Top facts about Manuel Akanji, The Stabilisator

The Stabilisator, or Stabilizer in English, is what the Dortmund fans passionately refer to as Manuel Akanji, their Swiss defender.

He is a soccer player who has achieved much of his popularity through playing as a defender for the club

and the Swiss National Team.

In the current club Borussia Dortmund, he played 4 seasons, during this time he featured in 133 matches and put away 3 goals.

He was listed on Switzerland’s 23 man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He spent his youth career playing FC Wiesendangen and FC Winterthur.

He is considered as one of the Richest Soccer Player who was born in Switzerland. His name is also included in the list of Most popular Soccer Player.

Although Akanji tends to carry out his defensive duties at centre-back, he is qualified in playing with either foot and has been deployed on the right and left with huge success.

Standing at 1.87m and weighing 85kgs, he also shows off impressive speed. But he is particularly specialized in bringing the ball out from the back, either through well-timed runs or via long, accurate passing.

We have come up with such curiosity satisfying top facts about Manuel Akanji, in case you are eager to know more about him, make sure to stick around until the end.

Top facts about Manuel Akanji you might want to know

Here you would go through an engaging ride through some of the most impressive top facts about Manuel Akanji, so buckle up for the long ride ahead. He is a Swiss professional footballer who plays in the position of defence for Borussia Dortmund and the Switzerland national team.

Manuel Akanji facts in brief

Bio

• Full name

  : Manuel Obafemi Akanji

• Nickname

  : Stabilisator

Personal information

• Date of Birrh

  : 19 th July 1995

• Place of Birth

  : Neftenbach,Switzerland

• Mother

  : Isabel Akanji

• Father

  : Abimbola Akanji

• Siblings

  : Sarah Akanji (elder sister) and Michelle Akanji (younger sister)

• Wife

  : Melanie Akanji (Windler)

• Roots

  : Swiss-Nigerian Ancestry

• Net worth

  : Approx $5 Million

• Hobbies

  : Basketball, Table tennis and watching TV Shows

• Zodiac

  : Cancer

• Religion

  : Christianity

• Model

  : Sergio Ramos

• Favorite Colour

  : Black and White

Physical status

• Height

  : 1.86 meters or 6 Feet 1 inches

• Weight

  : 91 kg

• Eye Color

  : Black 

• Hair Color

  : Brown

Football information

• Profession

  : Soccer Player

• Current Team

  : Borussia Dortmund

• Position

  : Centre-back

• Number

  : 16

• Traits

  : Tackler

Manuel Akanji childhood

From his early days, Manuel Akanji seemed to be the sort of kid whose parents could afford him the latest collection of sporting toys. About

Manuel Akanji childhood

, he was much fond of riding his bicycle and he was also a self-confessed

fan.

He began Kindergarten at the age of 4 and went to primary school when he was 6. As his parents culminated that education is the matter of highest importance, the footballer genius gained the reputation for outclassing his mates with numbers and mental arithmetic in school.

When he was a youngster, he played soccer with his friends excessively either during class breaks or even when school was over. At the age of 9, he was enrolled at FC Wiesendangen, an Amateur sports team in his neighbourhood.

There he began his football journey as both a central midfielder and a winger. Back then, he was recognized as a level-headed boy, one who started to achieve honours at a very young age.

At the age of 11, his stellar performance in his first academy was ended up in the fact that the club FC

was so much impressed and attracted to him.

The club was a bigger academy that played in the second tier of Swiss football. There, he went on to climb through the youth ranks, a feat that was conducive to a victorious academy football graduation. Bearing in mind that, he only became a central defender at the age of about 17.

After his academy graduation, in light of his hard work, he immediately became part of Winterthur’s first team. Beyond everything, the joy of Manuel Akanji’s family knew no bounds when he got a national call-up to be enlisted in the Switzerland U-20 team.

From then he was assured that he was destined for superstardom. Following sharp progress with the national team, FC Basel, the biggest club in Switzerland, was attracted to him and acquired Akanji in the year 2015.

While at the club, the Super Central Back led them to win the Swiss Cup and a Super League double. Achieving this feat ended up scouts from Europe Big Clubs call for his services.

Manuel Akanji parents

Manuel Akanji was born to a Swiss mother and a Nigerian father. Perhaps if his dad hadn't left his finance job in Lagos, Nigeria for a Switzerland relocation, the meeting of his parents would have never occurred.

Right from the onset, one of his‌ lifelong sporting role models has been his father. On one hand, his father, Abimbola Akanji is a Nigerian financial expert who once played amateur football when he was a youngster.

From very scratch, the super dad who once failed in pursuing his football career has always wanted his son to rectify his wrongs and live the Akanji family dreams. On the other hand, his mother Isabel Akanji is also a former tennis player. Therefore it is utterly clear that he has deep Swiss-African roots.

Having a father whose profession is a money expert in one of Europe's principal financial centres (Zurich) undoubtedly tells a lot about an affluent background. It is self-evident that he hails from a truly noble family. 

Manuel Akanji siblings 

In

Manuel Akanji life story

, he was raised up along with his two sisters who go by their names; Michelle and Sarah. All of them were born into a family background that has sports flowing through all their veins.

From their very early times, Manuel, Sarah and Michelle started following in the footsteps of their passionate sports-mad parents. His elder sister, Sarah was born in the year 1993, which makes her two years older than him. On the other hand, Michelle, his last born sister, is six years younger than Manuel and she is an athlete too.

Most interestingly, the Akanji siblings are all into sports. The eldest, Sarah Akanji (just like her brother, Manuel) is a footballer and a defender as well. She once featured in FC Winterthur and

, in the highest Swiss women’s league.

Both Sarah and Manuel apparently are deeply connected to each other, in the light of their football passion; after all, Sarah and Manuel make up Akanji’s Professional Footballers.

And above all, Sarah Akanji is not only a footballer but also a Swiss local politician as she has been elected as a member of the Cantonal Council of Zurich. Undoubtedly Manuel Akanji’ parents didn't just give birth to two genius football players and an athlete, but also a politician in the person of Sarah.

Manuel Akanji professional career

Manuel Akanji started his youth career with the local club FC Wiesendangen in 2004 as a 9-year-old boy. Football has always been in him and he would have a kick about as soon as he could. Then in May 2007, Winterthur came calling three years after the start of his football journey.

In his early years with them, he featured in their Under-18 team and later with their second team. In the 2014–15 Challenge League, he was in Winterthur's starting eleven, while he featured in two matches during the previous season.

He graduated from the youth setup and started playing for their senior side from 2014 up until FC

bought him a year later for the 2015–16 Super League season. On 15 April 2015, it was announced that Akanji would transfer to Basel for the 2015–16 Super League season.

He made his Swiss Super League debut on 26 September 2015 being replaced in the match against

. Then as Swiss Champions, Basel accomplished in the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League and started in the Group stage.

He featured in all six games over the full 90 minutes and accompanied the team to finish in second group position, therefore qualifying for the next round. It is notable to indicate that they also won the Swiss Cup for the twelfth time, that is to say, they had won the double for the sixth time in the club's history.

 He went on to play with the Swiss team for three seasons until the 2018 winter transfer window, that Borussia Dortmund signed him in a four and a half year contract dated until June 2022, reportedly for a fee of 18 million euros.

He managed to successfully establish himself as a regular in the team and on 27 September, he put away his first goal for the club and his first Bundesliga goal in a 7–0 victory over 1. FC Nürnberg.

Although this defender is a mature man and a leader on and off the pitch, he was scathingly criticised for his costly errors in Dortmund's failed struggle with

during the 2019/20 season. 

For the Swiss national side, he appeared twice for the Switzerland U-20 national team. He made his debut on 7 September 2014 in the 0–0 draw against the German U-20 national team. From 2014, he was a member of the Switzerland U-21 team and his debut for them was on 26 March in the 0–3 defeat by the Italian U-21 team.

He also made his debut in the senior team in the 2–0 win against Faroe Islands in the 2018 World Cup qualification match on 9 June 2017 as he featured the entire 90 minutes.

Besides, his name was enlisted in the Swiss team's 23 man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and in May 2019, he featured in the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals, where they ended up 4th.

Manuel Akanji personal life

In the notion of our

top facts about Manuel Akanji

and his arduous journey through professional football, it is typical for him to feel the need to have someone who would become his Better Half.

Therefore he yearned for a girlfriend who would secure his emotional stability, progress and long-term growth as a footballer. About five years ago he met a pretty maiden called Melanie Windler and the meeting ended up in a friendship that finally led him to ask her out on a date.

Unfortunately, our footballer at first got turned down by her, but as he did not give up, he eventually won back Melanie's heart. Hence, Melanie Windler became

Manuel Akanji girlfriend

around September 2015 and that was the time that corresponded to his joining FC Basel as hadn't achieved that much fame yet.

Although three days after their first meeting, she travelledd to the US for a student exchange semester, for four long months, Manuel continued his chase remotely. In the last quarter of 2018, exactly on the 28th of September, he popped the final question of proposing to her and made it public via Instagram as well.

They celebrated their wedding on the 23rd of June 2019 in Mallorca, the largest island in Spain. In the ceremony, his teammates, close friends and family members were invited as guests.

And they are also blessed with having a baby boy who they've named- Aayden Malik Adebayo Akanji as he was born during the Conoravirus Pandemic.

Manuel Akanji outside football

One of the most fascinating

top facts about Manuel Akanji

is that he is a child activist and a character who does not equate his self-confidence to arrogance.

Some fans might express that his manner is some sort of abrupt, but there is certainly nothing about him that is fake, overconfident and arrogant.

As one of the other much more amazing top facts about Manuel Akanji, one can suggest his remarkable communication skills. Manuel is a fluent speaker of English, French and German, with only Spanish missing.

Apparently, he is much fond of spending his time at the seaside and enjoys playing cards and basketball as well; and he passionately supports the Nigerian national team.

Manuel Akanji haircut

In regard to top facts about Manuel Akanji, it is pertinent to indicate that the crown which follows his hairstyle is somehow related to his Nigerian legacy.

If you take a closer look, you would certainly notice a shaved crown as part of his haircut style. Much to your consternation, it does not exemplify a trophy but rather, it is the manifestation of his Nigerian Yoruba middle name ‘Obafemi’.

His parents made him bear the Nigerian Yoruba name ‘Obafemi’ with the meaning of ‘Loved by the King’. Hence, his trademark shaved crown is about his Nigerian legacy and roots. Besides he also was fined along with

, for getting haircuts without face masks during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Manuel Akanji tatoos

Considering

top facts about Manuel Akanji

and in the indication of his tattoos, the most conspicuous tattoo reads ‘Prove Them Wrong’. Manuel Akanji had this tattoo when he spent 11 months away from football in the face of a Torn Cruciate Ligament.

He got the tattoo to be inked with the intention of mollifying his critics, particularly those who felt his profession was about to be over and those who speculated that he wouldn't make it far after the injury.

The second most notable tattoo is the one inked on his chest in devotion to his family. It reads 'Family is Where Life Begins and Love never ends.'

Manuel Akanji net worth

For Manuel Akanji, money is of significant importance and stand for the real reason why he works so hard. Fortunately his struggles proved to be successful as in January 2018 the centre-back got contracted with Borussia Dortmund for a whopping salary of 2.5 Million Euro (2.1 Million Pound) per year.

At age of 24, he had a net worth of 2 Million Euros and his highest market value was about 40 Million Euros. Manuel Akanji net worth in 2020-21 has been estimated to be between $1 Million to $5 Million and his current market value is €25.00 Million.

Manuel Akanji cars and power wheels

It is interesting to know that our footballer takes a huge delight in wearing matching outfits, particularly one that suits his Range Rover colour.

As one of his favourite colours is white, he loves to wear white polo, which matches his car colour. If he isn't dressing in an all-white car and clothing outfit, he would be seen in his second favourite colour, which is ‘Black.’

He also is a big fan of the four-wheeled power bike. Having all his automobile collections in your mind, you might have thoroughly understood that how a glamorous fellow he is, both on and off the pitch.

Manuel Akanji social media

In the realm of

Manuel Akanji social media

, it is worthwhile mentioning that he is active on Instagram with having around 261 thousand followers with his account of 

. His posts are often concerned about football and sometimes his personal life and attitudes.

But he once expressed disgust at online vitriol and revealed the fact that he is often racially abused on social media. While condemning those abuses he deemed it “unbelievable” that modern-day footballers are still experiencing such issues.

Reading his own sayings in this regards is much more impressive. “It is unbelievable how some people pour out their aggression over us. Anonymous and without consequences. I'm sure they would not dare to say it in your face. I have no explanation or understanding for that. Otherwise, I would do something about it. I just think it's sad. But there are many things in the world that are thought-provoking.”

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