.jpg) Bakambu in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cédric Bakambu[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1991-04-11)11 April 1991 (age 33) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Vitry-sur-Seine, France | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward,winger | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Betis | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 11 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2006 | Ivry | ||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2010 | Sochaux | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2010–2014 | Sochaux | 94 | (18) | ||||||||||||||
| 2010–2014 | Sochaux II | 28 | (15) | ||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Bursaspor | 27 | (13) | ||||||||||||||
| 2015–2018 | Villarreal | 75 | (32) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2022 | Beijing Guoan | 71 | (48) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Marseille | 15 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Olympiacos | 32 | (18) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Al-Nasr | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Galatasaray | 10 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Betis | 22 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | France U18 | 5 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | France U19 | 16 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | France U20 | 17 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 2015– | DR Congo | 56 | (16) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:42, 16 March 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:11, 25 March 2025 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Cédric Bakambu (born 11 April 1991) is a professionalfootballer who plays as aforward or awinger forLa Liga clubReal Betis and theDR Congo national team.
Bakambu made his professional debut forSochaux in 2010, and played 107 official games for them over five seasons, scoring 21 goals. He then moved toBursaspor for €1.8 million, finishing as top scorer as his team came runners-up in theTurkish Cup, before signing forVillarreal a year later.
Born in France, Bakambu represented them internationally at youth level up to theunder-20s, scoring eight goals in 38 games and winning the2010 UEFA European Championship for theunder-19s.
In 2015, Bakambu made his senior debut for the DR Congo national team.
Born inVitry-sur-Seine,Val-de-Marne, Bakambu began his career at localIvry at the age of 10 before transferring toSochaux four years later.[3]
On 1 May 2010, Bakambu played in the2010 Coupe Gambardella Final and scored a goal for his team at theStade de France. Sochaux, however, lost the match 4–3 on penalties.[4] He had previously scored a double in the team's 4–3 aggregate semi-final victory overMetz.[3]
Bakambu made his professional debut on 7 August 2010 in Sochaux's opening match of theLigue 1season againstArles-Avignon, appearing as an 83rd-minute substitute forModibo Maïga in a 2–1 win at theStade Auguste Bonal.[5] The following month, he signed his first professional contract agreeing to a three-year deal with the club until June 2013.[6]
On 17 September 2011, Bakambu scored his first professional goal, the first equaliser in a 2–2 draw atLille OSC, eleven minutes after replacingCarlāo.[7] A year and nine days later, as a 66th-minute replacement forKing Osanga, he scored twice in a 3–2 extra-time home win overEvian in the third round of theCoupe de la Ligue.[8]
Bakambu scored seven goals in 31 appearances over the2013–14 Ligue 1 season, in which Sochaux were relegated; this included two on 21 December in a 2–1 home win overRennes.[9] Across the campaign, he was placed on the right wing by managerHervé Renard until he would become sufficiently mentally mature for a centre-forward role.[10] On 23 March, he was sent off for handball in a 2–1 loss atSaint-Étienne.[11]
On 1 September 2014, Bakambu left France for the first time, moving on a four-year transfer to Turkey'sBursaspor for a fee of €1.8 million and an annual salary of €800,000.[12] He made his debut in theSüper Lig twelve days later, replacingOzan İpek in the 55th minute of a 2–1 win atGençlerbirliği. His first goals for the "Green Crocodiles" came on 19 October, in either half of a 2–2 draw againstEskişehirspor at theBursa Atatürk Stadium, and six days later he scored a first professionalhat-trick in a 5–0 win atBalıkesirspor.[13] He finishedhis only league season inBursa with 13 goals in 27 games.
Inthat season'sdomestic cup, Bakambu was the top scorer with eight goals in 12 games as his team reached the final before a 3–2 home loss toGalatasaray. This tally included trebles in a 5–0 win atMersin İdmanyurdu on 27 January and a 3–0 victory overFatih Karagümrük nine days later, both in the group stage.[14] As Galatasaray won thedouble, Bursaspor faced them in the2015 Turkish Super Cup on 8 August, with Bakambu playing the whole of the 1–0 loss.[15]
On 19 August 2015, Spanish sideVillarreal announced the signing of Bakambu on a five-year contract.[16] He made hisLa Liga debut four days later, replacingLéo Baptistão in the 61st minute of a 1–1 draw atReal Betis in the first game ofthe season; on the 28th he came on for the same player and scored two goals in the closing minutes of the fixture againstEspanyol atEstadio El Madrigal, to secure a 3–1 victory for the "Yellow Submarine".[17]
Bakambu played his first game in European competition on 17 September, again as a substitute in a 2–1 loss atRapid Wien in thegroup stage ofthat season'sUEFA Europa League. On 22 October, he scored his first goals in the tournament, a first-half double in a 4–0 home win overDinamo Minsk;[18] he added another two the following 10 March againstBayer Leverkusen in thefirst leg of the last 16 (2–0 win, same aggregate).[19] In the quarter-finals, he scored twice in each leg of a 6–3 aggregate win overSparta Prague.[20] He was one of four strikers named in the competition's Squad of the Season,[21] and his nine goals put him only one behind the top scorer,Athletic Bilbao'sAritz Aduriz.[22]
On 1 October 2017, Bakambu scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 home win overEibar.[23] He then scored two goals in a 2–1 win atGirona and another in a 4–0 win overLas Palmas to be namedLa Liga Player of the Month, the first African to win the award.[24]
In early January 2018, Villarreal managerJavier Calleja said that Bakambu was going through a transfer toBeijing Sinobo Guoan[a] of theChinese Super League.[25] On 17 January 2018, Bakambu rescinded his contract with Villarreal.[26] Two weeks later, however, Beijing Guoan still had not announced the signing of Bakambu who had already played and scored for the club. It was reported that Beijing Guoan were trying to avoid paying a 100 percent tax placed on incoming transfers worth over 45 million yuan (US$7 million) by theChinese Football Association.[27] The transfer went through in time for the start of the Chinese season with the full fees being paid.[28]
On 28 February 2018, the final day of the Chinese transfer window, Bakambu's protracted transfer from Villarreal to Beijing Sinobo Guoan was finally confirmed with the club paid his €40million release clause, but Beijing did not announce the Congolese forward's signing amid confusion over whether they had to pay a 100 per cent levy on the transfer.[29]
He scored his first goal in China in his second game, in a 2–1 win overJiangsu Suning.[30] He won theChinese FA Cup in his first season.[31]
On 13 January 2022, Bakambu signed for French clubMarseille on a contract until 30 June 2024.[32] He scored in his first appearance for the club, after coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 win overLens.[citation needed]
On 16 September 2022, Bakambu signed for Greek clubOlympiacos on a contract until 30 June 2025.[33]
On 29 June 2023,UAE Pro League clubAl-Nasr announced that Bakambu had signed a two-year contract with the club.[34]
On 22 July 2023, it was announced by Turkish clubGalatasaray that negotiations with its clubAl-Nasr for an agreement were started.[35] A day later, Bakambu transferred to Süper Lig club Galatasaray on a permanent basis.[36] He signed a two-year contract for a €700,000 fee.[37] On 2 August, he made his debut in aChampions League qualifying match againstŽalgiris Vilnius.[38] On 8 November, he scored his first Champions League goal in the 93rd minute of stoppage time in a 2–1 away defeat againstBayern Munich.[39]
On 1 February 2024, Bakambu signed a two-and-a-half-year contract withReal Betis.[40][41]
Bakambu was aFrench youth international and has represented the country at bothunder-18 andunder-19 level. He was a part of the team that won the2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship on home soil. On 18 July, he scored twice in a 4–1 opening win over theNetherlands inCaen, and the 2–1 winner against Croatia in the semi-finals nine days later, also at theStade Michel d'Ornano.[42] He was also part of the team that came fourth at the2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia, opening a 2–0 win overMali in the last group game inCali.[43]
In March 2015, he opted to representDR Congo at senior level.[44] On arrival inKinshasa he was greeted by fans with banners of him, later reflecting "I hadn't even played a match yet they made banners for me. It's really something else. It was through football that I discovered my country."[45]
He was first called up in June ahead of a friendly againstCameroon on the 9th,[46] and started that match, a 1–1 draw at theStade Charles Tondreau inMons, Belgium.[47]
On 26 March the following year, Bakambu scored his first international goal, opening a 2–1 win overAngola at theStade des Martyrs with a penalty, inqualification for the2017 Africa Cup of Nations.[48] He added two more on 5 June, in a 6–1 win away toMadagascar.[49] He was chosen inFlorent Ibengé's squad for the final tournament in Gabon,[50] and started in the opening group match, a 1–0 win overMorocco at theStade d'Oyem. He then did not play again until a seven-minute run in the quarter-finals where the Congolese lost 2–1 toGhana.[51]
On 24 March 2019, Bakambu returned to action forDR Congo after missing previous qualifiers vs. rivalsCongo to injury. He started and scored the winner in a 1–0 victory againstLiberia.[52] This secured The Leopards' qualification to the2019 Africa Cup of Nations, at the expense of their opponents.[citation needed]
On 1 April 2022, following DR Congo's elimination from2022 FIFA World Cup qualification at the hands ofMorocco, Bakambu announced his retirement from the national team, a decision he later reversed.[53]
On 17 January 2024, Bakambu assistedBrentford forward,Yoane Wissa for the equaliser in DR. Congo's 1-1 draw with Zambia in the opening round of group games at the2023 Africa Cup of Nations.[54]
Born in France to parents from the DR Congo, Bakambu said "I grew up with both cultures and I am very proud of that. I think it's something that enriches you."[45]
Bakambu and international teammateDieumerci Mbokani were atBrussels Airport when it wasstruck by terror attacks in March 2016; both escaped unharmed.[45]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[b] | League cup[c] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sochaux | 2010–11 | Ligue 1 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 3 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 33 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 38 | 11 | ||||
| 2013–14 | 31 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 7 | ||||
| Total | 94 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 107 | 21 | ||||
| Sochaux II | 2010–11 | Championnat National 2 | 22 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 7 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | ||||||
| 2013–14 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | ||||||
| Total | 28 | 15 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 15 | ||||||
| Bursaspor | 2014–15 | Süper Lig | 27 | 13 | 12 | 8 | — | — | — | 39 | 21 | |||
| 2015–16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 27 | 13 | 12 | 8 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 40 | 21 | ||||
| Villarreal | 2015–16 | La Liga | 34 | 12 | 3 | 1 | — | 13[e] | 9 | — | 50 | 22 | ||
| 2016–17 | 26 | 11 | 1 | 1 | — | 7[e] | 0 | — | 34 | 12 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 2 | — | 5[e] | 3 | — | 21 | 14 | ||||
| Total | 75 | 32 | 5 | 4 | — | 25 | 12 | — | 105 | 48 | ||||
| Beijing Guoan | 2018 | Chinese Super League | 23 | 19 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | 28 | 23 | |||
| 2019 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | — | 6[f] | 3 | 1[g] | 0 | 26 | 16 | |||
| 2020 | 19 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[f] | 0 | — | 20 | 14 | ||||
| 2021 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 5 | |||||
| Total | 71 | 48 | 8 | 7 | — | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 87 | 58 | |||
| Marseille | 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 7[h] | 0 | — | 21 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 15 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | — | 24 | 4 | ||||
| Olympiacos | 2022–23 | Super League Greece | 32 | 18 | 5 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 37 | 18 | ||
| Galatasaray | 2023–24 | Süper Lig | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 6[i] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | |
| Real Betis | 2023–24 | La Liga | 4 | 0 | — | — | 1[h] | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | |||
| 2024–25 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 9[h] | 5 | — | 30 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 22 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 10 | 6 | — | 34 | 9 | ||||
| Career total | 374 | 151 | 43 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 55 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 479 | 196 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR Congo | 2015 | 4 | 0 |
| 2016 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 11 | 6 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 56 | 16 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 March 2016 | Stade des Martyrs,Kinshasa, DR Congo |  Angola | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2 | 5 June 2016 | Rabemananjara Stadium,Mahajanga, Madagascar |  Madagascar | 1–0 | 6–1 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3 | 5–0 | |||||
| 4 | 10 June 2017 | Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo |  Congo | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 5 | 2–1 | |||||
| 6 | 1 September 2017 | Stade Olympique de Radès,Radès, Tunisia |  Tunisia | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 7 October 2017 | Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet,Monastir, Tunisia |  Libya | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 24 March 2019 | Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo |  Liberia | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 9 | 30 June 2019 | 30 June Stadium,Cairo, Egypt |  Zimbabwe | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 10 | 3–0 | |||||
| 11 | 7 July 2019 | Alexandria Stadium,Alexandria, Egypt | Madagascar | 1–1 | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 12 | 10 October 2019 | Mustapha Tchaker Stadium,Blida, Algeria |  Algeria | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 13 | 18 November 2019 | Independence Stadium,Bakau, Gambia |  Gambia | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 14 | 24 March 2023 | Stade TP Mazembe,Lubumbashi, DR Congo |  Mauritania | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 15 | 28 March 2023 | Stade Cheikha Ould Boïdiya,Nouakchott, Mauritania | Mauritania | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 16 | 13 October 2023 | Estadio Nueva Condomina,Murcia, Spain |  New Zealand | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
Bursaspor
Beijing Guoan
France U19
Individual
Records
DR Congo squads | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||
