sport.wikisort.org - Athlete

Stephen Oyebolaji Payne (born June 16, 1997) is an American soccer player who currently plays as a midfielder for USL League One side Richmond Kickers.

Stephen Payne

Personal information
Full name	Stephen Oyebolaji Payne
Date of birth	(1997-06-16) June 16, 1997 (age 25)
Place of birth	Birmingham, Alabama, United States[1]
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Defender
Club information
Current team	Richmond Kickers
Number	22
Youth career
2012–2015	Chicago Magic
2016–2017	Estoril
2017–2018	Varzim
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015	UCLA Bruins	13	(1)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2018	Varzim B	27	(7)
2018–2019	Varzim	14	(1)
2019	Portimonense	0	(0)
2020	Mafra
2020–2021	Länk FCV	20	(0)
2022–	Richmond Kickers	28	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 16, 2022

Career

Born in the Birmingham, Alabama, United States, Payne is of Nigerian descent.[2] His father had a scholarship for college soccer at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, while his mother ran track at Alabama A&M University; he is the middle of three children with two sisters also playing soccer, Nigeria women's national team players Toni and Nicole Payne.[3]

Payne played for four years at Lake Forest Academy and one year at UCLA Bruins in 2015 before traveling to Europe for trials. Passed over by several professional clubs in France and Italy, he was taken on by a fourth-division Portuguese club and eventually earned his way into the under-23 team of G.D. Estoril Praia.[3]

After a season with their reserve team, Payne made his first team debut for Varzim S.C. during the 2018–19 LigaPro season. He played 19 total games, and scored the only goal of the match in the 88th minute at FC Porto B on 23 April 2019.[4]

Payne signed for Portimonense S.C. prior to the 2019–20 Primeira Liga season, alongside teammate Jeferson.[5]

On January 20, 2022, Payne returned to the United States by signing with USL League One club Richmond Kickers.[6]

Career statistics

As of 9 January 2019.[7][8]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Varzim B	2017–18	Elite Série 1 AF Porto	27	7	0	0	0	0	27	7
Varzim	2018–19	LigaPro	14	1	5[lower-alpha 1]	0	0	0	7	0
Portimonense	2019–20	Primeira Liga	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career total			41	8	5	0	0	0	34	7

Notes

References

External links

• Stephen Payne at ZeroZero

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