Beni Baningime

Beni Baningime
Baningime in 2017
Personal information
Full name Beni Tangama Baningime[1]
Date of birth (1998-09-09) 9 September 1998 (age 26)[2]
Place of birth Kinshasa, DR Congo
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Heart of Midlothian
Number 6
Youth career
2007–2017 Everton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Everton 8 (0)
2019 → Wigan Athletic (loan) 1 (0)
2021 → Derby County (loan) 2 (0)
2021– Heart of Midlothian 63 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 December 2024 (UTC)

Beni Tangama Baningime (born 9 September 1998) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian.

Early life

Baningime grew up in the Lemba district of Kinshasa.[3] He left at the age of 8, after his father, who was working as a doctor in England, moved the family to Wigan.[3]

Career

Everton

Baningime (left) playing for Everton in 2013.

Baningime joined Everton at the age of nine.[4] He is an academy graduate of the club and won honours such as 'The Premier League 2'[5] and the Dallas Cup[6] during his time in the Everton F.C. Reserves and Academy. Baningime also won the Everton F.C. Reserves and Academy Player of the Year award for the 2016/17 season.[7] Baningime's senior debut came in a League Cup game against Chelsea in October 2017.[8] Baningime made his Premier League debut as a half-time substitute against Leicester City on 29 October 2017.[9]

In January 2019, he was loaned to Wigan Athletic until the end of the season.[10]

On 1 February 2021, Baningime joined Championship side Derby County on loan for the remainder of the 2020−21 season, reuniting with former Everton teammate Wayne Rooney who is manager.[11] Two days later, he made his debut for the Rams as a substitute for Graeme Shinnie in a 0–3 away league defeat by Rotherham United.[12]

Hearts

On 29 July 2021, Baningime joined Scottish Professional Football League club Heart of Midlothian for a nominal fee and signed a three-year deal.[13] Baningime played his debut for Hearts in a 2–1 home win against Celtic, playing the full match and receiving the Man of the Match award.[14]

Personal life

Baningime's younger brother Divin Baningime is also a footballer, who most recently played for Wigan Athletic.[15]

Baningime is a Christian. He prays before every match, and reads the Bible.[3]

Career statistics

As of 30 December 2024[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Everton 2017–18 Premier League 8 0 0 0 1 0 3[a] 0 12 0
2018–19 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019–20 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020–21 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 8 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 12 0
Wigan Athletic (loan) 2018–19 Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Derby County (loan) 2020–21 Championship 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Heart of Midlothian 2021–22 Scottish Premiership 24 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 27 2
2022–23 Scottish Premiership 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023–24 Scottish Premiership 28 0 4 0 1 0 1 0 34 0
2024–25 Scottish Premiership 11 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 13 0
Total 63 1 6 1 2 0 3 0 74 0
Career total 74 1 6 1 3 0 6 0 89 2
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

References

  1. ^ "List of Players Registered as Scholars in Accordance with Rule C.3 Between 01/07/2015 and 31/07/2015". TheFA.com. 27 November 2015. p. 45. Archived from the original (pdf) on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  2. ^ "Beni Baningime". Everton F.C. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  3. ^ a b c English, Tom (14 October 2021). "Beni Baningime: Hearts midfielder on his childhood, finding faith and thriving in Scottish football". BBC Sport.
  4. ^ Jones, Adam (25 October 2017). "Meet Beni Baningime — the midfield prodigy likened to Kante". Liverpool Echo.
  5. ^ "Everton U23s win Premier League 2 title". 24 April 2017.
  6. ^ "So Close... - Everton Football Club". www.evertonfc.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  7. ^ "So Close... - Everton Football Club". www.evertonfc.com. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  8. ^ Doyle, Ian (25 October 2017). "This is what David Unsworth thought of Baningime's debut". liverpoolecho. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Leicester City v Everton". Football Fallout. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  10. ^ "WIGAN ATHLETIC SIGN EVERTON MIDFIELDER BENI BANINGIME ON LOAN UNTIL THE END OF THE SEASON". Wigan Athletic F.C. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  11. ^ "RAMS LAND BANINGIME ON LOAN FROM EVERTON". Derby County F.C. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Preston North End 1-2 Rotherham United: Late Millers flourish leave Rooney's Rams reeling". BBC Sport. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  13. ^ "Baningime joins Hearts from Everton". BBC Sport. 29 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Souttar earns Hearts win over Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Find Out More About Latics' Academy Graduates Involved Tonight Against Middlesbrough U21". Wigan Athletic. 24 October 2017. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  16. ^ "B. Baningime". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 25 October 2017.