Nathan Delfouneso
Encyclopedia
Nathan Abayomi Delfouneso (born 2 February 1991) is an English footballer who plays as a striker
for Aston Villa
. His natural playing position is as a striker
, however he has been used as a winger throughout his career. He is also eligible to play for Nigeria
.
, Birmingham
, Delfouneso – a product of the Aston Villa Academy
– became a regular for both the club's reserve and academy teams
in the 2006–07 season. He made his debut for the reserve team in March 2007, just a month after turning 16. Nathan Delfouneso's late winner helped Aston Villa to a 2-1 win against Portsmouth
. In October 2007, he scored his first goal in a 1–1 draw with Reading
. In February 2008, Delfouneso signed his first professional contract with Aston Villa, a few days after he was given the number 14 shirt for the first team – it was later reported in French magazine Onze Mondial
, that the number was chosen due to Delfouneso's admiration of FC Barcelona
striker Thierry Henry
. He also travelled with the squad for the game at Fulham
, but missed out on the final 16. By the end of the 2007–08 season, Delfouneso had made 41 appearances for the Academy team, scoring 22 goals in the process.
Delfouneso made his competitive first-team début as a substitute in the away tie of the UEFA Cup
second round match against Iceland
ic opponents FH Hafnarfjörður
, this in turn made Delfouneso the youngest player to represent Aston Villa in European competition, at the age of 17 years and 195 days. He also came on in the second leg at Villa Park. He made his first competitive start in a UEFA Cup tie against MŠK Žilina
, scoring with a stunning left-footed volley after just half an hour of his debut. He scored again in his second start on 17 December 2008, netting a consolation goal away at Hamburger SV
.
Delfouneso made his first domestic senior appearance on 4 January 2009, in an FA Cup
tie against Gillingham
at Priestfield Stadium
, which Villa won 2–1. He scored his first domestic senior goal a month later, on 4 February 2009 in an FA Cup fourth round replay against Doncaster Rovers
at Villa Park, which Villa won 3–1. His performance was rewarded with high praise from boss Martin O'Neill
.
On 16 February 2009, it was reported that Crystal Palace
manager Neil Warnock
was interested in taking Delfouneso to Selhurst Park
on loan. Villa boss O'Neill refused, declaring that Warnock's chances of acquiring the striker were "not a prayer".
Delfouneso made his league debut against Tottenham Hotspur
as a second half substitute for Gabriel Agbonlahor
, on 15 March 2009. He was given a second run-out during Villa's 3–3 draw with Everton
, creating two good chances for himself, but failed to score.
On 13 May 2009, Delfouneso marked an impressive debut season, as he picked up both Aston Villa Players Young Player of the Year and Aston Villa Supporters Young Player of the Year, at the annual end of season Awards Night. Delfouneso furthered this eight days later, as he netted the opening goal in a 3–1 victory over Sunderland
in the Premier Reserve League final.
On 2 January 2010, Delfouneso was in the starting eleven for Aston Villa's third round FA Cup
tie against Blackburn Rovers
. In the game he scored his fourth senior goal for the club, which was his team's first goal in a 3–1 win. Delfouneso scored with his head, diverting an in-swinging Ashley Young cross just inside the opposition keeper's near right post from 10 yards. Shortly after the game, Villa boss Martin O'Neill
admitted that Delfouneso along with fellow youngsters Marc Albrighton
and Ciaran Clark
were the subject of many loan offers from various other clubs. However, he went on to emphasise his confidence that the trio were good enough to remain as vital squad members on the fringes of Aston Villa's first team.
On 23 January 2010, Delfouneso scored the opening goal in the 5th minute in Villa's FA Cup
4th round tie against Brighton & Hove Albion
. He was an unused substitute in the final
of the League Cup
, as Villa lost 2–1 to Manchester United
at Wembley Stadium
on 28 February. He scored his first league goal on 18 April, after coming off the bench against Portsmouth
in a 2–1 victory at Fratton Park
.
due to Emile Heskey
, John Carew
and Gabriel Agbonlahor
being injured. He completed 88 minutes of the match which he substituted for Stephen Ireland
, with the match ending as a 1-1 draw. On 10 November 2010, Delfouneso scored his second Premier League goal in a 3-2 win against Blackpool
at Villa Park
. On 21 November 2010, he made a substitute appearance against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park
, replacing Gabriel Agbonlahor
on 78 minutes in a 2-0 defeat. On 27 November, he played in Villa's 4-2 loss to Arsenal
at Villa Park
. On 29 January 2011, in the FA Cup
fourth round, Delfouneso played and scored with a header against Blackburn Rovers with the third goal in a 3-1 win. At the end of this campaign for Villa, he made 16 appearances and scored 2 goals for them in all competitions.
of the Football League Championship
until the end of the season. He made his debut the same day, playing in an away match at Hull City
's KC Stadium
. Delfouneso scored past on-loan Aston Villa team-mate Brad Guzan
just five minutes in to his first start for The Clarets.
On Saturday 13 August 2011, Delfouneso was an unused substitute in Villa's opening 2011-12 Barclays Premier League fixture with Fulham
at Craven Cottage
in a 0-0 draw.
On 23 August 2011, he scored in the League Cup
tie against Hereford
helping Villa to win 2-0.
– collecting eight caps and scoring three goals during this period, all three were scored in the 2006 Victory Shield. In October 2007, Delfouneso marked his debut for the England U17 team
with a hat-trick in a 6–0 victory over Malta
.
Delfouneso made his debut for the England U19 team
on 8 October 2008 in a UEFA Championship Qualifying tie against Albania
. The striker came on as an 18th-minute substitute and netted the second goal in a comfortable 3–0 victory. He added another brace to his tally in the semi-final match against France
to put England through to the final of the 2009 UEFA Under-19 Championship
.
On 22 February 2010 Delfouneso received his first call up to the England under 21 squad, On 3 March 2010 he scored on his debut for the under 21 team against Greece in a 2–1 defeat.
Delfouneso was named in the final 18 man squad for the 2010 UEFA Under-19 Championship
which took place in France.
Delfouneso scored his second U-21 international goal against Iceland
at Deepdale
in a 1-2 friendly defeat in March 2011.
.
England
Individual
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
for Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. His natural playing position is as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, however he has been used as a winger throughout his career. He is also eligible to play for Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
Aston Villa
Born in TyseleyTyseley
Tyseley is a district in the southern half of the city of Birmingham, England, near the Coventry Road and the districts of Small Heath and Yardley...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Delfouneso – a product of the Aston Villa Academy
Aston Villa F.C. Reserves and Academy
Aston Villa Reserves are the reserve team of Aston Villa, they have been part of the FA Premier Reserve League since its foundation in 1999 and are current holders of the Premier Reserve League South title. The team plays its home games at Villa Park - during the months of Autumn and Spring - and...
– became a regular for both the club's reserve and academy teams
Aston Villa F.C. Reserves and Academy
Aston Villa Reserves are the reserve team of Aston Villa, they have been part of the FA Premier Reserve League since its foundation in 1999 and are current holders of the Premier Reserve League South title. The team plays its home games at Villa Park - during the months of Autumn and Spring - and...
in the 2006–07 season. He made his debut for the reserve team in March 2007, just a month after turning 16. Nathan Delfouneso's late winner helped Aston Villa to a 2-1 win against Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. In October 2007, he scored his first goal in a 1–1 draw with Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
. In February 2008, Delfouneso signed his first professional contract with Aston Villa, a few days after he was given the number 14 shirt for the first team – it was later reported in French magazine Onze Mondial
Onze Mondial
Onze Mondial is a French magazine. Onze Mondial was known as Onze until the name was changed in 1989.Every year, Onze Mondial hands out the European Footballer of the Year award, as well as awards for coaches....
, that the number was chosen due to Delfouneso's admiration of FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
striker Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
. He also travelled with the squad for the game at Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, but missed out on the final 16. By the end of the 2007–08 season, Delfouneso had made 41 appearances for the Academy team, scoring 22 goals in the process.
2008–09
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
second round match against Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic opponents FH Hafnarfjörður
Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar
Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar, commonly referred to as FH, is Icelandic football club based in Hafnarfjörður.- Overview :The team are perhaps best known outside Iceland for beating Scottish side Dunfermline in the qualifying rounds of the 2004/05 UEFA Cup 4–3 on aggregate...
, this in turn made Delfouneso the youngest player to represent Aston Villa in European competition, at the age of 17 years and 195 days. He also came on in the second leg at Villa Park. He made his first competitive start in a UEFA Cup tie against MŠK Žilina
MŠK Žilina
MŠK Žilina is a Slovak football club, based in the town of Žilina. They play in the Slovak Superliga and are one of the most successful clubs in this competition, having won five championships since the league's inception in 1993. The club and their supporters alike are nicknamed Šošoni...
, scoring with a stunning left-footed volley after just half an hour of his debut. He scored again in his second start on 17 December 2008, netting a consolation goal away at Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
.
Delfouneso made his first domestic senior appearance on 4 January 2009, in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie against Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
at Priestfield Stadium
Priestfield Stadium
Priestfield Stadium is a football stadium in Gillingham, Kent...
, which Villa won 2–1. He scored his first domestic senior goal a month later, on 4 February 2009 in an FA Cup fourth round replay against Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
at Villa Park, which Villa won 3–1. His performance was rewarded with high praise from boss Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
.
On 16 February 2009, it was reported that Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
manager Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock is an English former footballer who is currently manager of English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers....
was interested in taking Delfouneso to Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
on loan. Villa boss O'Neill refused, declaring that Warnock's chances of acquiring the striker were "not a prayer".
Delfouneso made his league debut against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
as a second half substitute for Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Imuetinyan "Gabby" Agbonlahor is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Aston Villa. Agbonlahor is a product of Aston Villa's Academy and has earned three caps for the English national team. He is currently the longest-serving player at Villa Park, joining as a youth player in...
, on 15 March 2009. He was given a second run-out during Villa's 3–3 draw with Everton
Everton
Everton is a district of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council ward. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 7,398.-Toponymy:...
, creating two good chances for himself, but failed to score.
On 13 May 2009, Delfouneso marked an impressive debut season, as he picked up both Aston Villa Players Young Player of the Year and Aston Villa Supporters Young Player of the Year, at the annual end of season Awards Night. Delfouneso furthered this eight days later, as he netted the opening goal in a 3–1 victory over Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C. Reserves and Academy
Sunderland A.F.C. Academy are the youth team of Sunderland Football Club. It is a member of the Premier Academy League. They have won the FA Youth Cup in 1960, 1961, 2010 and were runners-up in 1958, 2008. The academy team is coached by Ged McNamee, Kevin Ball, Elliott Dickman, Carlton Fairweather...
in the Premier Reserve League final.
2009–10
On 6 November 2009, Delfouneso signed a new two-and-a-half year contract with Aston Villa keeping him at the club until the end of the 2011-12 season.On 2 January 2010, Delfouneso was in the starting eleven for Aston Villa's third round FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. In the game he scored his fourth senior goal for the club, which was his team's first goal in a 3–1 win. Delfouneso scored with his head, diverting an in-swinging Ashley Young cross just inside the opposition keeper's near right post from 10 yards. Shortly after the game, Villa boss Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
admitted that Delfouneso along with fellow youngsters Marc Albrighton
Marc Albrighton
Marc Kevin Albrighton is an English footballer who plays for Premier League side Aston Villa as a winger. He is most comfortable playing on the right side of midfield or as a right-winger, but is sufficiently effective on the left....
and Ciaran Clark
Ciaran Clark
Ciaran Clark is an English-born Irish professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national football team...
were the subject of many loan offers from various other clubs. However, he went on to emphasise his confidence that the trio were good enough to remain as vital squad members on the fringes of Aston Villa's first team.
On 23 January 2010, Delfouneso scored the opening goal in the 5th minute in Villa's FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
4th round tie against Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. He was an unused substitute in the final
2010 Football League Cup Final
The 2010 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Football League Cup, the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League. The match, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 February 2010, was won by...
of the League Cup
2009–10 Football League Cup
The 2009–10 Football League Cup, known as the Carling Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by lager brand Carling, was the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a knock-out competition for England's top 92 football clubs....
, as Villa lost 2–1 to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
on 28 February. He scored his first league goal on 18 April, after coming off the bench against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in a 2–1 victory at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
.
2010–11
On 6 November 2010, Delfouneso started his first Premier League game against FulhamFulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
due to Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...
, John Carew
John Carew
John Alieu Carew , is a Norwegian professional association football player who plays for West Ham United and the Norwegian national team. His father is Gambian and his mother is Norwegian; he was born and raised in Norway.-Vålerenga:John Alieu Carew began his career with his local club Lørenskog,...
and Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Imuetinyan "Gabby" Agbonlahor is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Aston Villa. Agbonlahor is a product of Aston Villa's Academy and has earned three caps for the English national team. He is currently the longest-serving player at Villa Park, joining as a youth player in...
being injured. He completed 88 minutes of the match which he substituted for Stephen Ireland
Stephen Ireland
Stephen James Ireland is an Irish footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Aston Villa.-Cobh Ramblers:...
, with the match ending as a 1-1 draw. On 10 November 2010, Delfouneso scored his second Premier League goal in a 3-2 win against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
. On 21 November 2010, he made a substitute appearance against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
, replacing Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Imuetinyan "Gabby" Agbonlahor is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Aston Villa. Agbonlahor is a product of Aston Villa's Academy and has earned three caps for the English national team. He is currently the longest-serving player at Villa Park, joining as a youth player in...
on 78 minutes in a 2-0 defeat. On 27 November, he played in Villa's 4-2 loss to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
. On 29 January 2011, in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
fourth round, Delfouneso played and scored with a header against Blackburn Rovers with the third goal in a 3-1 win. At the end of this campaign for Villa, he made 16 appearances and scored 2 goals for them in all competitions.
Burnley (loan)
On 8 March 2011, Delfouneso signed for BurnleyBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
of the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
until the end of the season. He made his debut the same day, playing in an away match at Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
's KC Stadium
KC Stadium
The KC Stadium, often shortened to the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull , England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s, it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately £44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider KC,...
. Delfouneso scored past on-loan Aston Villa team-mate Brad Guzan
Brad Guzan
Bradley Edwin "Brad" Guzan is an American soccer player who plays for Aston Villa of the Premier League.-Early Career:...
just five minutes in to his first start for The Clarets.
2011–12
In July 2011, he signed a new three-year contract with Aston Villa which will now run until summer 2014.On Saturday 13 August 2011, Delfouneso was an unused substitute in Villa's opening 2011-12 Barclays Premier League fixture with Fulham
Fulham
Fulham is an area of southwest London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, SW6 located south west of Charing Cross. It lies on the left bank of the Thames, between Putney and Chelsea. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
at Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
in a 0-0 draw.
On 23 August 2011, he scored in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
tie against Hereford
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
helping Villa to win 2-0.
International career
On the international scene, Delfouneso first came to notice playing for the England U16 teamEngland national under-16 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the Victory Shield match against Scotland.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England U-16 squad and remain eligible.-External links:*...
– collecting eight caps and scoring three goals during this period, all three were scored in the 2006 Victory Shield. In October 2007, Delfouneso marked his debut for the England U17 team
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
with a hat-trick in a 6–0 victory over Malta
Malta national under-17 football team
The Malta national under-17 football team represents Malta in international football competitions in the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, as well as any other under-17 international football tournaments. It is governed by the Malta Football Association. In...
.
Delfouneso made his debut for the England U19 team
England national under-19 football team
-Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:...
on 8 October 2008 in a UEFA Championship Qualifying tie against Albania
Albania national under-19 football team
The Albania national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Albania controlled by Football Association of Albania-Goalkeepers:-Defenders:-Midfielders:-Strikers:-Recent results:--------...
. The striker came on as an 18th-minute substitute and netted the second goal in a comfortable 3–0 victory. He added another brace to his tally in the semi-final match against France
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
to put England through to the final of the 2009 UEFA Under-19 Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Bracket:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-Top goalscorers:4 goals Nathan Delfouneso3 goals Henri Lansbury Danijel Aleksić Denys Harmash-External links:*...
.
On 22 February 2010 Delfouneso received his first call up to the England under 21 squad, On 3 March 2010 he scored on his debut for the under 21 team against Greece in a 2–1 defeat.
Delfouneso was named in the final 18 man squad for the 2010 UEFA Under-19 Championship
2010 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Bracket:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Daniel Pacheco3 goals Zvonko Pamić Cédric Bakambu Alexandre Lacazette...
which took place in France.
Delfouneso scored his second U-21 international goal against Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
at Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
in a 1-2 friendly defeat in March 2011.
Personal life
Delfouneso's younger brother Emmitt is a player for the youth team of Aston Villa's city rivals Birmingham CityBirmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
2008–09 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 3 |
| 2009–10 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Premier League The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011... |
11 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Premier League The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Total | 25 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 43 | 9 | |
| Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... (loan) |
2010–11 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Career totals | 36 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 54 | 10 | |
Honours
Aston Villa- League CupLeague CupIn association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
: Runner up 2010 - Premier Academy LeaguePremier Academy League 2007-08The 2007–08 Premier Academy League season is the tenth since its establishment, and the fourth under the current name and make-up. Aston Villa were crowned the 2007–08 Premier Academy League Champions after beating Manchester City 2–0 in the Play-off Final, with goals from James Collins and Chris...
: Winner 2007–08 - Premier Reserve League South: Winner 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
- Play-off Final: Winner 2009
England
- Victory Shield: Winner 2006
- Top Goalscorer: 2006
- European U19 Championship2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship-Group B:---------------------Bracket:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-Top goalscorers:4 goals Nathan Delfouneso3 goals Henri Lansbury Danijel Aleksić Denys Harmash-External links:*...
: Runner-upRunner-upRunner-up is a term used to denote a participant which finishes in second place in any of a variety of competitive endeavors, most notably sporting events and beauty pageants; in the latter instance, the term is applied to more than one of the highest-ranked non-winning contestants, the...
2009- Golden Boot: 2009
Individual
- Aston Villa Players Young Player of the Year: 2008–09, 2009–10
- Aston Villa Supporters Young Player of the Year: 2008–09, 2009–10
External links
- Nathan Delfouneso ESPN Soccernet