Joél Drakes-Thomas
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joél Jason Drakes-Thomas | ||
| Date of birth | 9 June 2009 | ||
| Place of birth | Wandsworth, England | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Crystal Palace | ||
| Number | 86 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Lambeth Tigers | |||
| Crystal Palace | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Crystal Palace | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2025 | England U16 | 3 | (0) |
| 2025– | England U17 | 3 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals as of 3 November 2025 | |||
Joél Jason Drakes-Thomas (born 9 June 2009) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right wing-back or right winger for Crystal Palace.
Early life
Drakes-Thomas was born on 9 June 2009. Born in Wandsworth London, England, he is of Jamaican descent through his parents.
Club career
As a youth player, Drakes-Thomas joined the youth academy of Lambeth Tigers.
Following his stint there, he joined the youth academy of Premier League side Crystal Palace and debuted for the club's under-21 team at the age of fifteen.[1] In 2025, he was promoted to their senior team.[2]
International career
Drakes-Thomas is an England youth international. During October and November 2025, he played for the England national under-17 football team for 2026 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification.
Style of play
Drakes-Thomas plays as a right wing-back or right winger. Right-footed, he is known for his pace and direct running.[3]
Career statistics
- As of match played 18 December 2025
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Crystal Palace U21 | 2025–26 | — | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Crystal Palace | 2025–26 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
- ^ Appearance in EFL Trophy
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
References
- ^ "Next Generation 2025: 20 of the best talents at Premier League clubs". The Guardian. 13 October 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
- ^ Joél Drakes-Thomas at WorldFootball.net
- ^ "Meet Joél Drakes-Thomas & Benji Casey: The Academy stars travelling to Dublin". Crystal Palace. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
External links
- Joél Drakes-Thomas at WorldFootball.net