James Balagizi
_(cropped)_(cropped).jpg) Balagizi playing for England U17 in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James O'Gee Balagizi[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 20 September 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Manchester, England[2] | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Liverpool | |||
| Manchester City | |||
| Liverpool | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2026 | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | → Crawley Town (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2023–2024 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Kilmarnock (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | → Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | England U16 | 5 | (0) |
| 2019 | England U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 2021 | England U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021– | England U19 | 8 | (0) |
| 2022– | England U20 | 3 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 27 November 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10:50, 1 October 2024 (UTC) | |||
James O'Gee Balagizi (born 20 September 2003) is an English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder.
Early life
[edit]Born in Manchester, Balagizi started his career with Liverpool, before joining Manchester City at the age of six.[3] After Manchester City decided against enrolling him at St Bede's College, Balagizi and his family decided to return to Liverpool, and he rejoined at under-11 level for a compensation fee of £9,000.[4][5]
Club career
[edit]Balagizi progressed well through the youth ranks at Liverpool, and is seen as one of their brightest prospects, despite a string of injuries limiting his youth team development.[6][7] He signed his first professional contract in September 2020.[5]
He was named on the bench for the senior squad for the first time in a 3–0 EFL Cup win over Norwich City in September 2021.[8]
On 30 June 2022, Balagizi signed for Crawley Town on a season long loan. He would score twice in a 3–2 loss at home to Northampton Town. He would score his third Crawley goal in the Carabao Cup in a 2–0 win over Fulham.[9] He was recalled to Liverpool on 20 January 2023 after sustaining an injury, having made sixteen appearances and scored three goals for Crawley.[10]
On 19 July 2023, he joined EFL League One club Wigan Athletic on loan for the 2023–24 season. On 4 January 2024, Liverpool recalled Balagizi from his loan.[11] He subsequently joined Kilmarnock on loan until the end of the season.[12]
In August 2025 he joined Forest Green Rovers on a season long loan.[13] On 7 January 2026, Liverpool recalled Balagizi from his loan.[14] He was released by Liverpool at the end of the 2025–26 season.[15]
International career
[edit]Balagizi was born in England and is of Zimbabwean and DR Congolese descent.[16] He has represented England at numerous youth levels.[2][5]
On 21 September 2022, Balagizi made his England U20 debut as a substitute during a 3-0 victory over Chile at the Pinatar Arena.[17]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of 14 November 2023[18]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liverpool U21 | 2020–21[19] | — | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Liverpool | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crawley Town (loan) | 2022–23[20] | League Two | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 |
| Wigan Athletic (loan) | 2023–24[21] | League One | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Career total | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 3 | ||
- 1 2 Appearances in the EFL Trophy
References
[edit]- ↑ "Updated squad lists for 2022/23 Premier League". Premier League. 4 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- 1 2 3 "James Balagizi: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ↑ O'Neill, Caoimhe (1 May 2021). "James Balagizi shows City what they are missing with another superb display". theathletic.com. Retrieved 2 November 2021. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Profile". liverpoolfc.com. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- 1 2 3 Jones, Neil (12 May 2021). "James Balagizi: Liverpool wonderkid who left Man City behind". goal.com. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ↑ Addison, Matt; Dunn, Connor (7 October 2020). "Liverpool teenage prodigy James Balagizi tipped for very bright future amid Man City frustration". liverpoolecho.co.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ↑ Addison, Matt (20 August 2021). "Liverpool starlet compared to Yaya Touré showing Gini Wijnaldum traits as big few months await". liverpool.com. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ↑ "Norwich City 0–3 Liverpool". bbc.co.uk. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ↑ "Balagizi joins for the season". Crawley Town F.C. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ↑ "James Balagizi recalled from Crawley Town loan". Liverpool FC. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ↑ Glenn Price. "News: James Balagizi returns from Wigan Athletic loan spell". Liverpool FC. 4 January 2024.
- ↑ "James Balagizi joins Kilmarnock on loan". Liverpool FC. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ↑ "James Balagizi joins Forest Green Rovers on loan". Liverpool F.C. 28 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
- ↑ "James Balagizi to return from loan at Forest Green Rovers". Liverpool F.C. 6 January 2026.
- ↑ "Liverpool confirm Premier League retained list". Liverpool FC. 9 June 2026. Archived from the original on 10 June 2026. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ Lusby, Jack (22 March 2022). "Liverpool youth rejects attempt to switch nationality".
- ↑ Crane, Liam (21 September 2022). "Report: England MU20s 3-0 Chile". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ↑ James Balagizi at Soccerway
- ↑ "Games played by James Balagizi in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ↑ "Games played by James Balagizi in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ↑ "Games played by James Balagizi in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
External links
[edit]
- James Balagizi at the Liverpool F.C. website
- James Balagizi – UEFA competition record (archive)
- 2003 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Manchester
- English men's footballers
- Men's association football midfielders
- Manchester City F.C. players
- Liverpool F.C. players
- Crawley Town F.C. players
- Wigan Athletic F.C. players
- English Football League players
- England men's youth international footballers
- English people of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent
- Sportspeople of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent
- English people of Zimbabwean descent
- Sportspeople of Zimbabwean descent
- Kilmarnock F.C. players
- Scottish Professional Football League players
- 21st-century English sportsmen
- Forest Green Rovers F.C. players