| Kevin Yakob | |
| Fullname: | Kevin Enkido Yakob |
| Birth Date: | 10 October 2000 |
| Birth Place: | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Height: | 1.84 m[1] |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | AGF |
| Clubnumber: | 17 |
| Youthyears1: | –2010 |
| Youthclubs1: | Assyriska BK |
| Youthyears2: | 2010–2012 |
| Youthclubs2: | IFK Göteborg |
| Youthyears3: | 2012–2015 |
| Youthclubs3: | Angered MBIK |
| Youthyears4: | 2016–2018 |
| Youthclubs4: | BK Häcken |
| Years1: | 2018–2020 |
| Clubs1: | BK Häcken |
| Caps1: | 3 |
| Goals1: | 1 |
| Years2: | 2020 |
| Clubs2: | → Utsiktens BK (loan) |
| Caps2: | 9 |
| Goals2: | 3 |
| Years3: | 2021–2022 |
| Clubs3: | IFK Göteborg |
| Caps3: | 38 |
| Goals3: | 6 |
| Years4: | 2022– |
| Clubs4: | AGF |
| Caps4: | 24 |
| Goals4: | 3 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2018 |
| Nationalteam1: | Sweden U19 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 9 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2023– |
| Nationalteam2: | Iraq |
| Nationalcaps2: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 28 September 2023 |
Kevin Enkido Yakob (Syriac: ܟܒܢ ܝܥܩܘܒ, born 10 October 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Danish Superliga club AGF. Born in Sweden, he plays for the Iraq national team.
Yakob was born in Gothenburg, Sweden to Assyrian parents from Mosul, Iraq.[2]
Yakob spent his early years playing for local side Assyriska BK, a club formed by Assyrian immigrants like his parents, staying there until 2010. At the age of 9 he joined Allsvenskan club IFK Göteborg's academy, staying there for two years. In 2012, Yakob left Göteborg and joined Angered MBIK, where he would spend the next three years.
In 2015, Yakob travelled to England to trial with Sunderland, where he was given a tour of the club's academy and facilities and met with first team players, including Jermain Defoe. He trained with the club's academy teams and watched a Premier League match at the Stadium of Light.[3] A move to north England never materialised however.
In 2016, at the age of 15, Yakob joined BK Häcken's academy.
During the 2018 pre-season, Yakob was included in BK Häcken's first team squad in the preparations, playing 4 friendly matches.[4]
In May 2018, Yakob signed his first professional contract with BK Häcken, signing a four-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2022.
Yakob made his debut for the Häcken first team on 27 October 2018, two weeks after his 18th birthday, coming on in the 83rd minute against Dalkurd FF, scoring less than a minute after coming on.[5] The game ended as a 5–0 win for Häcken.
In January 2021, he was signed by IFK Göteborg on a two-year professional contract.[6]
In August 2022, Yakob joined Danish Superliga club AGF Aarhus on a 5-year contract, scoring one goal and making three assists against Vatanspor on his debut in the Danish Cup.[7]
Yakob was first called up to the national team in May 2018, as part of the Under-19 squad that would be competing in a friendly tournament on the island of Gotland. He came on against Hungary to make his debut for the Sweden U19s and scored his first international goal on his second appearance against Turkey.[8]
Yakob was called up for the Under-19 European Championship qualifiers in October 2018, starting all three matches against Scotland, Wales and San Marino, facing Premier League players like Chelsea's Billy Gilmour, Liverpool's Neco Williams and Manchester United's Dylan Levitt.[9]
In September 2022, Yakob was in the process of getting an Iraqi passport, as he had attracted interest from the IFA to play for the Iraqi national team.[10] On 18 January 2023, FIFA agreed to transfer Yakob’s paperwork to the Iraqi FA and therefore making him eligible for selection for the Iraq national football team. He was called up in March 2023 to face Russia but his club refused to let him go due to the fact that the game was in Russia, amidst the invasion of Ukraine. He was called up again in June 2023 to face Colombia.[11] He made his debut against Colombia but after 23 minutes he went off injured, which later turned out to be a cruciate ligament injury.[12] [13]
Kevin's family are Assyrians and they moved to Sweden before he was born. He signed a sponsorship deal with Nike in September 2017.[14]