Kobe Franklin
Personal information
Full name Kobe Lloyd Franklin
Date of birth (2003-05-10) May 10, 2003
Place of birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Toronto FC
Number 19
Youth career
Beach Community Soccer
Power Soccer
Evanston SC
2012–2016 Chicago Fire FC
2017–2021 Toronto FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Toronto FC III 1 (1)
2021–2022 Toronto FC II 44 (4)
2022 → Toronto FC (loan) 1 (0)
2023– Toronto FC 27 (0)
International career‡
2019 Canada U17 2 (0)
2022– Canada U20 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 21, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 26, 2022

Kobe Lloyd Franklin (born May 10, 2003) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a defender for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Early life

Born in Toronto, Franklin began playing soccer at age four with Beach Community Soccer.[1][2] Shortly after he began to play with Power Soccer Academy.[3] When he was 9, his family moved to Chicago, where he began playing with Evanston SC before quickly joining the academy of Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire.[3] He later returned to Toronto, joining the Toronto FC Academy in February 2017.[4]

Club career

He made his senior debut playing for the Senior Academy team, Toronto FC III, on August 19, 2018, in League1 Ontario against Ottawa South United, scoring a 94th minute goal, becoming the youngest ever goal scorer in League1 Ontario at the age of 15 years, 3 months.[5]

On May 13, 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Toronto FC II of USL League One to join the team for the 2021 season.[4] He made his debut for Toronto FC II on May 22, 2021, against North Texas SC.[6] He scored his first professional goal on August 18 against Forward Madison.[7] On October 1, he recorded two assists and set up a third goal (although was not credited with a third assist) in a 3–0 victory over North Carolina FC.[8] For the 2021 season, he was named a league First Team All-Star and was a finalist for both the USL League One Young Player of the Year and Defender of the Year awards.[9][10] He was subsequently invited to training camp with the first team ahead of the 2022 season (and once again for the 2023 season).[11]

On April 1, 2022, he joined the first team, Toronto FC on a short-term four-day loan.[12] He signed additional four day loans on April 23, May 4, and May 7.[13][14][15] He made his Major League Soccer debut on May 4, 2022, as a second half substitute against FC Cincinnati.[16] In February 2023, he signed a two-year homegrown player contract with two option years with Toronto FC.[17][18] After a few substitute appearances, Franklin made his first start on April 29, 2023 against New York City FC.[19][20]

International career

Franklin represented the Canada U17 team at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[21] In June 2022, he was named to the Canadian U-20 team for the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[22]

Career statistics

As of match played October 21, 2023[23]
Club Season League Playoffs National Cup Continental Other Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Toronto FC III 2018[24] League1 Ontario 11———0011
Toronto FC II 2021 USL League One 242————242
2022 MLS Next Pro 20220———222
Total 44420000000460
Toronto FC (loan) 2022 Major League Soccer 10—00——10
Toronto FC 2023 270—10—1[lower-alpha 1]0290
Total 28000100010300
Career total 73520100010775
  1. ↑ Appearance in Leagues Cup

References

  1. ↑ Kobe Franklin at the Canadian Soccer Association
  2. ↑ Vigliano, Ricardo (October 9, 2019). "Kobe Franklin, who started his soccer career in the Beach, set to suit up for Canada at FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil". Beach Metro Community News.
  3. 1 2 Franklin, Kobe. "My Story". Kobe Franklin.
  4. 1 2 "Toronto FC II Sign Kobe Franklin". Toronto FC. May 13, 2021.
  5. ↑ Whyte, Kacian (August 20, 2018). "TFC III Roll Over OSU 4-0 As Franklin Makes History". League1 Ontario.
  6. ↑ "North Texas SC Falls 2-1 Away to Toronto FC II". FC Dallas. May 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ Steiner, Ben (August 19, 2021). "A Resilient Group: TFC II level twice to claim a point in Wisconsin". Waking the Red.
  8. ↑ Schnittker, Nicholas (October 1, 2021). "Trio of rapid second-half goals sinks North Carolina FC in Toronto". Technician.
  9. ↑ "Franklin racks up two nominations for USL League One Awards". Toronto FC. November 9, 2021.
  10. ↑ Molinaro, John (November 29, 2023). "Kobe Franklin a rare success story in TFC's disastrous season". TFC Republic.
  11. ↑ Molinaro, John (March 10, 2023). "TFC's Kobe Franklin: 'Never any doubts in my mind I could play at this level so soon'". TFC Republic.
  12. ↑ "Toronto FC sign defender Kobe Franklin to short-term agreement". Toronto FC. April 1, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Toronto FC sign Antonoglou and Franklin to short-term agreement". Toronto FC. April 23, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Toronto FC sign Antonoglou, Franklin, Rothrock and Yeates to short-term agreements". Toronto FC. May 4, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Toronto adds Antonoglou, Franklin, Rothrock and Yeates to weekend roster". Toronto FC. May 7, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Depleted Toronto FC concede early, drop 3rd straight in shutout loss to Cincinnati FC". CBC Sports. May 4, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Toronto FC Sign Homegrown Defender Kobe Franklin". Toronto FC. February 24, 2023.
  18. ↑ Molinaro, John (February 24, 2023). "Transaction tracker: TFC adds defender Kobe Franklin to roster". TFC Republic.
  19. ↑ Molinaro, John (May 3, 2023). "Kobe Franklin rose to the occasion in his first start for TFC". TFC Republic.
  20. ↑ Molinaro, John (September 13, 2023). "TFC's Kobe Franklin continues to come of age in his rookie year". TFC Republic.
  21. ↑ Molinaro, John (October 25, 2019). "What you need to know: Canada at the U-17 FIFA World Cup". Canadian Premier League.
  22. ↑ "Canada announces squad for Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship". Toronto FC. June 10, 2022.
  23. ↑ Kobe Franklin at Soccerway
  24. ↑ "Kobe Franklin 2018 Stats". League1 Ontario.
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