Jardell Kanga

Jardell Kanga
Personal information
Date of birth (2005-12-13) 13 December 2005
Place of birth Stockholm, Sweden
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Positions
Team information
Current team
 Motherwell
Number 13
Youth career
2016–2021 Brommapojkarna
2022–2024 Bayer Leverkusen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Brommapojkarna 23 (5)
2022–2024 Bayer Leverkusen 0 (0)
2024 → De Graafschap (loan) 1 (0)
2024 Hammarby IF 1 (0)
2024 Hammarby TFF 10 (2)
2025–2026 Ilves 47 (15)
2026– Motherwell 1 (1)
International career‡
2021–2022 Sweden U17 12 (7)
2023 Sweden U19 5 (0)
2025– Sweden U21 4 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 August 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 17:48, 1 April 2026 (UTC)

Jardell Kanga (born 13 December 2005) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Scottish Premiership club Motherwell

Club career

Kanga is a youth product of Brommapojkarna.[1] He began his senior career with them in 2021 in the Ettan and became their youngest ever debutant at 15 years old and 3 months, their youngest ever goalscorer, and helped them achieve promotion into the Superettan that season.[2] On 20 January 2022, he signed with German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen, and was assigned to their under-19s.[3] In September 2022, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2005 worldwide.[4]

On 1 February 2024, Kanga joined De Graafschap in the Dutch second-tier Eerste Divisie on loan until the end of the season.[5] He made his debut for the Superboeren on 9 February, replacing David Flakus Bosilj in the 74th minute of a 2–0 home loss to Willem II.[6][7]

On 13 July 2024, Kanga signed for Swedish side Hammarby IF on a contract until December 2028.[8]

On 2 April 2025, Kanga was loaned to Veikkausliiga club Ilves with an option-to-buy.[9] On 19 July, his transfer was made permanent for an undisclosed fee. Kanga and Ilves signed a contract until the end of 2027.[10]

Motherwell

On 28 August 2026, Kanga joined Scottish Premiership club Motherwell on a three-year contract,[11] for an initial €400,000 transfer fee, which could reach €1 million due to bonuses.[12]

International career

Kanga is a youth international for Sweden having played for the Sweden U17s, and is their record goalscorer at that level.[13] He represented the country at the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, where they were eliminated at the group stage.

Personal life

Born in Sweden, Kanga is of DR Congolese descent.[14] He is the cousin of the Swedish footballer Josafat Mendes.[15]

Career statistics

As of 30 August 2026[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Brommapojkarna 2021 Ettan Norra 23510——245
Bayer Leverkusen 2021–22 Bundesliga 000000—00
2022–23 Bundesliga 000000—00
2023–24 Bundesliga 000000—00
Total 0000000000
De Graafschap (loan) 2023–24 Eerste Divisie 1000—0010
Hammarby 2024 Allsvenskan 1020——30
Hammarby TFF 2024 Ettan 102———102
Ilves 2025 Veikkausliiga 2751040—325
2026 Veikkausliiga 20104261—3013
Total 471552101006218
Motherwell 2026-27 Scottish Premiership 110000—11
Career total 8323821010010126

References

  1. ↑ "Talangporträtt: Jardell Kanga". Ettanfotboll. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "AVSLÖJAR: Flera storklubbar spionerar på svenskt underbarn". Fotbolldirekt – Experten på svensk fotboll. 23 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Swedish talent Jardell Kanga strengthens U19 squad". Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Press release). 20 January 2022. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  4. ↑ Christenson, Marcus; Bloor, Steven; Blight, Garry (28 September 2022). "Next Generation 2022: 60 of the best young talents in world football". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  5. ↑ "De Graafschap trekt Jardell Kanga aan" [De Graafschap signs Jardell Kanga] (in Dutch). De Graafschap. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  6. ↑ "De Graafschap vs. Willem II 0–2: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "Willem II verstiert feestje ter ere van 70 jaar De Graafschap". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 9 February 2024. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "Jardell Kanga klar för Bajen" (in Swedish). Hammarby IF. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  9. ↑ Jardell Kanga liittyy Ilveksen riveihin lainasopimuksella, ilvesfootball.com, 2 April 2025
  10. ↑ ILVES KÄYTTI OSTO-OPTIONSA – JARDELL KANGALLE KAUDEN 2027 LOPPUUN ULOTTUVA SOPIMUS, ilvesfootball.com, 19 July 2025
  11. ↑ "Motherwell buy Sweden U21 forward Kanga". BBC Sport. 28 August 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  12. ↑ Ilveksen tähtipelaajan lähtö varmistui – ruotsalaistieto: rahaa tulee iso potti, Ilta-Sanomat, 25 August 2026
  13. ↑ "Jardell Kanga med svenskt målrekord i P17-EM". Svensk Fotboll (in Swedish). 21 May 2022. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  14. ↑ "Euro U-17 stars today, African superstars tomorrow?". GOAL. 17 May 2022. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  15. ↑ Parker, Cindy (24 May 2022). "Jardell kanga längd". Duffy's Blog (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 28 September 2022.
  16. ↑ Jardell Kanga at Soccerway
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