Gbemi Arubi
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gbemi Kingslyn Arubi[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 May 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Burton Albion | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2019 | Cherry Orchard | ||
| 2019–2023 | Shelbourne | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | Shelbourne | 8 | (0) |
| 2024 | Waterford | 13 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | Dundalk | 51 | (19) |
| 2026– | Burton Albion | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2026– | Republic of Ireland U21 | 1 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11:49, 18 July 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18:32, 6 June 2026 (UTC) | |||
Gbemi Kingslyn Arubi (born 26 May 2004) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One club Burton Albion.
Club career
[edit]Youth career
[edit]Arubi began playing with Dublin academy side Cherry Orchard before joining with academy of League of Ireland club Shelbourne in 2019, playing for their under-15 side initially, before playing for the under-17s in 2020 and their under-19s from 2021 to 2023.[2]
Shelbourne
[edit]Arubi was an unused substitute for the Shelbourne first team in 2022,[3] before making his debut on 24 March 2023, scoring in a 4–0 win away to Dundalk.[4] He made his League of Ireland Premier Division debut on 13 May 2023, replacing Jack Moylan from the bench in a 3–0 win away to Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds.[5] He scored 2 goals in 11 appearances in all competitions before departing the club at the end of the 2023 season.[6]
Waterford
[edit]On 5 January 2024, Arubi signed for newly promoted League of Ireland Premier Division club Waterford.[7][8] On 2 February 2024, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 win over Wilton United in the Munster Senior Cup.[9] On 19 July 2024, he scored in a 2–1 FAI Cup victory over Cockhill Celtic at the RSC.[10] On 12 November 2024, he was released by the club, having scored 2 goals in 11 appearances during the season.[11]
Dundalk
[edit]On 8 December 2024, Arubi signed for recently relegated League of Ireland First Division club Dundalk.[12][13] On 9 May 2025, he came off the bench to score a 92nd-minute equaliser in a 2–2 draw against Bray Wanderers at Oriel Park, his first goal for the club.[14][15] A week later he was rewarded with his first league start for the club and scored the winner in a 2–1 victory away to title rivals Cobh Ramblers.[16] On 10 October 2025, he scored his 12th goal of the season in a 3–0 win over Finn Harps at Oriel Park to help his side secure the 2025 League of Ireland First Division title and promotion back to the Premier Division.[17] On 26 October 2025, he was part of the team that won the 2024–25 Leinster Senior Cup by defeating St Patrick's Athletic 2–1 in the final at Richmond Park.[18] On 15 December 2025, he signed a new contract with the club.[19]
Burton Albion
[edit]On 18 July 2026, Arubi signed for EFL League One club Burton Albion on an initial three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[20][21]
International career
[edit]Arubi made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland U19 team on 1 May 2022, replacing Jad Hakiki from the bench in the 70th minute of a 3–0 friendly win over Iceland U19.[22] In May 2026, he drew reported interest from the Nigeria Football Association in representing the nation of his parents' birth, with Arubi stating "I have to keep my options open" regarding his international future.[23] On 6 June 2026, Arubi made his Republic of Ireland U21 debut, in a 2–2 draw away to Croatia U21.[24]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played on 10 July 2026[25]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Shelbourne | 2022 | LOI Premier Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 3[c] | 2 | 11 | 2 | |||
| Total | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | 2 | 11 | 2 | |||
| Waterford | 2024 | LOI Premier Division | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 3[d] | 1 | 17 | 2 | |
| Dundalk | 2025 | LOI First Division | 28 | 12 | 1 | 0 | – | 3[c] | 0 | 32 | 12 | |
| 2026 | LOI Premier Division | 23 | 7 | 0 | 0 | – | 2[c] | 1 | 25 | 8 | ||
| Total | 51 | 19 | 1 | 0 | – | 5 | 1 | 57 | 20 | |||
| Burton Albion | 2026–27 | EFL League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 72 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 85 | 24 | ||
Honours
[edit]Dundalk
References
[edit]- 1 2 Gbemi Arubi at WorldFootball.net
- ↑ "Gbemi Arubi | Stats | History | Career Details | Images | extratime.com - The Home of Irish Football - Extratime.com". www.extratime.com.
- ↑ "Gbemi Arubi | Stats | History | Career Details | Images | extratime.com - The Home of Irish Football - Extratime.com". www.extratime.com.
- ↑ O'Connor, Tom. "Leinster Senior Cup Report: Dundalk 0 - 4 Shelbourne". extratime.com.
- ↑ Goulden, David (13 May 2023). "Moylan bags hat-trick as Shels sink below-par Sligo" – via www.rte.ie.
- ↑ "Gbemi Arubi | Stats | History | Career Details | Images | extratime.com - The Home of Irish Football - Extratime.com". www.extratime.com.
- ↑ "Gbemi Arubi Becomes A Blue". Waterford FC | Official Site. 5 January 2024.
- ↑ Corcoran, Paul. "Gbemi Arubi joins Waterford from Shelbourne". extratime.com.
- ↑ "Waterford FC Advance to Munster Senior Cup Semi Final". WLRFM.com. 2 February 2024.
- ↑ "FAI Cup wrap: Waterford FC battle back to beat Cockhill". 19 July 2024 – via www.rte.ie.
- ↑ "Waterford FC 2024 Retained List". Waterford FC | Official Site. 12 November 2024.
- ↑ Agency, ZOMA Brand (8 December 2024). "ARUBI RELISHING DUNDALK OPPORTUNITY". Dundalk FC.
- ↑ "Former Ireland U19 international Gbemi Arubi signs for Dundalk FC". Irish Independent. 8 December 2024.
- ↑ "Added-Time Arubi Saves Dundalk". LMFM.
- ↑ Newberry, Niall (12 May 2025). "Super-sub Arubi eager to catch the eye of Dundalk boss". www.dundalkdemocrat.ie.
- ↑ Newberry, Niall (19 May 2025). "Dundalk manager lauds the influence of Gbemi Arubi". www.dundalkdemocrat.ie.
- ↑ Rogers, James (10 October 2025). "Dundalk seal First Division title and top-flight return with victory over Finn Harps". Irish Examiner.
- 1 2 Team, Extratime. "Dundalk claim Leinster Senior Cup glory at expense of St Pat's". extratime.com.
- ↑ FC, Dundalk (15 December 2025). "ARUBI STAYS FOR 2026". Dundalk FC.
- ↑ "BREWERS BRING IN GBEMI ARUBI". www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk. 18 July 2026. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "Gbemi Arubi: Burton sign Dundalk forward on three-year deal". BBC Sport. 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "REPORT | Ireland MU19 3-0 Iceland MU19". www.fai.ie.
- ↑ "'I have to keep my options open' – Dundalk star Gbemi Arubi on his international ambitions". www.independent.ie. 11 May 2026.
- ↑ "Match Report | MU21 | Croatia 2-2 Ireland". www.fai.ie.
- ↑ "Republic of Ireland - G. Arubi - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway.
- ↑ Seery, Paul. "Dundalk secure immediate return to Premier Division with title win". extratime.com.
- 2004 births
- Living people
- Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
- Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
- Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- Cherry Orchard F.C. players
- Shelbourne F.C. players
- Waterford F.C. players
- Dundalk F.C. players
- Burton Albion F.C. players
- League of Ireland players
- Republic of Ireland expatriate men's association footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Irish expatriate sportspeople in England
- Black Irish sportspeople
- Irish people of Nigerian descent
- 21st-century Irish sportsmen