Linton Maina

{{short description|German footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Linton Maina |fullname = Linton Maina |image = |caption = |height = 1.73 m |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1999|6|23}} |birth_place = Berlin, Germany |position = Attacking midfielder |currentclub = 1. FC Köln |clubnumber = 37 |youthyears1 = 2003–2011 |youthclubs1 = SV Pfefferwerk |youthyears2 = 2011–2014 |youthclubs2 = SV Empor Berlin |youthyears3 = 2014–2018 |youthclubs3 = Hannover 96 |years1 = 2018–2022 |clubs1 = Hannover 96 |caps1 = 91 |goals1 = 11 |years2 = 2022– |clubs2 = 1. FC Köln |caps2 = 114 |goals2 = 9 |nationalyears1 = 2014–2015 |nationalteam1 = Germany U16 |nationalcaps1 = 3 |nationalgoals1 = 0 |nationalyears2 = 2015 |nationalteam2 = Germany U17 |nationalcaps2 = 4 |nationalgoals2 = 0 |nationalyears3 = 2016–2017 |nationalteam3 = Germany U18 |nationalcaps3 = 6 |nationalgoals3 = 1 |nationalyears4 = 2017–2018 |nationalteam4 = Germany U19 |nationalcaps4 = 8 |nationalgoals4 = 1 |nationalyears5 = 2018 |nationalteam5 = Germany U20 |nationalcaps5 = 1 |nationalgoals5 = 0 |pcupdate = 16 May 2026 |ntupdate = 17:51, 12 November 2018 (UTC) }}

'''Linton Maina''' (born 23 June 1999) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln.

==Career== Maina made his professional debut for Hannover 96 on 18 March 2018, coming on as a substitute for Marvin Bakalorz on matchday 27 of the 2017–18 season of the Bundesliga in a 0–1 away loss against Borussia Dortmund.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/match-report/ma8417166/lineup/ |title=Borussia Dortmund - Hannover 96 1:0 (Bundesliga 2017/2018, 27. Round) |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HEIM:SPIEL |date=18 March 2018 |access-date=19 March 2018}}</ref>

On 19 May 2022, it was announced that Maina would join Bundesliga side 1. FC Köln for the 2022–23 season on a free transfer. He signed a contract with the team until 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://fc.de/fc-info/news/detailseite/details/fc-verpflichtet-linton-maina/ |title=FC verpflichtet Linton Maina |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=1. FC Köln |language=de |archive-date=3 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003164201/https://fc.de/fc-info/news/detailseite/details/fc-verpflichtet-linton-maina/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Personal life== Maina was born in Berlin to a Kenyan, Malagasy father and a German mother.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Linton Maina impresses for Hannover - catches the eye of Man United scouts |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/article/2001292036/linton-maina-impresses-for-hannover-catches-the-eye-of-man-united-scouts|date=16 August 2018|accessdate=30 August 2018|publisher=The Standard (Kenya)|first=Robert|last=Abong'o}}</ref>

==Career statistics== {{Updated|match played 16 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"|DFB-Pokal !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="6"|Hannover 96 |2017–18 |Bundesliga |2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||2||0 |- |2018–19 |Bundesliga |20||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||21||1 |- |2019–20 |2. Bundesliga |24||2||1||0||colspan="2"|—||25||2 |- |2020–21 |2. Bundesliga |18||2||1||0||colspan="2"|—||19||2 |- |2021–22 |2. Bundesliga |27||6||3||0||colspan="2"|—||30||6 |- !colspan="2"|Total !91!!11!!6!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!97!!11 |- |rowspan="5"|1. FC Köln |2022–23 |Bundesliga |33||3||1||0||8{{efn|name=UECL|Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League}}||0||42||3 |- |2023–24 |Bundesliga |31||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||32||1 |- |2024–25 |2. Bundesliga |27||3||4||2||colspan="2"|—||31||5 |- |2025–26 |Bundesliga |23||2||2||0||colspan="2"|—||25||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !114!!9!!8!!2!!8!!0!!130!!11 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !205!!20!!15!!2!!8!!0!!227!!22 |} {{notelist}}

==Honours== '''1.FC Koln''' *2.Bundesliga: 2024–25<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/koeln-gegen-klautern-2025-bundesliga-4937379/analyse|title=Uth mit dem Schlusspunkt: Köln steigt als Zweitliga-Meister in die Bundesliga auf|website=kicker}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{DFB|353267}} * {{kicker player|86142}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maina, Linton}} Category:1999 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Berlin Category:German people of Kenyan descent Category:German men's footballers Category:Germany men's youth international footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Hannover 96 players Category:Bundesliga players Category:2. Bundesliga players Category:1. FC Köln players Category:21st-century German sportsmen