Jaden Umeh

Jaden Umeh
Umeh in 2026
Personal information
Full name Jaden Chidi Umeh[1]
Date of birth (2008-03-18) 18 March 2008
Place of birth Cork, Ireland, Ireland[2]
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Positions
Team information
Current team
 Benfica U23
Number 57
Youth career
–2023 Cork City
2024– Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2024 Cork City 16 (2)
International career‡
2022–2023 Republic of Ireland U15 13 (7)
2023–2024 Republic of Ireland U16 9 (2)
2023–2025 Republic of Ireland U17 25 (9)
2026– Republic of Ireland U21 2 (0)
2026– Republic of Ireland 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 00:15, 11 February 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 02:57, 5 June 2026 (UTC)

Jaden Chidi Umeh (born 18 March 2008) is a Nigerian-Irish professional footballer who was born in Ireland and plays as a forward for the under-23 side of Portuguese Primeira Liga club Benfica. He is a Republic of Ireland international.[3]

Club career

Umeh started his career at Irish club Cork City. He made his senior debut against Bohemians on 3 November 2023, becoming the youngest player ever to play for Cork at the age of just 15 years and 230 days.[4] He later became Cork City's youngest ever goal-scorer in a 1–1 draw with Wexford, aged just 16 years and 14 days.[5][6]

He made 15 appearances and scoring two goals in the 2024 League of Ireland First Division. In August 2024, he signed for Portuguese club Benfica. Cork received compensation from Benfica under FIFA compensation regulations, with further future benefits based on the player's progress.[7][8]

International career

Born in Ireland, Umeh is of Nigerian descent.[9] He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-15, under-16 and under-17 level.[10] He was named in the squad for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar in November 2025.[11] After impressing at the U17 World Cup, Umeh received his first call up to the Republic of Ireland U21 squad in March 2026.[12]

On 5 May 2026, Umeh received his first call up to the Republic of Ireland senior team for a friendly against Grenada in Murcia, Spain,[13] but he wasn't released by Benfica since the game fell outside of the FIFA international window.[14] He made his senior international debut on 28 May 2026, replacing Chiedozie Ogbene from the bench in a 1–0 win over Qatar at the Aviva Stadium.[15] The following week, he made his first start in a 1–1 draw against Canada in Montreal.[16]

Personal life

He is from Mahon, Cork.[2] He is the brother of professional footballer Franco Umeh who plays in England for Portsmouth.[17][18]

Career statistics

Club

As of matches played 25 May 2024[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cork City 2023 LOI Premier Division 1000–1[c]020
2024 LOI First Division 15200–1[c]0162
Total 16200–20182
Benfica 2024–25 Primeira Liga 0000000000
2025–26 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Career total 162000020182
  1. ↑ Includes FAI Cup & Taça de Portugal
  2. ↑ Includes Taça da Liga
  3. 1 2 Appearance(s) in the Munster Senior Cup

International

As of match played on 5 June 2026
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Republic of Ireland
202620
Total20

References

  1. 1 2 "LISTE D'ÉQUIPE" (PDF). FIFA. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Cork City record breaker Jaden Umeh tipped for bright future". Irish Examiner. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  3. ↑ "Jaden Umeh". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "Ireland squads announcement: Five Nigerians called up including Celtic loanee, Cork City record breaker". All Nigeria Soccer. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  5. ↑ "First Division: Umeh makes history but Cork held". RTE. 1 April 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  6. ↑ "Jaden Umeh becomes Cork City's youngest ever senior goal scorer at 16 years and 14 days in their draw with Wexford". Echolive.ie. 1 April 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  7. ↑ Morrissey, Philip. "Cork City's Jaden Umeh signs with Benfica". Extra Time. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  8. ↑ McDonnell, Daniel (6 June 2024). "Benfica-bound Irish teenager Jaden Umeh to have knee injury assessed in Portugal". Independent.ie. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  9. ↑ "Ireland squads: Umeh brothers, Southampton and Watford starlets among 10 Nigerians called up". All Nigeria Soccer. 16 March 2025.
  10. ↑ "Cork's Jaden Umeh signs for Portuguese giants Benfica". Echllive.ie. 3 Aug 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  11. ↑ "Ireland squad named for FIFA Under-17 World Cup". Football Association of Ireland. 21 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "Under-21s squad names for March EURO qualifiers". www.fai.ie.
  13. ↑ "Jack Moylan and Jaden Umeh among new faces for Republic of Ireland's Murcia camp". RTÉ. 5 May 2026.
  14. ↑ Fallon, John. "Benfica pull Jaden Umeh out of Republic of Ireland squad for Grenada friendly". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Fallon, John (28 May 2026). "Ireland edge Qatar on night of protests, red cards and debuts". Irish Examiner.
  16. ↑ "Republic of Ireland rescue draw against Canada". BBC Sport. 6 June 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Umeh brothers quickly climbing the Ringmahon wall of fame". Irish Examiner. 9 Jan 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  18. ↑ "The Cork brothers who dream of playing for Ireland together". the42.ie. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  19. ↑ Jaden Umeh at Soccerway
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