Dapo Mebude

Adedapo Paul Oluwaseun "Dapo" Awokoya-Mebude (born 29 July 2001) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Belgian club KV Oostende.

Dapo Mebude
Mebude with Scotland U19 in 2019
Personal information
Full name Adedapo Paul Oluwaseun Awokoya-Mebude[1]
Date of birth (2001-07-29) 29 July 2001[2]
Place of birth London, England
Position(s) Winger, Striker
Team information
Current team
 KV Oostende
Number 14
Youth career
2011–2019 Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2021 Rangers 1 (0)
2021 → Queen of the South (loan) 11 (2)
2021–2022 Watford 0 (0)
2021–2022 → AFC Wimbledon (loan) 25 (2)
2022– KV Oostende 7 (0)
International career‡
Scotland U16
2017–2018 Scotland U17 10 (2)
2018 Scotland U18 2 (0)
2018–2020 Scotland U19 13 (4)
2021– Scotland U21 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:32, 19 November 2021 (UTC)

Early life

Mebude was born in London,[3] growing up in Peckham,[4] and is of Nigerian descent.[5] His family moved to Scotland when he was around 10 years old, and he joined the Rangers youth system after attending an open Soccer Schools event organised by the club.[6][7] He was later a participant in the SFA's Performance School programme at Holyrood Secondary School,[8] and also attended Rangers' youth partnership school Boclair Academy.[9]

Club career

Mebude turned professional with Rangers in May 2017.[10] Mebude signed a new contract with the club in December 2018, keeping him at Ibrox until 2021.[9] In February 2019 he was recalled from international duty with the Scotland under-19s to join up with the Rangers first team, due to injury problems.[11] Mebude debuted for the first-team on 19 May 2019, in a 2–1 away defeat versus Kilmarnock in the league.[12]

On 21 January 2021, Mebude joined Scottish Championship club Queen of the South on loan until the end of the season.[13] He scored his first professional goal, in a 4–2 league win at Gayfield Park versus Arbroath on 6 March 2021.[14]

In June 2021, Mebude ran out his contract with Rangers to become a free agent.[15][7] A month later in July, he was signed by Watford on a two-year contract with the option of a further two-years.[16][17] He suffered a back injury at the end of July 2021, and was hospitalised.[18][19]

He moved on loan to AFC Wimbledon in August 2021.[20][4] He scored his first goal for Wimbledon in a 3–3 draw against Bolton Wanderers on 14 August 2021.[21]

In September 2022 he signed for Belgian club KV Oostende.[22]

International career

Mebude has represented Scotland at under-16, under-17, under-18, under-19 youth levels, and made his first under-21 appearance in October 2021 against Denmark.[2][10][9][11][23]

Style of play

In November 2018, he was described by the Daily Record as a "diminutive striker" who was "highly-rated within Ibrox" and that he was "known for his lightening [sic] quick pace as well as his obvious finishing ability and is a handful for defenders with his trickery".[3] In a September 2019 interview, Mebude stated "When I play as a winger I try and be direct and score goals like Raheem Sterling who is fast, direct and a similar build to me."[24]

Personal life

In February 2021 Mebude was one of five Rangers players fined by Scottish police "for attending an illegal gathering of ten people in a flat" in breach of lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[25]

His younger brother Dire is also a footballer, who as of September 2020 was playing at youth level for Premier League club Manchester City, and Scotland.[26]

References
  1. "2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. Dapo Mebude at the Scottish Football Association
  3. Mark McDougall (7 November 2018). "Who is Dapo Mebude? Rangers fans rave as teen hits treble for reserves". Daily Record. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  4. Dapo: It was the ‘perfect’ option to sign for the Dons, AFC Wimbledon, 4 August 2021
  5. "Nigerian Superkid Signs Professional Contract With Scottish Powerhouse Rangers". All Nigeria Soccer. 30 May 2017.
  6. Dapo Mebude determined to grab his Rangers chance with the help of striking rivals Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe, Evening Times, 17 September 2019
  7. Dapo Mebude reveals the dangling Rangers carrot he turned down as Watford star talks up Ibrox exit call, Scott McDermott, 3 October 2021
  8. Performance Schools Roll Of Honour, Scottish Football Association
  9. "Dapo Mebude Signs New Contract". Rangers F.C. 15 December 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  10. "Rangers starlets Serge Atakayi and Dapo Mebude profiled as academy prospects add to their growing reputation". Daily Record. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  11. "Rangers facing striker shortage against St Johnstone, says Gerrard". BBC Sport. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  12. "Kilmarnock 2–1 Rangers". BBC Sport. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  13. "Dapo Mebude". Queen of the South F.C. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  14. "QoS : Report – Arbroath 6.3.21". www.qosfc.com. 6 March 2021.
  15. "Pacy attacker looks set to leave Rangers for nothing this summer as contract runs down". Rangers News. 20 May 2021.
  16. "Official: Mebude Signs For Golden Boys". www.watfordfc.com. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  17. "Watford sign Etebo, King and Mebude". BBC Sport. 9 July 2021.
  18. "Injury Update: Dapo Mebude". www.watfordfc.com. 28 July 2021.
  19. "Mebude out of hospital after back injury". Watford Observer. 28 July 2021.
  20. "Wimbledon sign Watford's Mebude on loan". BBC Sport. 4 August 2021.
  21. "Wimbledon 3–3 Bolton". BBC. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  22. "Official: Mebude Makes Belgium Move". www.watfordfc.com.
  23. Alasdair Mackenzie (27 March 2018). "Rangers youngster Dapo Mebude seals win for Scotland Under-17s against Germany". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  24. Cusick, Aiden (10 September 2019). "Rangers winger Dapo Mebude likens himself to £49m Premier League star". HITC.
  25. Lindsay, Matthew (20 February 2021). "Rangers midfielder Bongani Zungu set to depart Ibrox this summer following Covid-19 lockdown breach". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  26. "Rangers youngster leaves Ibrox youth setup to clinch deal with Manchester City". HeraldScotland. 29 September 2020.
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