When you type "Michael Kayode" into YouTube, the first suggestion that pops up isn't about his last-ditch tackles or tireless runs down the flank. It's "Michael Kayode long throw." And honestly, that's no surprise. But for Brentford fans and a handful of sharp-eyed neutrals, this tells only half the story. Kayode's game is so much more than a set-piece specialty—and his recent Premier League Young Player of the Season nomination proves it.
"Yes, definitely!" Kayode exclaims when asked if it frustrates him that people only talk about his throw-ins. "There are lots of other parts of my game. Okay, it's good to have a long throw-in, but that's not my whole game. People think you can play in the Premier League just because you have a good throw-in? That's crazy!"
And he's right. You don't have to dig deep to find evidence that Kayode is far more than a human catapult. Defensively, his numbers are rock-solid—only a dozen or so Premier League players have made more interceptions and tackles than him this season. But the stat that really turns heads is his dribbling. Kayode currently ranks seventh in the league for successful dribbles, with 50 completed runs. That's higher than any other defender, and it puts him ahead of creative stars like Rayan Cherki, Morgan Rogers, and Florian Wirtz.
For Brentford supporters, this comes as no surprise. Since the 21-year-old arrived from Fiorentina in January 2025, they've grown used to watching his quick, powerful, and slightly unorthodox runs from right-back. Kayode admits that style makes him unpredictable for defenders—and it's working. Even he wasn't shocked when the stat was shared with him. "It only maybe surprises me that I'm this high on the list, because I'm a right-back," he says with a grin. "I don't play like Bukayo Saka or Jérémy Doku, but I'm doing my own thing out there."
Whether you're a Brentford fan or just a lover of the game, Michael Kayode is proving that the best players are never one-trick ponies. And for those of us who appreciate the full package—defensive grit, attacking flair, and a touch of the unexpected—he's a player worth watching closely.