Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | September 16, 2000 | ||
Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Vancouver FC | ||
Number | 21 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2017 | North Toronto Nitros | ||
2017–2019 | Toronto FC | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2017 | North Toronto Nitros | 21 | (4) |
2018 | Toronto FC III | 8 | (0) |
2019–2020 | Helsingør | 0 | (0) |
2020–2021 | Rio Grande Valley FC | 12 | (1) |
2021 | → FC Tulsa (loan) | 29 | (2) |
2022 | FC Tulsa | 28 | (0) |
2023 | Hartford Athletic | 19 | (0) |
2024– | Vancouver FC | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 14, 2024 |
Kembo Kibato (born September 16, 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as an attacking midfielder for Canadian Premier League side Vancouver FC.
Kibato played youth soccer with the North Toronto Nitros.[1]
In 2017, he played with Team Ontario at the 2017 Canada Summer Games, helping them win the gold medal.[2][3]
In 2017, Kibato joined the Toronto FC Academy.[1]
In 2016, Kibato debuted with the North Toronto Nitros senior team in League1 Ontario, making two substitute appearances.[4] The following season, he joined the senior squad full-time, scoring 4 goals in 19 appearances,[5] and was named a league third-team all-star.[6] In 2018, he played with Toronto FC III.[7]
In 2019, he attended training camp with Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League, but did not ultimately sign with the club.[1][8]
On July 18, 2019, Kibato signed with Danish 2nd Division side FC Helsingør.[9][10] Kibato left on January 14, 2020 without making an official first team appearance, having only played in friendlies.[1][11]
On March 7, 2020, Kibato joined USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC.[12] He made his debut for RGVFC on July 11, 2020, appearing as an 83rd-minute substitute during a 1–0 loss to El Paso Locomotive.[13] He scored his first professional goal on August 8 against Austin Bold FC.[14][15] In October, he was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week after recording two assists in a 4-2 victory against OKC Energy FC in the season finale.[16]
On April 9, 2021, Kibato moved on a season-long loan to USL Championship side FC Tulsa.[17] At the end of the season, he was named the team's Newcomer of the Year.[18][19] On December 29, Tulsa announced they had signed Kibato to a permanent deal ahead of the 2022 season.[20] Following the 2022 season, Kibato’s contract ended. [21]
On December 12, 2022, Kibato was announced as a new signing for USL Championship side Hartford Athletic ahead of their 2023 season.[22]
On February 29, 2024, Vancouver FC announced the signing of the Canadian midfielder on a two-year contract, ahead of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season.[23][24]
Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
North Toronto Nitros | 2016[4] | League1 Ontario | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
2017[5] | League1 Ontario | 19 | 4 | — | — | — | 19 | 4 | ||||
Total | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 4 | ||
Toronto FC III | 2018[7] | League1 Ontario | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
FC Helsingør | 2019–20 | Danish 2nd Division | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Rio Grande Valley FC | 2020 | USL Championship | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
FC Tulsa (loan) | 2021 | USL Championship | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 2 | ||
FC Tulsa | 2022 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||
Total | 57 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 2 | ||
Hartford Athletic | 2023 | USL Championship | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | |
Career total | 115 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 118 | 7 |