Kelvin Yeboah Bio
Kelvin Kwarteng Yeboah, born on 6 May 2000 in Accra, Ghana, is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United. Standing at 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in), he operates primarily as a striker and wears the number 9 shirt for his current team. Born in Ghana and raised in Italy, he has represented Italy at youth international level.
Across his career, Yeboah has built a path that has taken him from Italian academies to the Austrian Bundesliga, the Italian top flight, the German Bundesliga, the French Ligue 1, and the Belgian First Division. His professional journey has produced notable cup performances, league promotions, and a Major League Soccer Designated Player contract in 2024.
Early Life and Background
Kelvin Kwarteng Yeboah was born on 6 May 2000 in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, before later relocating to Italy during his childhood. Growing up in Italy shaped his footballing foundations and connected him to a family with a deep history in the sport. His uncle, Tony Yeboah, is a former Ghanaian international footballer remembered for his spells in European club football.
That family link to elite competition offered Yeboah an early window into professional football and provided a clear example of the heights the game could reach. As a young player in Italy, he entered structured academy environments that helped him transition from youth football toward senior football. His bicultural upbringing, between Ghana and Italy, also left him eligible to represent either country at the international level.
Path to Soccer
Yeboah’s pathway into professional football began in the academy system of Premier League side West Ham United, before he moved into the academy of Italian Serie C club Gozzano. In November 2017, he trialed with Danish Superliga side Aalborg BK, training with the first team in an effort to attract a senior contract. Those experiences in England, Italy, and Denmark broadened his tactical understanding and physical conditioning.
To gain senior minutes, Yeboah spent the second half of the 2017–18 season with Combined Counties League Division One side AC London, where he scored six league goals in 19 appearances. That spell in English non-league football gave him his first sustained run of senior matches and helped him earn a move to top-flight European football.
Kelvin Yeboah Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Yeboah’s earliest senior football came at AC London, where he played the second half of the 2017–18 season in the Combined Counties League Division One. His six goals in 19 league appearances marked a productive introduction to senior competition and showcased his finishing instincts at a low level of the English pyramid.
That spell, paired with his prior time in the West Ham United and Gozzano academies, formed the launching point for his move into professional European football. By the end of the campaign, he had drawn attention from clubs in stronger leagues and was ready to step into full-time professional football.
WSG Tirol Breakthrough (2018–2021)
On 19 June 2018, Yeboah signed for Austrian Bundesliga side WSG Tirol, beginning the most formative chapter of his early career. He made his debut for the club in August 2019 against Austria Klagenfurt and quickly became a key attacking figure. During the 2018–19 season, he helped WSG Tirol win the Austrian Second Division and earn promotion to the Austrian Football Bundesliga, then signed a new longer-term contract on 4 July 2019.
His first Austrian Bundesliga appearance came on 31 August 2019, in a 1–5 defeat against FC Salzburg, a match that also featured a goal from Erling Haaland, whose father Alfie Haaland had briefly been a teammate of Kelvin’s uncle Tony at Leeds United in 1997. On 25 September 2019, Yeboah announced himself on a national stage by scoring four goals in a 5–2 Austrian Cup victory against Austria Wien, a performance that highlighted his eye for goal in knockout competition.
Sturm Graz and Genoa Era (2021–2024)
On 6 February 2021, Yeboah transferred to fellow Austrian Bundesliga side Sturm Graz, signing a contract that ran until the summer of 2024. His time at Sturm Graz was brief but reinforced his reputation as a striker capable of contributing in a competitive league environment.
On 8 January 2022, Yeboah joined Serie A club Genoa for an undisclosed fee, marking his return to Italian football at the highest level. After suffering relegation with Genoa and playing the first half of the 2022–23 Serie B season with the club, he was loaned to Bundesliga side FC Augsburg on 18 January 2023 until the end of the season, with an option to buy. On 1 September 2023, he moved on loan to Ligue 1 side Montpellier for the remainder of that campaign, again with an option to buy, and on 1 February 2024, he joined Standard Liège in Belgium on a new loan deal.
Minnesota United Era (2024–Present)
On 27 July 2024, Yeboah joined Major League Soccer club Minnesota United on a three-and-a-half-year contract as a Designated Player, with a club option for an additional year. The move gave him the chance to take on a leading role in a new league, while also signaling the club’s ambition to build around his attacking profile.
He was assigned the number 9 shirt and slotted into the team’s frontline as a central striker. The Minnesota United move also positioned him as a long-term focal point of the club’s attack across multiple MLS seasons.
Driving Style and Strengths
Yeboah operates primarily as a striker, using his 1.82 m frame to compete in aerial duels and hold up play in the final third. He combines physical presence with a clinical eye for goal, as shown by his four-goal Austrian Cup performance against Austria Wien in 2019. His movement off the ball and willingness to attack central channels make him a natural penalty-box finisher.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the standout moments of his career, his four-goal Austrian Cup display against Austria Wien on 25 September 2019 stands out as his first major breakthrough at senior level. His move to Minnesota United as a Designated Player in 2024 marked a significant milestone, reflecting his standing as a top-level attacking talent.
Kelvin Yeboah Career Wins
Yeboah’s senior career has been defined more by progression through strong European leagues than by trophy hauls at the highest level. His most significant team honour came during his time at WSG Tirol, where he helped the club win the Austrian Second Division and earn promotion to the Austrian Football Bundesliga in the 2018–19 season.
WSG Tirol Highlights
At WSG Tirol, Yeboah played a central role in the club’s promotion-winning 2018–19 Austrian Second Division campaign, a result that moved the club into the top flight. He followed that collective success with individual milestones, including a four-goal Austrian Cup performance against Austria Wien on 25 September 2019, his first major senior statement on a national stage.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his WSG Tirol spell, Yeboah has accumulated a series of loan moves that reflect his adaptability across leagues, including time at FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga, Montpellier in Ligue 1, and Standard Liège in Belgium. Each of those stints added competitive minutes and a wider tactical range to his development as a forward.
Kelvin Yeboah Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Yeboah comes from a family with a strong football heritage, most notably through his uncle, Tony Yeboah, a former Ghanaian international footballer recognized for his career in European club football. That family connection to elite competition has been a quiet but consistent influence on his development as a professional.
Personal Life
Yeboah was born in Accra, Ghana, and grew up in Italy, a bicultural upbringing that gave him eligibility to represent either Ghana or Italy at the international level. He has previously been called up by both federations but has yet to earn a senior cap.
2025 Season Performance
Yeboah’s 2025 campaign with Minnesota United forms the second full phase of his Major League Soccer journey, following his July 2024 arrival as a Designated Player. Wearing the number 9 shirt, he is expected to remain a central figure in the team’s attacking setup under a long-term contract that runs into 2027, with a club option for an additional year.
His pathway into the 2025 season reflects the stability he has built through consecutive moves at top European clubs and a leading role in MLS. With his prior experience across the Austrian Bundesliga, Serie A, the German Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and the Belgian top flight, he brings a broad tactical background to Minnesota United’s frontline.
Looking ahead, Yeboah’s 2025 outlook centers on cementing his status as a reliable goal-scorer and Designated Player for Minnesota United. The club’s investment in a three-and-a-half-year deal signals long-term confidence in his production, and the season provides a stage for him to deliver consistently in a league he joined midway through 2024.
