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Honours

Club

Birkirkara

References

  1. ^ a b c Yannick Yankam at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Birkirkara jakkwistaw lil Yannick Yankam mingħand Qormi". netnews.com.mt.
  3. ^ "Yannick Yankam joins Birkirkara". maltafootball.com.
  4. ^ "Birkirkara vs. Floriana – 23 August 2019". Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Birkirkara vs. Hibernians – 22 February 2020". Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Monkey chants, name-calling... the prevalent racial abuse in Maltese football". timesofmalta.com.
  7. ^ "Black And Maltese! Three Youths Speak Out About Their Experiences With Racism In Eye-Opening Video". loveinmalta.com.
  8. ^ "Yannick Yankam Scores First International Goal Playing For Malta". ohmymalta.com.mt.
  9. ^ "LEXINGTON SPORTING CLUB SIGNS MALTA NATIVE YANNICK YANKAM". Lexington Sporting Club. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  10. ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (9 January 2024). "Yankam bids farewell to Birkirkara FC as Lexington FC move confirmed". SportsDesk. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Gowl ta' Yankam mhux biżżejjed għal Malta kontra l-Maċedonja ta' Fuq". newsbook.com.mt.
  12. ^ "Tabone, Yankam and Nwoko make final Malta squad for North Macedonia trip". sportsdesk.com.mt.
  13. ^ "YANNICK – The Gen Z rapper set to revolutionise Malta's hip hop scene". trackagescheme.com.
  14. ^ "Remember Last Week's Maltese Rap Feud? Turns Out We Were Only Getting Started". lovinmalta.com.
  15. ^ "7 bands from Malta you should be paying attention to". musiccrowns.org.
  16. ^ "Tekken And Chill – Young Maltese Hip Hop Artist Releases Nostalgic Video For Debut EP's First Single". lovinmalta.com.
  17. ^ "Meet The BMAs Nominees – Best Hip Hop/ RnB Artist". bay.com.mt.
  18. ^ "Young, black, Maltese: Birkirkara footballer Yannick Yankam on the reality of racism in Malta". MaltaToday.com.mt.