Defender
Abdi Mohamed
Club
New York City F.C.
League
MLS
Region
USA
Signed
2019
Estimated peak value · 2019
$200,000 / KSh 20m
Estimated, not a transfer fee — our own valuation of his draft season at New York City FC, at KSh 101 to the dollar.
Profile
American college football
A right-back born in Kenya who played three years at Ohio State before transferring to Akron, where he appeared in all 24 matches of the 2018 season as the Zips reached the NCAA College Cup final.
MLS and the USL
New York City FC took him 43rd overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft and loaned him to Memphis 901; Greenville Triumph, Columbus Crew 2 and New Mexico United followed, for 129 senior appearances and five goals.
Cup and continental record
The NCAA College Cup final with Akron in 2018, playing all 24 matches of the run. Since turning professional: US Open Cup and USL Championship play-off football with Memphis 901, Greenville Triumph and New Mexico United.
Managers he played under
Jared Embick coached him at Akron through the run to the 2018 NCAA College Cup final, and Dome Torrent was head coach at New York City FC when they drafted him.
Did you know
Every minute of a run to the national final, then a top-50 professional draft pick
Born in Kenya, Mohamed played three years at Ohio State, transferred to Akron for his final season, and appeared in all 24 matches as the Zips reached the 2018 NCAA College Cup final — the national championship game of American college football. New York City FC took him 43rd overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, and he has been a professional in the American system ever since, from Memphis and Greenville to Columbus Crew 2 and New Mexico United.
24 / 24
Matches played in Akron's College Cup final run
43rd
Overall pick, 2019 MLS SuperDraft
5
American professional clubs since
Did you know
Born a refugee in Nairobi, drafted out of an NCAA final
He was born in Nairobi in 1996 to Somali parents who had fled the war, and grew up in the United States. Three seasons at Ohio State were followed by a senior year at Akron, where the side reached the 2018 NCAA College Cup final, and New York City FC took him 43rd overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft.
43rd
Overall pick, 2019 MLS SuperDraft
2018
The NCAA College Cup final with Akron
2
Universities in four college seasons
Did you know
Two passports, and he chose the one his parents carried
Born in Kenya, he held both Kenyan and Somali citizenship and could have played for either. He chose Somalia to honour his parents, and debuted on 5 September 2019 in a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Zimbabwe. The professional years since have run through Memphis 901, Greenville Triumph, Columbus Crew 2, New Mexico United and Oakland Roots — the lower-division American circuit that has carried more East African players than any league in Europe.
2
Nations he was eligible for
2019
His Somalia debut, against Zimbabwe
5
American clubs after New York
Career record
Born in Kenya to Somali parents and raised in the United States, drafted by New York City FC in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, with later spells at Memphis 901, Greenville Triumph, New Mexico United and Columbus Crew 2. Won the 2020 USL League One title and the 2022 MLS Next Pro title. Represents Somalia.
Career appearances and goals reconciled against Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdi_Mohamed)
129
Appearances
5
Goals
0
Assists
7
Caps
0
Int'l goals
Listing
Historic Top 20
Archived as part of Kenya's historic professional export record.
See the Hall of Fame Top 20Either side of him in the archive
Next in the archive