Idan Toklomati Bio
Idan Gorno Toklomati is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC and the Israel national team. He was born on August 9, 2004, in Netanya, Israel, and represents one of the more promising young Israeli forwards playing in North America. Toklomati rose through Israeli youth football before turning professional in 2022 and eventually making the move to Major League Soccer in 2024.
Early Life and Background
Idan Gorno Toklomati was born on 9 August 2004 in Netanya, Israel. He grew up in a football family, with his father, Tony Toklomety, a Beninese former professional footballer who played for Maccabi Netanya and represented the Benin national football team. His mother, Iris Gorno, is an Israeli Jewish journalist. Through his parents, Idan holds dual Israeli and Beninese citizenship, which has shaped his international eligibility throughout his young career.
Toklomati first stepped into organized football in 2012 at the age of eight, joining the youth setup of Beitar Nes Tubruk in his hometown of Netanya. He spent nearly a decade developing within that local academy, learning the basics of the game in a familiar environment. In 2021, he made the move to the Maccabi Petah Tikva youth side, where he completed his final years as a youth player before pushing toward the senior ranks.
Path to Soccer
Toklomati’s path into professional soccer ran through two Israeli club academies. His time at Beitar Nes Tubruk gave him an early grounding as a forward, while his switch to Maccabi Petah Tikva in 2021 sharpened his approach against stronger youth competition. The move to a more established academy also exposed him to higher-level coaching, which helped prepare him for the demands of senior football.
His progression through the Maccabi Petah Tikva youth ranks opened the door to his senior debut in April 2022. That step into adult competition, in the Israeli Premier League, marked his transition from prospect to professional. Within two years, his form and potential had attracted attention from clubs abroad, leading to his move to Major League Soccer and Charlotte FC.
Idan Toklomati Career
Early Career (2022–2024)
Toklomati made his senior debut for Maccabi Petah Tikva on 23 April 2022, entering a 0–4 loss against Hapoel Nof HaGalil in the Israeli Premier League. The appearance marked the start of his professional journey and gave him first-team minutes in one of Israel’s top divisions while he was still a teenager. He continued to develop in and around the Maccabi Petah Tikva senior squad, balancing first-team opportunities with his ongoing youth and international commitments.
During this period, Toklomati also represented Israel at various youth levels, including the under-18, under-19, and under-21 teams. His performances at Maccabi Petah Tikva, combined with his international exposure, helped build his reputation as a forward with a strong scoring instinct and the versatility to play across the front line.
Maccabi Petah Tikva Breakthrough (2022–2024)
At Maccabi Petah Tikva, Toklomati established himself as a young forward with a nose for goal and a willingness to take on defenders. Playing in the Israeli Premier League, he gained experience in the country’s top flight while still working his way through the club’s development plan. His time in Petah Tikva served as a bridge between his youth career and a move abroad.
The most notable international moment of this phase came in 2022, when Toklomati was part of the Israel squad that finished as runner-up at the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Slovakia. Reaching the final of a major European youth tournament raised his profile and underlined his potential on a bigger stage, helping set the stage for his later transfer to Major League Soccer.
Charlotte FC Era (2024–Present)
On 21 August 2024, Toklomati joined Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC, initially linking up with the club’s MLS NEXT Pro reserve side, Crown Legacy FC. He wasted little time making his mark, scoring three goals in three MLS NEXT Pro appearances. That early form convinced the Charlotte FC coaching staff to promote him to the first team in September 2024, where he signed a contract running through 2027, with a club option for 2028.
Toklomati’s rise with the senior side has been rapid. On 13 September 2025, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 3–0 victory against Inter Miami, one of the league’s most high-profile opponents. The performance announced him as a goalscoring threat in Major League Soccer and highlighted his growing importance to Charlotte FC’s attacking plans.
Driving Style and Strengths
Toklomati is listed at 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) and operates primarily as a forward, with the ability to play out wide as a winger. His height gives him a presence in the air, while his movement off the ball and finishing ability have made him a consistent goal threat at youth, reserve, and senior levels alike. At Charlotte FC, he has shown the composure to convert chances in tight matches against top opposition.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Toklomati’s young career came on 13 September 2025, when he netted a hat-trick in a 3–0 win over Inter Miami. He also reached the final of the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship with Israel, finished as runner-up in that tournament, and made his senior international debut on 12 November 2023 as a 72nd-minute substitute in a 1–0 defeat to Kosovo in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying.
Idan Toklomati Career Wins
Across his time at Maccabi Petah Tikva, Crown Legacy FC, and Charlotte FC, Toklomati has built a growing list of goalscoring contributions. While detailed win totals are still developing as he continues his rise in Major League Soccer, his record already includes standout performances in the Israeli Premier League, in MLS NEXT Pro, and in MLS regular-season play.
Israeli Premier League Highlights
Toklomati’s senior career began with Maccabi Petah Tikva in the Israeli Premier League, where he made his debut in April 2022. Although detailed win and goal totals from this period are not fully available, his time in the Israeli top flight gave him consistent exposure to high-level senior football during his late teens. The experience laid the groundwork for his subsequent move to North American soccer.
Other Wins & Performances
In the MLS NEXT Pro ranks with Crown Legacy FC, Toklomati scored three goals in three matches, an immediate return that helped earn him a quick promotion to the Charlotte FC first team. At international youth level, he reached the final of the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship with Israel, one of the strongest achievements of his early career.
Idan Toklomati Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Toklomati comes from a family with strong connections to professional football. His father, Tony Toklomety, is a former professional footballer from Benin who played for Maccabi Netanya and represented the Benin national team. His mother, Iris Gorno, is an Israeli Jewish journalist. This mixed sporting and cultural background gave Idan an early immersion in the game and shaped his path into organized youth football in Netanya.
Personal Life
Toklomati holds dual Israeli and Beninese citizenship through his parents and was eligible to represent either country internationally before committing to Israel. He is based in the United States following his 2024 transfer to Charlotte FC, where he is contracted through 2027, with a club option for an additional year.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a breakout year for Idan Toklomati at Charlotte FC. After joining the first team in September 2024, he has continued to build on his early scoring form and has become a regular contributor in the club’s attacking rotation. His performances have helped Charlotte FC compete in Major League Soccer’s regular-season schedule and given the club a young forward to build around.
The standout moment of the 2025 campaign came on 13 September 2025, when Toklomati scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 victory against Inter Miami. That result highlighted both his individual quality and his growing comfort at MLS level, and it marked one of the most memorable single-match performances by a young Israeli forward in the league’s recent history.
Looking ahead, Toklomati is expected to remain a central part of Charlotte FC’s plans through at least 2027, with a club option for 2028. Continued minutes in Major League Soccer, combined with his ongoing role in the Israel national team setup, suggest that 2025 is only the beginning of a longer arc for one of Israeli football’s most promising young forwards.
