Francis Onyeka

Francis Onyeka
Personal information
Full name Francis-Ikechukwu Onyeka
Date of birth (2007-04-29) 29 April 2007
Place of birth Gummersbach, Germany[1]
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 SV Elversberg
(on loan from Bayer Leverkusen)
Number 40
Youth career
SC Borussia Lindenthal-Hohenlind
2014–2024 Bayer Leverkusen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024– Bayer Leverkusen 0 (0)
2025–2026 → VfL Bochum (loan) 30 (8)
2026– → SV Elversberg (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2022 Germany U15 2 (0)
2022–2023 Germany U16 8 (2)
2023–2024 Germany U17 9 (6)
2024–2025 Germany U18 7 (3)
2025– Germany U19 14 (14)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Germany
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Runner-up2026 Wales
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:00, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 12:12, 12 July 2026 (UTC)

Francis-Ikechukwu Onyeka Listenⓘ (German pronunciation: [ˈfʁaŋsɪs oˈnjɛka]; born 29 April 2007) is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bundesliga club SV Elversberg on loan from Bayer Leverkusen.

Club career

Onyeka is a youth product of SC Borussia Lindenthal-Hohenlind, before moving to the youth academy of Bayer Leverkusen in 2014 where he finished his development. On 29 November 2023, he signed a professional contract with Bayer Leverkusen.[2] On 15 October 2024, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2007 worldwide.[3] On 18 October 2024, he won the 2024 U17 Fritz Walter Medal.[4] He made his senior and professional debut with Bayer Leverkusen as a substitute in a 3–0 DFB Pokal win over SV Elversberg on 29 October 2024.[5]

On 3 June 2025, Onyeka agreed to join VfL Bochum on loan for the 2025–26 season.[6]

On 15 June 2026, Onyeka moved on a new loan to SV Elversberg.[7]

International career

Born in Germany, Onyeka is of Igbo Nigerian descent through his Mother.[8] He is a youth international for Germany, having played for the Germany U17s for 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification matches.[9]

Career statistics

As of match played 22 August 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League DFB-Pokal Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bayer Leverkusen 2024–25 Bundesliga 00101[a]00020
VfL Bochum (loan) 2025–26 2. Bundesliga 29820——318
SV Elversberg (loan) 2026–27 Bundesliga 0012——12
Career total 2984210003410
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

Honours

Germany U19

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "Francis-Ikechukwu Onyeka | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | Player Profile". Bundesliga.
  2. ↑ "Bayer 04 extend contract with top talent Francis Onyeka to 2027 | Bayer04.de". Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH.
  3. ↑ Christenson, Marcus; Bloor, Steven; Blight, Garry (15 October 2024). "Next Generation 2024: 60 of the best young talents in world football". theguardian.com. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Hoffenheim's Tom Bischof and Bayer Leverkusen's Francis Onyeka winners of the Fritz Walter Medal - Get German Football News". www.getfootballnewsgermany.com. 18 October 2024.
  5. ↑ "DFB-Pokal: Leverkusen - Elversberg 3:0 – Alonso feiert Traum-Freistoß!". bild.de. 29 October 2024.
  6. ↑ "Francis Onyeka wechselt zum VfL" [Francis Onyeka moves to VfL] (in German). VfL Bochum. 3 June 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  7. ↑ "Francis Onyeka kommt auf Leihbasis aus Leverkusen" [Francis Onyeka arrives on loan from Leverkusen] (in German). SV Elversberg. 15 June 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Leverkusen's Nigerian gem gets high praise from Alonso". www.afrik-foot.com. 26 October 2024.
  9. ↑ "Nachwuchsfußball: DFB-Junioren verpassen EM – Trotz Gala-Vorstellung von Bayer-Juwel Francis Onyeka". Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. 29 March 2024.
  10. ↑ "2026 Under-19 EURO final highlights & report: Spain overcome Germany to seal tenth title". uefa.com. 11 July 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
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