Adebayo Akinfenwa

Early career

As a teenager, Akinfenwa joined the Lithuanian club FK Atlantas on the advice of his agent, whose Lithuanian wife's brother knew a member of the coaching staff there. While with the club Akinfenwa scored the winning goal in the 2001 Lithuanian Football Cup final and played in the UEFA Cup qualifying rounds for two successive seasons. He received racial abuse from fans in the country, later saying "Coming from London, where nobody would disrespect me, this was just brazen". He spent two years at the club, as well as one month at another Lithuanian team Laisvė Šilutė, before returning to the UK early in 2003, where he joined Welsh Premier League champions Barry Town. Akinfenwa helped Barry to Welsh Cup and Welsh Premier League silverware during his time at Jenner Park. However, just a handful of matches into his stint, the club suffered a financial crisis and released its professional playing staff. Akinfenwa quickly joined Boston United in October 2003, scoring a last minute winner on his debut against Swindon Town in the Football League Trophy. Unable to settle, he moved to Leyton Orient the following month, but was released after one month. In December 2003 he moved to Rushden & Diamonds and in February 2004 joined Doncaster Rovers, his fifth club of the season.

Torquay United

In July 2004, Akinfenwa changed clubs again, signing for Torquay United, as a replacement for David Graham. He scored 14 league goals during the 2004–05 season and was…

Akinfenwa was born in Islington, North London, and is of Yoruba Nigerian descent. His father is a Muslim and his mother is a Christian. As a child, he supported Liverpool and his favourite player was John Barnes.

Although Akinfenwa observed Ramadan as a child, he is now a Christian. He is a close friend of Clarke Carlisle, his former teammate at Northampton Town. Akinfenwa has been ranked as the strongest footballer in the world in various editions of the FIFA videogame series. In September 2014 he was invited to attend the launch party for FIFA 15 alongside various celebrities and Premier League players, including Rio Ferdinand, George Groves and Lethal Bizzle. Akinfenwa reportedly weighs around 100 kilograms (16 st; 220 lb) and can bench press 180 kg (28 st; 400 lb). He runs a clothing label called Beast Mode On which plays on his strong man reputation. His autobiography The Beast: My Story was published by Headline Publishing in 2017.

FK Atlantas

Lithuanian Football Cup: 2000–01 Barry Town

Welsh Premier League: 2002–03 Welsh Cup: 2002–03 Swansea City

Football League Trophy: 2005–06 AFC Wimbledon

Football League Two play-offs: 2016 Wycombe Wanderers

EFL League One play-offs: 2020 Individual

EFL League Two Player of the Month: November 2012 EFL Team of the Season: 2017–18 PFA Team of the Year: 2017–18 League Two Torquay United Player of the Year: 2004–05 Northampton Town Player of the Year: 2009–10 AFC Wimbledon Player of the Year: 2014–15 Wycombe Wanderers Player of the Season: 2016–17, 2017–18 Sir Tom Finney Award: 2023