Ayomide Bamidele Akinola

Ayomide Bamidele Akinola is a forward born in Detroit and raised largely in Brampton, Ontario, after his family moved there in 2005. He developed in the Toronto FC Academy and made his professional debut for Toronto FC II at 16, before becoming Toronto FC’s 15th Homegrown player in late 2017. Akinola broke through during the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament, scoring five goals across two matches and registering a hat-trick against CF Montréal. In July 2021, while playing for Canada against the United States at the Gold Cup, he suffered an ACL tear. Internationally, he scored on his senior debut for the United States against El Salvador in 2020, then switched allegiance to Canada in 2021. Akinola has since evolved from a wide forward into a more traditional central striker, using his strength to link play and hold possession.