Yannick Yankam Explained

Yannick Yankam (born 12 December 1997) is a Maltese professional footballer and rapper who plays as a midfielder for Lexington SC of USL League One and the Malta national team.

Club career

Yankam started his career with Qormi, where he played for as a youth player.^[1] In 2019, he joined Birkirkara.^[2] He made his senior team debut on 23 August 2019 in a 1–0 league loss against Floriana.^[3] He scored his first goal on 22 February 2020 in a 2–1 league win against Hibernians.^[4] While playing football, he has received racist abuse during games.^{[5] [6]} In 2023, after scoring his first international goal, Yankam was regarded as a prospect in Maltese football.^[7]

On 8 January 2024, Yankam joined American club Lexington SC in the USL League One on a permanent deal, signing a two-year contract.^{[8] [9]}

International career

Yankam made his senior team debut on 23 March 2023, scoring in a 2–1 UEFA European Championship qualifying defeat against North Macedonia.^[10]

Style of play

Yankam mainly operates as a midfielder.^[11]

Music career

Yankam is also a rapper who goes by the name Yannick.^{[12] [13]} He was a part of the Maltese rap collective 215collective, together with rappers Caro and Eddie Fresco.^[14] In 2019, he released his debut EP.^[15] He was nominated for the 2020 Bay Music Awards Best Hip Hop/ RnB Artist.^[16]

Personal life

Yankam was born in Malta to a Cameroonian father and a Maltese mother.^[17]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club and year

Club	Year	Apps	Goals
Qormi	2015–16	22	0
	2016–17	20	2
	2017–18	25	3
	2018–19	27	4
Birkirkara	2019–20	14	1
	2020–21	24	4
	2021–22	26	2
	2022–23	24	6
Total		182	22

International goals

Honours

Club

Birkirkara

• Maltese FA Trophy: 2022–23

External links

• Birkirkara FC – Player Profile at birkirkarafc.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: Birkirkara jakkwistaw lil Yannick Yankam mingħand Qormi. netnews.com.mt.
2. Web site: Yannick Yankam joins Birkirkara. maltafootball.com.
3. Web site: Birkirkara vs. Floriana – 23 August 2019. 26 March 2023.
4. Web site: Birkirkara vs. Hibernians – 22 February 2020. 26 March 2023.
5. Web site: Monkey chants, name-calling... the prevalent racial abuse in Maltese football. timesofmalta.com.
6. Web site: Black And Maltese! Three Youths Speak Out About Their Experiences With Racism In Eye-Opening Video. loveinmalta.com.
7. Web site: Yannick Yankam Scores First International Goal Playing For Malta. ohmymalta.com.mt.
8. Web site: 8 January 2024 . LEXINGTON SPORTING CLUB SIGNS MALTA NATIVE YANNICK YANKAM . 9 January 2024 . Lexington Sporting Club . en-US.
9. Web site: Camilleri . Valhmor . 9 January 2024 . Yankam bids farewell to Birkirkara FC as Lexington FC move confirmed . 9 January 2024 . SportsDesk . en.
10. Web site: Gowl ta’ Yankam mhux biżżejjed għal Malta kontra l-Maċedonja ta’ Fuq. newsbook.com.mt.
11. Web site: Tabone, Yankam and Nwoko make final Malta squad for North Macedonia trip. sportsdesk.com.mt.
12. Web site: YANNICK – The Gen Z rapper set to revolutionise Malta’s hip hop scene . trackagescheme.com.
13. Web site: Remember Last Week’s Maltese Rap Feud? Turns Out We Were Only Getting Started. lovinmalta.com.
14. Web site: 7 bands from Malta you should be paying attention to. musiccrowns.org.
15. Web site: Tekken And Chill – Young Maltese Hip Hop Artist Releases Nostalgic Video For Debut EP’s First Single. lovinmalta.com.
16. Web site: Meet The BMAs Nominees – Best Hip Hop/ RnB Artist. bay.com.mt.
17. Web site: Young, black, Maltese: Birkirkara footballer Yannick Yankam on the reality of racism in Malta. MaltaToday.com.mt.