Michael_Kafari
Michael Kafari
Ghanaian footballer (born 1991)
Michael Kafari (born October 30, 1991) is a Ghanaian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1991-10-30) October 30, 1991 (age 32) | ||
| Place of birth | Accra, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive Midfielder | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2013 | New Mexico Lobos | 82 | (3) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012 | Austin Aztex | 2 | (0) |
| 2014 | Charleston Battery | 0 | (0) |
| 2014 | Sporting Kansas City | 0 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Puerto Rico FC | 32 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Motala | ||
| 2019 | ASC San Diego | 3 | (0) |
| 2019 | New York Cosmos | 6 | (0) |
| 2020 | Detroit City | 8 | (1) |
| 2021 | New Amsterdam | 7 | (0) |
| 2021 | Chicago House | 14 | (0) |
| 2022 | AC Syracuse Pulse | 19 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 November 2023 | |||
College and amateur
Kafari played college soccer at the University of New Mexico between 2010 and 2013.[2]
While at college, Kafari appeared for Premier Development League side Austin Aztex in 2012.[3][better source needed]
Professional
Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected Kafari in the third round (No. 51 overall) of the 2014 MLS SuperDraft.[4] However, he wasn't signed by the club, instead joining USL Pro side Charleston Battery.[5]
Kafari left Charleston without making a league appearance, but was later signed by Major League Soccer side Sporting Kansas City.[6]
After two years away from the professional game, Kafari signed with North American Soccer League side Puerto Rico FC in July 2016.[7] He was released at the end of the 2017 season.[8]
On 22 April 2018, Kafari joined Swedish fourth-tier club Motala.[9]
On 27 August 2019, he joined New York Cosmos.[10]
In April 2021, Kafari joined National Independent Soccer Association side New Amsterdam FC ahead of the spring 2021 season.[11] He went on to play in all three of New Amsterdam's matches during the NISA Legends Cup and appeared in seven of the team's eight regular season games.
- "Michael Kafari". MLS. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- "Michael Kafari". The University of New Mexico. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- "Michael Kafari". Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- "Vancouver Whitecaps FC select three players in final two rounds of 2014 MLS SuperDraft". MLS. January 21, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- "Kafari signs with Sporting Kansas City | Charleston Battery". Archived from the original on 2016-05-31. Retrieved 2016-07-25.
- "Sporting KC signs midfielder Michael Kafari". MLS. July 8, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- "Michael Kafari". Puerto Rico FC. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- "Puerto Rico FC announces first off season roster moves". November 7, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- "Amerikan på gång till Maif" [American on the way to Maif] (in Swedish). 22 April 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- "New York Cosmos Sign Midfielder Michael Kafari". 27 August 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- "Legends Cup 2021 Program" (PDF). National Independent Soccer Association. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- Michael Kafari at Major League Soccer
- NISA player profile (note: some matches listed as "regular season" are actually not part of the standard league season)