Manuel Akanji
Who was Manuel Akanji?
Swiss centre-back who plays for Manchester City and captains the Switzerland national team.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Manuel Akanji (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Manuel Obafemi Akanji was born on July 19, 1995, in Wiesendangen, Switzerland. He is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a center-back and has been part of the Switzerland national team since 2017. His middle name, Obafemi, shows his Nigerian heritage from his father. Akanji came up through the youth academy of FC Winterthur and made his professional debut for the club in 2014 in the Swiss Challenge League. He also played for their reserve team before moving up to senior football.
In 2015, Akanji moved to FC Basel, one of Switzerland's most famous clubs known for regular European competition. His time at Basel was successful, with the team winning the Swiss Super League titles in the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons. The latter also included a Swiss Cup win. His strong performances caught the eye of bigger clubs, and in January 2018, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga. This move was a major step in his career, cementing his reputation as a promising young defender in Europe.
At Borussia Dortmund, Akanji became known as a solid and skilled defender over nearly five seasons. He helped the team win the 2019 DFL-Supercup and the 2020–21 DFB-Pokal. Although Dortmund didn't win a Bundesliga title while he was there, he gained lots of experience in big matches, including the UEFA Champions League. In September 2022, he signed a long-term contract with Manchester City in the English Premier League, joining the reigning English champions.
Akanji's first season at Manchester City, 2022–23, was impressive. The club won a treble, taking home the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League, with Akanji playing a key role in these achievements. He added another Premier League title in the 2023–24 season. In the summer of 2024, he went on loan to Italian club Inter Milan from Manchester City to continue his career in Serie A. Internationally, Akanji played in two UEFA European Championships, in 2020 and 2024, and two FIFA World Cups, in 2018 and 2022, becoming a key player for the Switzerland national team.
Before Fame
Manuel Akanji grew up in Wiesendangen, a small town in the Zurich canton of Switzerland. From a young age, he showed a natural talent for football and joined the youth academy of FC Winterthur, a local club with a long history in Swiss football. He steadily moved up through the youth teams and got chances to play with both the reserve and senior teams before he turned twenty. Switzerland's football setup, with its many regional clubs leading to professional academies, helped Akanji develop his defensive skills and technical ability.
His move to FC Basel in 2015 was a key step towards gaining wider recognition. At the time, Basel was Switzerland's top club, regularly playing in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League group stages, which exposed Akanji to European competition early in his career. Winning two Swiss league titles during this time boosted his confidence and reputation, paving the way for his transfer to the Bundesliga and his international career that followed.
Key Achievements
- Won back-to-back Swiss Super League titles with FC Basel in 2015–16 and 2016–17
- Won the 2016–17 Swiss Cup as part of a domestic double with Basel
- Won the 2020–21 DFB-Pokal with Borussia Dortmund
- Won the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup treble with Manchester City in 2022–23
- Appeared at two FIFA World Cups (2018, 2022) and two UEFA European Championships (2020, 2024) with Switzerland
Did You Know?
- 01.Akanji's middle name, Obafemi, is of Yoruba origin, reflecting his Nigerian paternal heritage.
- 02.He was born in Wiesendangen, a small municipality in the canton of Zurich with a population of fewer than 5,000 people.
- 03.Akanji won a continental treble with Manchester City in his debut season at the club in 2022–23, claiming the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League.
- 04.Before joining Borussia Dortmund, he helped FC Basel complete a league and cup double in the 2016–17 Swiss season.
- 05.He represented Switzerland at both under-20 and under-21 levels before earning his senior international debut in 2017.