13-Year-Old Mongolian Joins Derby County Academy

Nyamdavaa signing for Derby County

In May 2024, Iveel Nyamdavaa joined the academy of Derby County FC of the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The 13-year-old (born 11 December 2010) plays primarily as a centre-midfielder. He was also pursued by Leicester City and Nottingham Forest but felt the Derby club was best for his development.

At age four, he began playing football with local club Hucknall Sports in his hometown of Nottingham. He moved on to the Arnold Town FC, whose first team currently plays in the English 11th tier, for Saturday football while playing his Sunday football for Aspire FC. Now that he has settled into a high-profile academy, over the next two years the player hopes to impress the Derby County enough to sign a contract and play eventually professionally.

The young player's parents moved from Mongolia to Nottingham in 2001. He was born in the same city nine years later but carries a Mongolian passport.

Nyamdavaa has not yet had contact with the Mongolian Football Federation. However, it seems likely that he will be considered for a national team debut for the next edition of the EAFF U15 M-Cup to be held in 2025 or 2026. The federation included European-born and based players for the last edition of the tournament, notably Sparta Prague's Bolorbold Chinguun.

Nyamdavaa playing for Aspire FC