Akeem Garcia


Akeem Garcia is a Trinidadian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Canadian club HFX Wanderers and the Trinidad and Tobago national team.

Club career

Early career

Garcia began playing football at age six with local club Arima Ball Masters. At age 17, Garcia signed for TT Pro League side San Juan Jabloteh.

W Connection

In 2014, Garcia signed with W Connection, scoring five goals in two league appearances that season. He received great recognition for his play that year and earned his first senior national team call-up in early 2015. Later that year during tryouts for the Trinidad and Tobago U23 team, Garcia tore his ACL and after undergoing surgery missed a total of twelve months while recovering.

North East Stars

In 2017, Garcia signed for his hometown club, North East Stars. He went on to score four goals in twelve league appearances that season as North East Stars won the TT Pro League, Garcia's first league title. Garcia also added another seven goals in other competitions that year.

Santa Rosa

In 2018, Garcia followed North East Stars manager Derek King to TT Super League side Santa Rosa. That season, he scored five goals in sixteen league appearances and ten goals in all competitions as Santa Rosa won the league title. After the end of the season, Garcia spent two weeks on trial with Mexican Ascenso MX side Celaya.

HFX Wanderers

On 10 January 2019, Garcia signed with Canadian Premier League side HFX Wanderers, where Derek King had signed as an assistant manager. Garcia scored the first goal in Wanderers history in the team's home opener on 4 May 2019. Garcia finished the season with a team-leading seven league goals in 24 appearances, tying for seventh among the league's top scorers. On 7 November 2019, Garcia re-signed with Halifax for the 2020 season.

International career

Youth

Garcia received his first youth call-up for Trinidad and Tobago as a 14 year-old at the 2011 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, but did not appear in the tournament. Garcia was called up again in the following U17 cycle and played in all three matches of the Caribbean qualifying tournament for the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, scoring goals against the British Virgin Islands and Suriname. After Trinidad and Tobago successfully qualified, Garcia was called up again for the finals tournament, appearing in all three matches for Trinidad and Tobago against Canada, Costa Rica and the quarter-final loss to Panama.
As a 15 year-old, Garcia first represented his country at the under-20 level in qualifying for the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, making five appearances as Trinidad and Tobago ultimately failed to qualify. Garcia was also eligible for the following U20 cycle and appeared in all five matches for Trinidad and Tobago at the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
Garcia attended trials for the Trinidad and Tobago U23 team ahead of the Caribbean qualifying tournament for the 2015 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship, but missed the tournament after tearing his ACL.

Senior

Garcia earned his first cap for the Trinidad and Tobago senior national team on 27 March 2015 in a friendly against Panama. He played the final 26 minutes of the match in a 0–1 loss.
Following strong performances in the Canadian Premier League, on 4 October 2019 Garcia was recalled to the national side for a CONCACAF Nations League match against Honduras on 10 October and a friendly against Venezuela on 14 October.

Personal life

Garcia was born in Chaguanas and grew up in the Calvary area of Arima.

Career statistics

Honours

W Connection
North East Stars
Santa Rosa