Jardell Kanga
Swedish footballer (born 2005)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jardell Kanga (born 13 December 2005) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a attacking midfielder for the Finnish Veikkausliiga club Ilves.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 December 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Stockholm, Sweden | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ilves | ||
| Number | 30 | ||
| 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– | Ilves | 27 | (5) |
| 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 19 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 17:48, 1 April 2026 (UTC) | |||
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]
International career
Kanga is a youth international for Sweden having played for the Sweden U17s, and is their record goalscorer at that level.[11] 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.[12] He is the cousin of the Swedish footballer Josafat Mendes.[13]
Career statistics
- As of 20 July 2025[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brommapojkarna | 2021 | Ettan Norra | 23 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 5 | ||
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| De Graafschap (loan) | 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Hammarby TFF | 2024 | Ettan | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | 10 | 2 | |||
| Hammarby | 2024 | Allsvenskan | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Ilves | 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 |
| Career total | 48 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 10 | ||
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League