Joachim Kayi Sanda

Joachim Kayi Sanda (born 29 November 2006) is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Southampton.

Club career Valenciennes Kayi Sanda was born in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, France. In September 2023, he signed a three-year professional contract with Valenciennes. He made his debut for the Valenciennes first team in Ligue 2 on 21 October 2023, starting against Grenoble Foot 38. In doing so, aged 16 years and ten months, he became the youngest player in the club's history.

Southampton On 9 January 2025, Kayi Sanda joined Premier League club Southampton on a four-year contract. He made his debut for the club on 18 May in a 2–0 defeat against Everton after he replaced Taylor Harwood-Bellis in the 82nd minute.

On 25 August 2025, Kayi Sanda joined Ligue 2 club Red Star on a season-long loan. He was recalled from loan and returned to Southampton on 1 January 2026.

International career Born in France, Kayi Sanda is of DR Congolese descent. He captained France U17s to the finals of the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where France reached the final after making the quarter-finals without conceding a goal.

Career statistics

Honours U17 France UEFA European Under-17 Championship runner-up: 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup runner-up: 2023