Some 6,500 kilometres from Toronto, Ayo Akinola is looking to make the most of a second chance in Switzerland.
The 25-year-old forward from Brampton, Ont., is playing for FC Wil, which currently sits fifth in the second-tier Swiss Challenge League at 8-7-8. Wil's general manager, who had watched Toronto FC while spending time at Syracuse University, reached out to Akinola's agent after he left Toronto last summer.
"Once he found out that I was a free agent, he took a chance on me," said Akinola. "And I couldn't pass up that opportunity."
Akinola came to pre-season late so did not see action in the opening four or five games of the Swiss season while he built up his fitness. That allowed him time to survey the soccer landscape.
"I kind of got to see what the league is really all about and what to really expect once I got my opportunity."
Akinola has five goals and one assist in 19 appearances this season for Wil, a small town located about 40 kilometres north of Zurich.
"I'm very happy with my performances," he said.
Akinola characterizes his league's style of play as "definitely aggressive, fast, explosive," but acknowledges it varies by opponent.
"There are some teams that try to play football, try to keep possession. And some other teams that are basically just kind of kick and go, kick and go," he added.
Akinola has also learned that while the Swiss like their football, they love hockey.
His contract with Wil is just for the season, allowing him a chance to showcase his skills through May.
"I don't know what's next. I don't know what will come. But my whole focus is trying to play the best I can for FC Wil," he said.
He wants to prove a point 鈥� "that I can still play."
Akinola left Toronto last May after agreeing to what was described by the club as a mutual termination of his contract.
"It was definitely a blind-side hit, if I'm being honest with you," he said.
TFC had loaned Akinola to the San Jose Earthquakes in July 2023, soon after Bob Bradley was fired as Toronto coach and sporting director, for the remainder of the 2023 campaign. He had hoped to would be a new beginning, given that then-San Jose coach Luchi Gonzalez had watched Akinola during his time with the U.S. youth program
"I thought it was an opportunity for me to get minutes," Akinola said of the loan more.
But Gonzalez was fired before he arrived. And the playing time never materialized, with Akinola seeing just 51 minutes in seven appearances with San Jose.
"When got there, I thought 'OK, maybe in a couple of games. maybe I can play, start or do something.' But it just never panned out."
When he returned to Toronto for the 2024 season, he was somewhat of a forgotten figure 鈥� seeing just 82 minutes off the bench across five league appearances.
"I think in their eyes my time just ran its course," Akinola said of Toronto. "And for me, at the end of the day, I know it's a business. As much as you can do, especially in MLS, the players don't really have a whole lot of say or a whole lot of power when it comes to decision-making like this."
Toronto's decision to let him go was a hit to his confidence, which he has been rebuilding in Switzerland.
Akinola signed a homegrown player contract with TFC in December 2017, totalling 12 regular-season appearances in 2018 and '19.
After turning heads with a breakout performance for Toronto at the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020, Akinola was sidelined by surgery in August 2021 to repair an anterior cruciate ligament injured on international duty with Canada at the Gold Cup.
The injury came in his first start and second appearance for Canada since switching allegiance from the United States. Born in Detroit to Nigerian parents, Akinola came to Canada when he was one.
Akinola scored five goals in the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando, behind only LAFC's Diego Rossi in the competition's scoring race. He had a hat trick against CF Montreal at the tournament, becoming the third-youngest MLS player to manage the feat.
In all, he scored 18 goals in 96 appearances across all competitions for TFC. Nine of those goals came in league play in 2020.
In January 2022, Akinola signed a new contract with Toronto that ran through 2024 with an option for 2025.
Akinola's deal was part of the MLS U-22 Initiative which allows clubs to sign young talent to "lucrative contracts at a reduced budget charge.'' His salary in 2023 was US$771,875.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
