# Vimal Yoganathan > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Vimal_Yoganathan > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Vimal_Yoganathan.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimal_Yoganathan > Source revision: 1337697277 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Welsh footballer (born 2006)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Vimal Yoganathan | image = | upright = | caption = | fullname = Vimal Yoganathan{{Cite news |title=SQUAD LIST 2025/26 & U21 REGISTERED CONTRACT PLAYERS |url=https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/gc-media-assets.gc.eflservices.co.uk/139b0850-8e5f-11f0-9802-f32ca28c8c68.pdf|publisher=EFL |date=1 September 2025 |accessdate=23 September 2025}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2006|01|13|df=y}} | birth_place = [Trelawnyd](/source/Trelawnyd), Wales | height = {{convert|1.91|m|order=flip}} | position = [Midfielder](/source/Midfielder) | currentclub = [Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.) | clubnumber = 45 | youthyears1 = 2011–2014 | youthclubs1 = [Connah's Quay Nomads](/source/Connah's_Quay_Nomads_F.C.) | youthyears2 = 2014–2021 | youthclubs2 = [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool_F.C._Reserves_and_Academy) | youthyears3 = 2021–2023 | youthclubs3 = [Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.) | years1 = 2023– | clubs1 = [Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.) | caps1 = 26 | goals1 = 2 | years2 = 2025 | clubs2 = → [Oldham Athletic](/source/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C.) (loan) | caps2 = 17 | goals2 = 2 | nationalyears1 = 2024–2025 | nationalteam1 = [Wales U19](/source/Wales_national_under-19_football_team) | nationalcaps1 = 11 | nationalgoals1 = 2 |nationalyears2 = 2025– |nationalteam2 = [Wales U21](/source/Wales_national_under-21_football_team) |nationalcaps2 = 1 |nationalgoals2 = 0 | club-update = 23:51, 10 February 2026 (UTC) | nationalteam-update = 15:38, 8 September 2025 (UTC) }} '''Vimal Yoganathan''' (born 13 January 2006) is a Welsh professional [footballer](/source/Association_football) who plays as a [midfielder](/source/midfielder) for {{English football updater|Barnsley}} club [Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.).{{cite web |title=Soccerway profile |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/vimal-yoganathan/884881/ |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=25 September 2023}}{{cite web | last=Yasin | first=Abu | title=England's first Tamil footballer Vimal Yoganathan aims to inspire | website=BBC Home | date=2 November 2024 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gm91v838jo | access-date=2 November 2024}} He is a [Wales under-21](/source/Wales_national_under-21_football_team) international. ==Club career== Yoganathan was raised in [Trelawnyd](/source/Trelawnyd), Wales and began his career with local side [Connah's Quay Nomads](/source/Connah's_Quay_Nomads_F.C.).{{cite web |last1=Mesney |first1=Nik |title=Academy trio make Football League moves |url=https://www.the-nomads.co.uk/news/article.php?id=1125 |publisher=Connah's Quay Nomads F.C. |access-date=25 September 2023 |archive-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250224030556/https://www.the-nomads.co.uk/newsarticle.php?id=1125}} He then moved to [Prestatyn Town](/source/Prestatyn_Town_F.C.). At age six he was scouted by [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool_F.C.) and joined the club's shadow squad the following year. At age eight he was officially signed to the [club's academy](/source/Liverpool_F.C._Reserves_and_Academy) in the presence of [Brendan Rodgers](/source/Brendan_Rodgers).{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Dean |title=Vimal signs for Liverpool FC academy |url=https://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/sport/15720657.vimal-signs-for-liverpool-fc-academy/ |website=The Rhyl, Prestatyn, and Abergele Journal |access-date=25 September 2023 |archive-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250224014355/https://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/sport/15720657.vimal-signs-for-liverpool-fc-academy/}} During his time in the Liverpool Academy he served as a [ball boy](/source/ball_boy) at [Anfield](/source/Anfield), including during the [Merseyside Derby](/source/Merseyside_Derby).{{cite web |last1=Patel |first1=Aadam |title='I'll get goosebumps' - Barnsley duo out to upset old club Liverpool |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cdex26xd26jo |website=[BBC Sport](/source/BBC_Sport) |access-date=30 January 2026 |date=12 January 2026}} Yoganathan later joined the under-16 side of [Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.).{{cite web |title=17 year old Tamil footballer Yoganthan makes his professional UK debut for Barnsley FC |url=https://thamarai.com/lifestyle/society/17-year-old-tamil-footballer-yoganthan-makes-his-professional-uk-debut-for-barnsley-fc |publisher=Thamarai |access-date=25 September 2023}} In 2023 he won the U18 division with the club.{{cite web |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Rogan |title=Barnsley's title-winning under 18s squad |url=https://www.barnsleychronicle.com/article/25123/barnsleys-title-winning-under-18s-squad |publisher=The Barnsley Chronicle |access-date=25 September 2023}} That season he took part in twenty-nine of thirty-four matches.{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=John |title=Young Guns |url=https://dragonsoccer.co.uk/newsite/index.php?id=475 |publisher=draggonsoccer.co.uk |access-date=25 September 2023}} Yoganathan made his professional debut with the club on 8 August 2023 in a [2023–24 EFL Cup](/source/2023%E2%80%9324_EFL_Cup) match against [Tranmere Rovers](/source/Tranmere_Rovers_F.C.). He entered the match as a 65th-minute substitute for [Herbie Kane](/source/Herbie_Kane).{{cite web |title=Vimal Yoganathan on Making Reds Debut |url=https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/20232/august/yoganathan-interview/ |publisher=Barnsley FC |access-date=25 September 2023}} With this appearance, he became the first player of Tamil heritage to play a professional senior game in English football.{{cite web |last1=Gibbs |first1=Thom |title=Vimal Yoganathan: From four-year-old tantrums to England's first Tamil footballer |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/customer/subscribe/05dobau0/?ICID=subscribecta_paywall_asset&redirectTo=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Ffootball%2F2023%2F11%2F02%2Fvimal-yoganathan-barnsley-england-first-tamil-footballer%2F |publisher=The Telegraph |access-date=1 December 2023}} He scored his first senior goals when he scored twice in an [EFL Trophy](/source/EFL_Trophy) tie against [Manchester United U21s](/source/Manchester_United_F.C._Under-21s_and_Academy) on 20 August 2024.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c9qgx88w4pro |title=Man Utd U21s produce late comeback in EFL Trophy |publisher=[BBC](/source/BBC) |date=20 August 2024 |access-date=23 August 2024}} On 31 January 2025, Yoganathan signed a new three-and-a-half year contract with Barnsley, before immediately joining [National League](/source/National_League_(division)) side [Oldham Athletic](/source/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C.) on loan for the remainder of the [2024–25 season](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_National_League).{{cite web|url=https://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/news/2025/january/31/yoganathan-signs-on-loan/|title=Yoganathan Signs On Loan|website=www.oldhamathletic.co.uk|date=31 January 2025|accessdate=31 January 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2025/january/31/vimal-yoganathan-signs-until-2028-with-reds-/|title=Vimal Yoganathan signs until 2028 with Reds|website=www.barnsleyfc.co.uk|date=31 January 2025|accessdate=31 January 2025}} ==International career== Yoganathan is of [Sri Lankan Tamil](/source/Sri_Lankan_Tamils) descent and grew up in [Trelawnyd](/source/Trelawnyd).{{cite web |title=Vimal Yoganathan: The Tamil footballer from Trelawnyd |url=https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/vimal-yoganathan-tamil-footballer-trelawnyd |publisher=tamil Guardian |date=14 January 2024 }} As a schoolboy, Yoganathan was called up for Wales at youth level to participate in training camps. On 22 March 2024, he made his debut for [Wales under-19s](/source/Wales_national_under-19_football_team) as a substitute against Belgium.{{cite web|url=https://dragonsoccer.co.uk/newsite/index.php?id=818|title=Wales' Under 19s squad (U18s)|date=25 March 2024|work=dragonsoccer.co.uk}} ==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|27 January 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|National cup !colspan=2|League cup !colspan=2|Europe !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |- |- |rowspan=4|[Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.) |[2023–24](/source/2023%E2%80%9324_Barnsley_F.C._season){{soccerbase season|181982|2023|accessdate=30 January 2026}} |[EFL League One](/source/EFL_League_One) |0||0||1||0||1||0||colspan=2|—||3{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in [EFL Trophy](/source/EFL_Trophy)}}||0||5||0 |- |[2024–25](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_Barnsley_F.C._season) |[EFL League One](/source/EFL_League_One) |5||0||0||0||3||0||colspan=2|—||2{{efn|name=EFLT}}||2||10||2 |- |[2025–26](/source/2025%E2%80%9326_Barnsley_F.C._season){{soccerbase season|181982|2025|accessdate=30 January 2026}} |[EFL League One](/source/EFL_League_One) |21||2||2||0||3||0||colspan=2|—||4{{efn|name=EFLT}}||0||30||2 |- !colspan=2|Total !26!!2!!3!!0!!7!!0!!colspan=2|—!!9!!2!!45!!4 |- |[Oldham Athletic](/source/Oldham_Athletic_F.C.) |[2024–25](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_National_League){{soccerbase season|181982|2024|accessdate=30 January 2026}} |[National League](/source/National_League_(division)) |14||1||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||3{{efn|name=NLPO|Appearance(s) in [2024–25 National League play-offs](/source/2024%E2%80%9325_National_League)}}||1||17||2 |- !colspan=3|Career Total !40||3||3||0||7||0||colspan=2|—||12||3||62||6 |} {{notelist}} ==Honours== '''Oldham Athletic''' *[National League play-offs](/source/National_League_play-offs): [2025](/source/2025_National_League_play-offs){{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/ce826ndj649t#Line-ups |title=Oldham Athletic 3–2 Southend United: Line-ups |website=BBC Sport |date=1 June 2025 |access-date=1 June 2025}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *{{Soccerway|vimal-yoganathan/884881}} *{{soccerbase|181982}} *[https://www.premierleague.com/players/138113/Vimal-Yoganathan/overview Premier League profile] *[https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/teams/u18-team/midfielder/vimal-yoganathan/ Barnsley FC profile] {{Barnsley F.C. squad}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Yoganathan, Vimal}} Category:2006 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Flintshire Category:Welsh men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Barnsley F.C. players Category:Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:British Asian footballers Category:Welsh people of Sri Lankan descent Category:British people of Sri Lankan Tamil descent Category:Sportspeople of Sri Lankan descent Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen Category:Liverpool F.C. players Category:Connah's Quay Nomads F.C. players Category:Liverpool F.C. non-playing staff --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Vimal Yoganathan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimal_Yoganathan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimal_Yoganathan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.