Jay Tee Kamara
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Thomas Kamara | ||
| Date of birth | 10 May 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Freetown, Sierra Leone | ||
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Portland Hearts of Pine | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Alaska FC | |||
| Montverde Academy | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2022 | Louisville City | 0 | (0) |
| 2021 | → North Carolina FC (loan) | 21 | (4) |
| 2022 | Columbus Crew 2 | 9 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Ljungskile SK | 42 | (8) |
| 2024–2025 | Sandvikens IF | 8 | (0) |
| 2025– | Portland Hearts of Pine | 25 | (5) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 March 2026 | |||
John Thomas "Jay Tee" Kamara (born 10 May 2002) is a Sierra Leonean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for USL League One team Portland Hearts of Pine and the Sierra Leone national football team.
Club career
Kamara began his career with Alaska FC in his hometown of Freetown before attending Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, United States.[1][2] On January 27, 2021, after his graduation from Montverde, Kamara joined USL Championship club Louisville City.[2]
On 13 April 2021, Kamara was loaned out to USL League One club North Carolina FC for the 2021 season.[3] He made his professional debut for the club on 8 May against Greenville Triumph, starting in the 2–1 defeat.[4]
On February 18, 2022, Kamara was transferred to Columbus Crew 2, the reserve side of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, ahead of their inaugural MLS Next Pro season.[5]
After the season, Kamara moved to Sweden, joining Ljungskile SK in the third-tier Ettan Fotboll.[6] He stayed there for a season and a half before moving to Sandvikens IF in the second-tier Superettan in August of 2024.[7]
In 2025, Kamara returned to the United States to join Portland Hearts of Pine in USL League One.[6] Due to visa issues, Kamara didn't join the team until mid-May, two months into the League One season.[8] He made his Hearts of Pine debut on 17 May against FC Naples, scoring a goal in a 2–1 Hearts of Pine victory.[9]
International career
Kamara was called up to the Sierra Leone national football team on March 20, 2026.[10]
Career statistics
- As of match played 25 October 2025[11]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Louisville City | 2021 | USL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| North Carolina FC (loan) | 2021 | USL League One | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 21 | 4 | |
| Columbus Crew 2 | 2022 | MLS Next Pro | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | |
| Ljungskile SK | 2023 | Ettan | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 27 | 5 | |
| 2024 | Ettan | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 3 | ||
| Sandvikens IF | 2024 | Superettan | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | |
| Portland Hearts of Pine | 2025 | USL League One | 25[a] | 6[b] | 3[c] | 2[d] | — | 28 | 8 | |
| Career total | 115 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 20 | ||
Notes
- ^ Includes one appearance in the USL League One playoffs
- ^ Includes one goal scored in the USL League One playoffs
- ^ Includes three appearances in the 2025 USL Cup
- ^ Includes two goals scored in the 2025 USL Cup
References
- ^ Bittar, Alie (28 January 2021). "John Thomas Kamara signs first pro deal with Louisville City". Football Sierra Leone. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ a b Saxon, Jonathan (27 January 2021). "Louisville City FC signs John Thomas Kamara, dubbed the 'Sierra Leone Messi'". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ "Jay Tee Kamara joins North Carolina FC". Louisville City (Twitter).
- ^ "North Carolina FC 1–2 Greenville Triumph". Soccerway.
- ^ "Columbus Crew 2 signs four players ahead of 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Season | Columbus Crew". ColumbusCrew.com.
- ^ a b Bittar, Alie (24 January 2025). "Jay Tee Kamara Joins Portland Hearts Of Pine In The US". Football Sierra Leone. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
- ^ "Swedish Superettan Side Sandvikens Sign Jay Tee Kamara". Football Sierra Leone. 21 August 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ Craig, Steve (16 May 2025). "Hearts of Pine scoring most of their goals in crunch time". Press Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ Craig, Steve (17 May 2025). "Hearts of Pine claim their first USL League One win". Press Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ Jay Tee Kamara at Soccerway
External links
- Profile Archived 9 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine at North Carolina FC
- Profile at Portland Hearts of Pine