- Born Havelange Beni De Dieu Kei Wonflonhi Jean-Desire, Axel Kei developed an interest in football and plays professionally like his father who played professional football in Brazil
- He plays the position of striker for MLS side Real Salt Lake after they signed him as the youngest player to pen an MLS professional contract at 14 years and 15 days old
- The former San Diego Soccer Youth Club member was invited to the United States national youth training camp in 2019
Axel Kei is a 17-year-old Ivorian professional soccer player, born in Ivory Coast, raised in Brazil, and plays club football in the United States for the MLS side, Real Salt Lake. Though young, his style of football, athleticism, and goalscoring instincts set him apart from his contemporaries.
Here is what we have been able to gather about the striker.
Background Of Axel Kei
Axel Kei was born Havelange Beni De Dieu Kei Wonflonhi Jean-Desire on December 30, 2007, in Abidjan, one of Ivory Coast’s two capital cities. He is currently 17 years old.
Though born in the West African country, he grew up in Brazil. When he was 10, his family relocated to San Diego, California, where he started playing academy football.
He currently plays as a striker for the Major League Soccer (MLS) side, Real Salt Lake.
7 Thrilling Facts About Axel Kei
1. His Father Played Football In Brazil
Although details about his family are unavailable at this time, Kei was born into a footballing family. His father is a footballer who played in Brazil, which explains why the youngster was brought up in the South American country. He is following in his father’s footsteps and his future already looks promising.
2. He Won MLS Next Cup U-15 Golden Boot Award In 2021
In 2020 when Axel Kei was barely 13, he joined the Real Salt Lake Academy after transferring from the San Deigo Soccer Youth Club. The following year, his phenomenal performances and five goals helped the academy to win the MLS Next Cup U-15 tournament for the first time. This earned him the Golden Boot Award.
3. Axel Kei Is The Youngest Player To Play For a Professional Sports Team in The US
The Ivorian made his professional debut for Real Salt Lake’s reserve team, Real Monarchs at the age of 13 years, 8 months, and 9 days during a USL Championship game with Colorado Springs Switchbacks in October 2021. He was brought on in the 61st minute, and thus, he became the youngest professional athlete in American team sports history.
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4. The Former San Diego Youth Soccer Club Member Broke Freddy Adu’s 18-Year Old Record Of The Youngest Player To Sign A Professional MLS Contract
Kei is all about breaking records or setting new ones. The young striker recently broke Freddy Adu’s record of the youngest player to sign a professional contract with an MLS side. He achieved the feat on January 14, 2022, at the age of 14 years and 15 days when he signed a two-year deal with MLS side, Real Salt Lake.
As mentioned above, Freddy Adu set the record when he joined D.C. United in 2004 at 14 and 168 days. He held on to it for 18 years until 2022.
5. Which Country Will He Represent For When The Time Comes?
At the moment, it is unclear where the youngster will head when the time comes for international football. At least, nothing is heard from his home country, but Kei was invited to the United States youth national team training camp in February 2019.
6. What Is His Net Worth?
It isn’t easy at this time to know how much the striker is worth provided that he is very young and only recently signed his first professional contract with Real Salt Lake. He currently receives a base salary of $65,500 and a guaranteed salary of $81,500. The Ivorian will continue to earn this over the next two years of playing for the MSL side.
7. He Is 6 Feet 1 Inch Tall
Axel Kei stands at a height of 6 feet 1 inch (1.85m) tall. At his age, there is every possibility he will grow taller than this in the coming years, and if this happens, he will become a serious threat to defenders in the aerial battle for the ball.
Besides his staggering height, the Ivorian weighs 73kg (161lbs). This also allows him to run and press defenders, no wonder Elliot Fall describes him as a top attacking prospect whose athleticism and goalscoring propensity is beyond his years.
The 6-foot-1-inch tall striker is still in the early stages of his professional career, but his maturity and skills put him above his peers. Looking at it from this angle, he would be better in the coming years than he is now, and there is every possibility that bigger European clubs may come for him.
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