Yonis Farah

{{short description|Somali footballer}} {{Use British English|date=January 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Yonis Farah |image = |image_size = |caption = |fullname = Yonis Abdirizak Farah<ref name=TFK>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trysilfk.no/herrelag/spillerstall|title=Spillerstalln|website=Trysil FK|language=no|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-date=22 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822202951/https://trysilfk.no/herrelag/spillerstall|url-status=dead}}</ref> |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|9|4|df=y}} |birth_place = London, England |height = {{height|m=1.75}} |position = Left back |currentclub = Prizreni |clubnumber = |youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2018 |youthclubs1 = Southend United |years1 = 2018 |clubs1 = Leatherhead |caps1 = 3 |goals1 = 0 |years2 = 2019 |clubs2 = Trysil FK |caps2 = 19 |goals2 = 1 |years3 = 2020 |clubs3 = Ytterhogdals |caps3 = 12 |goals3 = 1 |years4 = 2021–2022 |clubs4 = Eskilstuna City |caps4 = 11 |goals4 = 0 |years5 = 2023 |clubs5 = Banbury United |caps5 = 1 |goals5 = 0 |years6 = 2023 |clubs6 = Arlesey Town |caps6 = 1 |goals6 = 0 |years7 = 2024 |clubs7 = Kingstonian |caps7 = 4 |goals7 = 0 |years8 = 2024 |clubs8 = Beaconsfield Town |caps8 = 6 |goals8 = 0 |years9 = 2025 |clubs9 = Mitrovica |caps9 = |goals9 = |years10 = 2025– |clubs10 = Prizreni |caps10 = |goals10 = |nationalyears1 = 2019– |nationalteam1 = Somalia |nationalcaps1 = 11 |nationalgoals1 = 0 |club-update = 14:22, 5 February 2025 (UTC) |ntupdate = 15:54, 5 February 2026 (UTC) }}

'''Yonis Abdirizak Farah''' ({{langx|so|Yonis Cabdirisaaq Faarax}}; born 4 September 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a left back for Prizreni. Born in England, he represents the Somalia national team.

==Club career== Farah played youth football for English club Southend United, before being released in May 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2018/may/blues-confirm-retainedreleased-list/|title=Blues Confirm Retained/Released List|publisher=Southend United F.C.|date=9 May 2018|access-date=13 September 2019}}</ref> In 2019, Farah signed for Norwegian club Trysil FK.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fotball.no/fotballdata/person/profil/?fiksId=3762036|title=Yonis Abdirizak Farah|publisher=Norges Fotballforbund|access-date=13 September 2019|language=no}}</ref> Ahead of the 2020 season, Farah joined Swedish Division 2 side Ytterhogdals, making his debut on 28 June against Piteå.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.svenskfotboll.se/matchfakta/ytterhogdals-ik-pitea-if-ff-division-2-herrar/4424245/|title=Ytterhogdals IK - Piteå IF|website=svenskfotboll.se|date=28 June 2020|access-date=10 July 2020|language=sv}}</ref>

On 28 July 2021, Farah returned to Sweden to join Division 2 side Eskilstuna City.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/eskilstunacityfk/posts/3989803871125345|title=Vänsterbacken Yonis Farrah förstärker City!|website=facebook.com|date=28 July 2021|accessdate=20 July 2021|language=Swedish}}</ref>

In July 2023, Farah returned to England, joining National League North club Banbury United.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.banburyunitedfc.co.uk/news/somalian-international-player-signs-for-banbury-2792978.html|title=Somalian international player signs for Banbury|website=www.banburyunitedfc.co.uk|date=25 July 2023|accessdate=6 March 2024}}</ref> Following a short spell with Arlesey Town,<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1735798728651419978|title=📣NEW SIGNING 📣 We welcome Yonis Farah to Arlesey Town. @cooney07 has been very busy but said this about Yonis. #ArleseyTown #NonLeague|user=ArleseyTownFC|author-link=Arlesey Town F.C.|date=15 December 2023|accessdate=6 March 2024}}</ref> he joined Kingstonian in March 2024.

In February 2025, after a spell with Beaconsfield Town, Farah joined First Football League of Kosovo side Mitrovica.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/fcmitrovica_/p/DFqAeCVIK_p|title=Welcome Yonis Farah & Suleiman Bakalandwa 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿|website=instagram.com|date=4 February 2025|accessdate=5 February 2025}}</ref> In August 2025, he joined league rivals Prizreni.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DNhzSZXMdVI/|title= Player Announcement: Yonis Farah Joins FC Prizreni! |website=instagram.com|date=19 August 2025|accessdate=5 February 2026}}</ref>

==International career== On 5 September 2019, Farah made his debut for Somalia in a 1–0 win against Zimbabwe, marking Somalia's first ever FIFA World Cup qualification victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/23867/Somalia_Zimbabwe.html|title=Somalia vs. Zimbabwe|publisher=National Football Teams|access-date=12 September 2019}}</ref>

==Personal life== Farah has been described as a cousin of Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/14685897.southend-uniteds-yonis-farah-inspired-by-cousin-mo-farahs-olympic-gold-medal-display/|title=Southend United's Yonis Farah inspired by cousin Mo Farah's Olympic gold medal display|publisher=Basildon Echo|date=16 August 2016|access-date=13 September 2019}}</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62123886 "Sir Mo Farah reveals he was trafficked to the UK as a child"]. BBC News. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.</ref> Yonis Farah's father, Abdirizak, is currently chairman of Somali First Division club Elman.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.somsoccer.com/english/articles/1124/Four-football-club-bosses-in-Djibouti-to-encourage-Ocean-stars|title=Four football club bosses in Djibouti to encourage Ocean stars|publisher=Somali Football Federation|date=5 September 2019|access-date=15 September 2019}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Soccerway|630295}} *{{NFT|75259}} *[https://www.aylesburyunitedarchive.com/player/yonis-farah Non league stats] at Aylesbury United *[https://www.lagstatistik.se/player?playerId=319814 Swedish league stats]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farah, Yonis}} Category:1999 births Category:Living people Category:English men's footballers Category:Footballers from London Category:Men's association football full-backs Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Naturalized citizens of Somalia Category:Somalian men's footballers Category:Somalia men's international footballers Category:Southend United F.C. players Category:Leatherhead F.C. players Category:Ytterhogdals IK players Category:Eskilstuna City FK players Category:Banbury United F.C. players Category:Arlesey Town F.C. players Category:Kingstonian F.C. players Category:Isthmian League players Category:Division 2 (Swedish football) players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Spartan South Midlands Football League players Category:First Football League of Kosovo players Category:Somalian expatriate men's footballers Category:Somalian expatriate sportspeople in Norway Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Norway Category:Black British sportsmen Category:English people of Somali descent Category:English expatriate men's footballers Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Norway Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Kosovo Category:FC Mitrovica players Category:Beaconsfield Town F.C. players