{{Short description|German footballer (born 2007)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Francis Onyeka |image = |fullname = Francis-Ikechukwu Onyeka |birth_date = {{birth date and age|2007|4|29|df=y}} |birth_place = Gummersbach, Germany<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/player/francis-onyeka|title=Francis-Ikechukwu Onyeka | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | Player Profile|publisher=Bundesliga}}</ref> |height = 1.87m<ref name="auto1"/> |position = Attacking midfielder |currentclub = VfL Bochum<br>(on loan from Bayer Leverkusen) |clubnumber = 21 |youthyears1 = |youthclubs1 = SC Borussia Lindenthal-Hohenlind |youthyears2 = 2014–2024 |youthclubs2 = Bayer Leverkusen |years1 = 2024– |clubs1 = Bayer Leverkusen |caps1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 |years2 = 2025–2026 |clubs2 = → VfL Bochum (loan) |caps2 = 30 |goals2 = 8 |nationalyears1 = 2022 |nationalteam1 = Germany U15 |nationalcaps1 = 2 |nationalgoals1 = 0 |nationalyears2 = 2022–2023 |nationalteam2 = Germany U16 |nationalcaps2 = 8 |nationalgoals2 = 2 |nationalyears3 = 2023–2024 |nationalteam3 = Germany U17 |nationalcaps3 = 9 |nationalgoals3 = 6 |nationalyears4 = 2024–2025 |nationalteam4 = Germany U18 |nationalcaps4 = 7 |nationalgoals4 = 3 |nationalyears5 = 2025– |nationalteam5 = Germany U19 |nationalcaps5 = 9 |nationalgoals5 = 10 |pcupdate = 21:00, 18 May 2026 (UTC) |ntupdate = 21:54, 31 March 2026 (UTC) }}
'''Francis-Ikechukwu Onyeka''' {{Audio|LL-Q33578_(ibo)-Goodymeraj-Francis-Ikechukwu_Onyeka.wav|Listen|help=no}} ({{IPA|de|ˈfʁaŋsɪs oˈnjɛka|-|}}; born 29 April 2007) is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for {{German football updater|Bochum}} club VfL Bochum, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen.
==Club career== Onyeka is a youth product of SC Borussia Lindenthal-Hohenlind, before moving to the youth academy of Bayer Leverkusen in 2014 where he finished his development. On 29 November 2023, he signed a professional contract with Bayer Leverkusen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/bayer04/bayer-04-extend-contract-with-top-talent-francis-onyeka-to-2027|title=Bayer 04 extend contract with top talent Francis Onyeka to 2027 | Bayer04.de|website=Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH}}</ref> On 15 October 2024, he was named by English newspaper ''The Guardian'' as one of the best players born in 2007 worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/oct/15/next-generation-2024-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football|title=Next Generation 2024: 60 of the best young talents in world football|first1=Marcus|last1=Christenson|first2=Steven|last2=Bloor|first3=Garry|last3=Blight|date=15 October 2024|access-date=15 October 2024|website=theguardian.com}}</ref> On 18 October 2024, he won the 2024 U17 Fritz Walter Medal.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2024/hoffenheims-tom-bischof-and-bayer-leverkusens-francis-onyeka-winners-of-the-fritz-walter-medal/|title=Hoffenheim's Tom Bischof and Bayer Leverkusen's Francis Onyeka winners of the Fritz Walter Medal - Get German Football News|date=18 October 2024|website=www.getfootballnewsgermany.com}}</ref> He made his senior and professional debut with Bayer Leverkusen as a substitute in a 3–0 DFB Pokal win over SV Elversberg on 29 October 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bild.de/sport/fussball/dfb-pokal-leverkusen-elversberg-3-0-alonso-feiert-traum-freistoss-67210ee0be45125573f0eaf7|title=DFB-Pokal: Leverkusen - Elversberg 3:0 – Alonso feiert Traum-Freistoß!|date=29 October 2024|website=bild.de}}</ref>
On 3 June 2025, Onyeka agreed to join VfL Bochum on loan for the 2025–26 season.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=VfL Bochum|url=https://www.vfl-bochum.de/de/news/2025/juni/03/francis-onyeka-wechselt-zum-vfl|title=Francis Onyeka wechselt zum VfL|trans-title=Francis Onyeka moves to VfL|date=3 June 2025|access-date=30 June 2025|language=de}}</ref>
==International career== Born in Germany, Onyeka is of Nigerian descent through his father.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afrik-foot.com/en-ng/leverkusen-nigerian-gem-high-praise-alonso|title=Leverkusen's Nigerian gem gets high praise from Alonso|date=26 October 2024|website=www.afrik-foot.com}}</ref> He is a youth international for Germany, having played for the Germany U17s for 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification matches.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ksta.de/sport/leverkusener-sport/dfb-junioren-verpassen-em-trotz-gala-vorstellung-von-bayer-juwel-francis-onyeka-766988|title=Nachwuchsfußball: DFB-Junioren verpassen EM – Trotz Gala-Vorstellung von Bayer-Juwel Francis Onyeka|date=29 March 2024|website=Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 9 May 2026}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="3"|Bayer Leverkusen |2024–25 |Bundesliga |0||0||1||0||1{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in UEFA Champions League}}||0||0||0||2||0 |- |2026–27 |Bundesliga |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !0!!0!!1!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0 |- |VfL Bochum (loan) |2025–26 |2. Bundesliga |29||8||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||31||8 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !29!!8!!3!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!33!!8 |} {{notelist}}
==Honours== ===Individual=== * Fritz Walter Medal: U17 Gold Medal 2024<ref name="auto"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerway|francis-ikechukwu-onyeka/77965}} *{{DFB|francis-onyeka/spieler}}
{{VfL Bochum squad}} {{Fritz Walter Medal Under-17}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Onyeka, Francis}} Category:2007 births Category:Living people Category:People from Gummersbach Category:German men's footballers Category:German people of Nigerian descent Category:Sportspeople of Nigerian descent Category:Germany men's youth international footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Bayer 04 Leverkusen players Category:VfL Bochum players Category:21st-century German sportsmen