Michael Kayode

Michael Kayode
Kayode with Brentford in 2025
Personal information
Full name Michael Olabode Kayode
Date of birth (2004-07-10) 10 July 2004 (age 22)
Place of birth Borgomanero, Italy
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Brentford
Number 33
Youth career
2014−2018 Juventus
2018−2020 Gozzano
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020−2021 Gozzano 34 (2)
2021−2025 Fiorentina 31 (1)
2025 → Brentford (loan) 12 (0)
2025– Brentford 42 (2)
International career‡
2021−2022 Italy U18 4 (0)
2022−2023 Italy U19 12 (1)
2023−2026 Italy U21 10 (0)
2026– Italy 3 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Italy
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Winner2023 Malta
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 07:16, 22 September 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 5 October 2026

Michael Olabode Kayode (born 10 July 2004) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Premier League club Brentford and the Italy national team.

Early life

Kayode was born on 10 July 2004, in Borgomanero, Italy, and is of Nigerian descent.

Club career

Gozzano

The son of Yoruba parents, Kayode started his youth career at the academy of Juventus, where he remained for seven years until 2018. He played the 2020–21 season with Serie D club Gozzano, with which he scored two goals along with two assists in 34 matches, and gained promotion to Serie C with the club. He cited his experience in Serie D as "a step backwards to make two forwards".

Fiorentina

Kayode joined Fiorentina after his spell in Serie D during 2021, and was integrated into their youth sector. With Fiorentina, he won one Coppa Italia Primavera and one Supercoppa Italiana Primavera.

On 19 August 2023, Kayode made his Serie A debut for Fiorentina in a 4–1 away victory over Genoa. On 26 February 2024, he scored his first goal in a 2–1 win over Lazio. By the end of the season, Kayode had become a regular in Fiorentina's first team with his performances reportedly attracting international attention from clubs around Europe, featuring heavily in Serie A and in the squad that reached the final of the UEFA Conference League.

Brentford

On 24 January 2025, English club Brentford announced that they had signed Kayode on loan for the remainder of the 2024–25 season, with an option to make the deal permanent. Brentford signed Kayode permanently in May 2025, on a contract lasting until 2030. He scored his first Premier League goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on 16 March 2026. Later that year, on 3 July, he extended his contract until 2032.

International career

Kayode represented Italy at U18, U19 and U21 levels.

In July 2023, Kayode's 19th minute goal decided the final of the 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, which Italy won 1–0 against Portugal.

On 17 October 2023, he made his debut with Italy U21, in the qualifying match won 2–0 against Norway in Bolzano.

Kayode was called up with the Italy national team by head coach Roberto Mancini in September 2026. On 28 September, Kayode scored his first goal for the Italian national team on his international debut, which came in a 4–1 away win over Turkey in the Nations League.

Style of play

Predominantly a right-back, at Fiorentina, Kayode also played as a left-back or in a double pivot as a third centre-back. He has been noted for his long throws, frequently creating chances from throw-ins.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 18 September 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gozzano 2020–21 Serie D 342————342
Fiorentina 2023–24 Serie A 26140—6010371
2024–25 Serie A 5000—70—120
Total 31140—13010491
Brentford (loan) 2024–25 Premier League 120————120
Brentford 2025–26 Premier League 3713040——441
2026–27 Premier League 510020——71
Brentford total 5423060——632
Career total 11957060130101465
  1. ↑ Includes Coppa Italia, FA Cup
  2. ↑ Includes EFL Cup
  3. 1 2 Appearances in UEFA (Europa) Conference League
  4. ↑ Appearance in Supercoppa Italiana

International

As of match played 5 October 2026
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Italy 202631
Total31
Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kayode goal.
List of international goals scored by Michael Kayode
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
128 September 2026Centennial Atatürk Stadium, Bursa, Turkey1 Turkey3–04–12026–27 UEFA Nations League A

Honours

Fiorentina U19

Fiorentina

Italy U19

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "2025/26 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  2. ↑ "'He plays like a veteran' - Pundit hails 19yo Kayode after Serie A debut for Fiorentina". allnigeriasoccer.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chi è Kayode, il laterale che ha consegnato gli Europei all'Italia Under 19". Goal.com (in Italian). 19 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 "La Juve, la Serie D e ora la Viola: chi è Kayode". sport.sky.it (in Italian). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Genoa vs. Fiorentina - 19 August 2023 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  6. ↑ "Fiorentina 2–1 Lazio". ESPN. 26 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "Michael Kayode: Italy's Future Starter at Right Back?". Breaking The Lines. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "Top Premier League club spy on Michael Kayode". Score Nigeria. 24 June 2024. Archived from the original on 24 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  9. 1 2 "History: Olympiacos 1-0 Fiorentina". UEFA. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "Brentford sign Michael Kayode from Fiorentina". brentfordfc.com. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "Brentford transfer news: Bees make Michael Kayode deal permanent". BBC Sport. 28 May 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  12. ↑ "Brentford 2–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers". ESPN. 16 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Kayode signs new long-term Brentford contract". Brentford F.C. 3 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Michael Kayode". FIGC U18 profile (in Italian). Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "Michael Kayode". FIGC U19 profile (in Italian). Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Michael Kayode". FIGC U21 profile (in Italian). Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "L'Italia e Mancini ripartono dalla Nations League: 34 convocati, sono 9 i volti nuovi" (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 18 September 2026. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
  18. ↑ Sport, Sky (28 September 2026). "PAGELLE. Turchia-Italia 1-4: Kayode, che debutto! Gli Esposito nella storia". sport.sky.it (in Italian). Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "Michael Kayode: Italy's Future Starter at Right Back? - Breaking The Lines". Breaking The Lines - Curated Football Opinions. 4 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 October 2025. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  20. ↑ "Man City analysis: Why Michael Kayode should be Pep Guardiola's top right-back target this summer". Squawka. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  21. ↑ Dove, Ed (28 October 2025). "Brentford star Michael Kayode's long throws are becoming a real Premier League problem". ESPN.com. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  22. ↑ Dalling, Sam (26 October 2025). "Brentford vs Liverpool: Michael Kayode's not-so-secret weapon and Mohamed Salah's struggles". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  23. ↑ "Michael Kayode". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  24. ↑ "Fiorentina U19 vs. Atalanta U19 - 4 May 2022 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  25. ↑ "Fiorentina U19 vs. Torino U19 - 4 April 2024 - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  26. ↑ "Portugal 0-1 Italy: Kayode heads resilient Azzurrini to second Under-19 title". UEFA. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.