Billy Dawson Koumetio (born 14 November 2002) is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers, on loan from Premier League club Liverpool.[3]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Billy Dawson Koumetio[1] | ||
Date of birth | 14 November 2002 | ||
Place of birth | Lyon, France | ||
Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team |
Blackburn Rovers (on loan from Liverpool) | ||
Number | 14 | ||
Youth career | |||
2008–2014 | Vaulx-en-Velin | ||
2014–2018 | Lyon | ||
2018 | Orléans | ||
2018–2020 | Liverpool | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2020– | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
2022–2023 | → Austria Wien (loan) | 5 | (0) |
2023–2024 | → Dunkerque (loan) | 8 | (0) |
2024– | → Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 0 | (0) |
International career | |||
2019 | France U18 | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 January 2024 |
Koumetio moved to Liverpool's Academy from French side US Orléans in November 2018. Koumetio was originally on the books of his hometown club Olympique Lyonnais where he was predominantly a winger at first. His height led to coaching staff turning him into a centre-back when he was 14.[4] Koumetio signed his first professional contract with Liverpool in August 2020, when aged 17 and already 1.91 metres (6 ft 3 in).[5]
He was a ball boy at Anfield for the 4–0 semi-final second leg victory over FC Barcelona in the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League in May 2019. In October 2019 he was named on the bench at the age of 16 for the Carabao Cup tie against Arsenal FC at Anfield.[6]
Koumetio featured for Liverpool during the pre-season of the 2020–21 football season in friendly matches in Austria against Red Bull Salzburg and VfB Stuttgart.[7] Koumetio made his first-ever appearance for the Reds’ first team on 9 December 2020 substituting in for Fabinho at the heart of defence in the UEFA Champions League against FC Midtjylland.[8][9][10] In doing so, he became the youngest player to feature for Liverpool in the Champions League, a record that was later broken by Stefan Bajcetic in 2022.[11]
On 23 June 2022, Koumetio signed for Austrian Bundesliga side Austria Wien on a season-long loan.[12] He was recalled on 10 January 2023.[13]
On 29 August 2023, Koumetio joined Ligue 2 side USL Dunkerque on a season-long loan.[14] He made his debut in a league fixture against Grenoble Foot 38 on 16 September, and was sent off after 52 minutes for two bookable offences.[15] He was recalled on 16 January 2024.[16]
On 1 February 2024, Koumetio joined Blackburn Rovers on loan until the end of the season.[17]
Born in France, Koumetio is of Cameroonian descent.[18] He is a youth international for France at the Under-18 level.
Billy Koumetio has a sister, Yzoire who signed for Liverpool Football Club Women’s Academy in September 2023.[19]
Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Liverpool U21 | 2019–20[21] | — | — | — | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
2020–21 | — | — | — | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
2021–22 | — | — | — | — | — | 2[c] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
Total | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||||
Liverpool | 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
Austria Wien II (loan) | 2022–23 | 2. Liga | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
Austria Wien (loan) | 2022–23 | Austrian Bundesliga | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3[e] | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | ||
Dunkerque (loan) | 2023–24 | Ligue 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
Career total | 21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 33 | 0 |