Who is Aaron Loupalo-Bi? Fleetwood loanee scored opener in shock win over Arsenal in EFL Cup

League Two side Fleetwood Town completed one of the biggest upsets in EFL Cup history, defeating the best club in all of England, Arsenal.

The minnows had help from a certain Aaron Loupalo-Bi, who opened the scoring for them midway through the first half.

The 20-year-old English forward is currently on a season-long loan from Premier League side Fulham and scored his fourth goal for the Cods.

Loupalo-Bi played a key role for his side and was a constant thorn in the flesh of the Gunners throughout his 82 minutes of action at the Highbury Stadium.

Who is Aaron Loupalo-Bi? From Fulham academy to Highbury heroics

Born on November 7, 2005, Aaron Bradley Loupalo-Bi has long been regarded as one of Fulham’s most clinical academy prospects.

Standing at 6ft 1in, the powerful striker earned caps for England at the Under-18 level and enjoyed prolific goalscoring campaigns across Premier League 2 and the U-18 Premier League.

He began playing for Fulham in Premier League 2 in the 2022-23 season, and featured in the competition in the 2025-26 season, as well.

Loupalo-Bi spent the first half of the 2025-26 season with Fulham's U-21s, scoring 14 goals and contributing three assists in only 20 appearances for the London side.

His form prompted the club to send him out for a second loan spell in January 2026, allowing him to join League Two side Walsall until the end of the season. He scored one goal and managed an assist in 16 appearances by the end of the campaign, and returned to his parent club.

After sharpening his movement with two separate six-month spells at Dagenham & Redbridge and Walsall, Loupalo-Bi completed a loan move to League Two side Fleetwood Town for the 2026/27 campaign.

His 21st-minute strike against Arsenal—showing composure to turn past defender Marli Salmon, hold him off, and drill his finish into the bottom left corner—represents the defining moment of his senior career to date.

Tactical profile and senior breakthrough under Fleetwood staff

Aaron Loupalo-Bi is capable of playing centrally as a striker or out wide on the left as an inside forward able to cut in onto his dominant right foot.

He combines physical presence in aerial duels with impressive mobility in behind opposition defensive lines.

The 20-year-old is also quite nimble-footed and able to weave his way around defenders with relative ease.

His work rate and willingness to press high and defend from the front makes him an ideal outlet for lower-tier sides seeking to break quickly against top-tier opposition.

Loupalo-Bi's match-winning mindset against Mikel Arteta's side underlines his readiness for top-level pressure and validates Fulham's strategic loan pathway.

Against Arsenal, he was on the pitch for 82 minutes and completed the most dribbles of any player in the game.

He scored with his only shot on target and won an impressive 75% of his ground duels, while also completing 70% of his passes.

Loupalo-Bi's goal set Fleetwood Town on their way to one of the biggest upsets in EFL Cups history.

They went on to defeat the Gunners after a penalty shootout, sending shockwaves throughout the English football pyramid.