Théo Bongonda

In this Congolese name, the surname is Bongonda and the post-surname is Mbul'Ofeko Batombo.

Théo Bongonda
Bongonda with DR Congo in 2024
Personal information
Full name Théo Bongonda Mbul'Ofeko Batombo
Date of birth (1995-11-20) 20 November 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth Charleroi, Belgium
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Spartak Moscow
Number 77
Youth career
2008–2013 JMG Academy
2013 Zulte-Waregem
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Zulte-Waregem 33 (4)
2015–2018 Celta 61 (4)
2017–2018 → Trabzonspor (loan) 3 (0)
2018 → Zulte-Waregem (loan) 11 (5)
2018–2019 Zulte-Waregem 28 (8)
2019–2022 Genk 91 (33)
2022–2023 Cádiz 31 (4)
2023– Spartak Moscow 43 (12)
International career‡
2013–2014 Belgium U19 5 (2)
2014–2016 Belgium U21 8 (2)
2022– DR Congo 26 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2024

Théo Bongonda Mbul'Ofeko Batombo (born 20 November 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Russian club Spartak Moscow. Born in Belgium, he plays for the DR Congo national team.

Club career

Zulte Waregem

Born in Charleroi, Bongonda began his career in JMG Academy in 2008, aged 13. In January 2013, he joined Belgian Pro League team SV Zulte Waregem, initially assigned to the youth setup.[1]

Bongonda made his professional debut on 25 September 2013, starting in a 2–1 away win against KFC VW Hamme, for the season's Belgian Cup.[2] His league debut came on 15 December, coming on as a second half substitute in a 3–0 home win against Lierse SK.[3]

Bongonda scored his first professional goal on 15 January 2014, netting his side's first in a 2–3 away loss against Cercle Brugge KSV.[4] On 20 April 2014, he scored his first league goal, netting the first in a 3–2 away loss against KSC Lokeren.[5]

Celta Vigo

On 9 January 2015, Bongonda signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with La Liga side Celta de Vigo.[6] He made his debut in the competition on the 26th, coming on as a late substitute for Nemanja Radoja in a 2–1 away loss against Getafe CF.[7]

Trabzonspor

On 15 June 2017, Bongonda joined Trabzonspor on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.[8] He however ended up being on the bench more than on the pitch.

Zulte Waregem

During the winter transfer window of the 2017–18 season, Bongonda rejoined Zulte-Waregem on loan. On 4 July 2018, he joined Essevee permanently on a four-year contract, until 30 June 2022.[9]

Genk

Bongonda joined fellow Belgian First Division A club Genk in summer 2019 for a club-record fee.[10]

Bongonda scored the game winner for Genk against Standard Liège in the Belgian Cup Final on 25 April 2021.[11]

On 23 July 2021, Bongonda scored Genk's first goal in the 2021–22 Belgian First Division A season, securing a 1–1 draw against the same opponents.[12]

Cádiz

On 26 August 2022, Bongonda Edris returned to Spain after signing a four-year contract with Cádiz in the top tier.[13]

Spartak Moscow

In July 2023, Bongonda agreed to move to Russian club Spartak. The contract is calculated until 2026. It is alleged that Spartak paid Cadiz 10 million euros.[14]

International career

Bongonda was born in Belgium to a Congolese father and Belgian mother.[15] He is a youth international for Belgium. In January 2022, Fifa accepted his eligibility join the DR Congo national team.[16] He debuted for the DR Congo national team in a 1–0 friendly loss to Bahrain on 1 February 2022.[17]

On 27 December 2023, he was selected from the list of 24 Congolese players selected by Sébastien Desabre to compete in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.[18]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 7 December 2024[19][20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Zulte Waregem 2013–14 Belgian First Division A 19 0 5 1 0 0 — 24 1
2014–15 Belgian First Division A 14 3 2 0 3[a] 0 0 0 19 3
Total 33 3 7 1 3 0 — 43 5
Celta Vigo 2014–15 La Liga 8 1 1 0 0 0 — 9 1
2015–16 La Liga 23 2 3 0 0 0 — 26 2
2016–17 La Liga 30 1 6 1 6[a] 0 0 0 42 2
Total 61 4 10 1 6 0 0 0 77 5
Trabzonspor (loan) 2017–18 Süper Lig 3 0 3 2 0 0 — 6 2
Zulte Waregem (loan) 2017–18 Belgian First Division A 11 5 — 0 0 2 0 13 5
Zulte Waregem 2018–19 Belgian First Division A 28 8 2 0 0 0 9 6 39 14
Genk 2019–20 Belgian First Division A 22 5 1 0 6[b] 0 — 29 5
2020–21 Belgian First Division A 35 16 4 2 — — 39 18
2021–22 Belgian First Division A 34 12 0 0 0 0 1[c] 1 35 13
Total 91 33 5 2 6 0 1 1 103 36
Cádiz 2022–23 La Liga 31 4 1 0 — — 32 4
Spartak Moscow 2023–24 Russian Premier League 25 7 10 1 — — 35 8
2024–25 Russian Premier League 18 5 3 0 — — 21 5
Total 43 12 13 1 — — 56 13
Career total 301 69 41 7 15 0 12 7 369 83
  1. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ Appearance in Belgian Super Cup

International

As of match played 9 September 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
DR Congo 2022 3 0
2023 8 3
2024 12 1
Total 23 4

Scores and results list DR Congo's goal tally first.

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 14 June 2023 Stade de la Réunification, Douala, Cameroon  Uganda 1–0 1–0 Friendly
2. 9 September 2023 Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo  Sudan 1–0 2–0 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3. 15 November 2023  Mauritania 2–0 2–0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
4. 9 September 2024 Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania  Ethiopia 1–0 2–0 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Genk

References

  1. ^ "Eerste JMG-speler boven water bij Zulte Waregem" [First JMG player above average at Zulte Waregem] (in Dutch). Sport Voetbal Magazine. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Zulte Waregem ontsnapt bij Hamme" [Zulte Waregem escaped at Hamme] (in Dutch). Sporza. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Zulte Waregem spoelt Europese kater door" [Zulte Waregem washes through European hangover] (in Dutch). Sporza. 15 December 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Zulte Waregem schaart zich met verlies bij laatste vier" [Zulte Waregem endorses with losses at final four] (in Dutch). Sporza. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Zulte Waregem laat eerste plek liggen in Lokeren" [Zulte Waregem laat eerste plek liggen in Lokeren] (in Dutch). Sporza. 20 April 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  6. ^ "El Real Club Celta se refuerza con el internacional Sub-21 belga Théo Bongonda" [Real Club Celta de Vigo bolsters with under-21 Belgian international Théo Bongonda] (in Spanish). Celta's official website. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  7. ^ "El Getafe por fin canta victoria" [Getafe finally sings victory] (in Spanish). Marca. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  8. ^ "El Real Club Celta se refuerza con el internacional Sub-21 belga Théo Bongonda" [Théo Bongonda swapping Spain for Turkey] (in Dutch). Gazet Van Antwerpen. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Théo Bongonda definitief naar Essevee". ESSEVEE - SV Zulte Waregem (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Théo Bongonda 2019/20 – scout report". Belgian Football Analysis. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Ito en Bongonda schieten Racing Genk naar 5e Beker van België". Sporza (in Dutch). 25 April 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Bongonda rescues Onuachu's Genk from defeat in First Division A opener against Standard Liege". Goal. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Théo Bongonda firma cuatro temporadas" [Théo Bongonda signs for four seasons] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  14. ^ ""Спартак" объявил о переходе нападающего из испанского клуба". Sportrbc.ru (in Russian). 12 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Théo Bongonda n'a pas peur d'un changement de style : "Si nous pouvons obtenir des résultats avec plus de discipline, alors je signe"". Walfoot.be. 8 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Théo Bongonda – UEFA.com". uefa.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013.
  17. ^ "Bahrain beat DR Congo in friendly | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN". DT News.
  18. ^ "Football : 24 Léopards sélectionnés sur les 27 attendus pour la CAN 2023". radiookapi.net. Radio Okapi. 27 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023..
  19. ^ "Théo Bongonda » Club matches". worldfootball.net.
  20. ^ Théo Bongonda at Soccerway
  21. ^ "Onuachu with an assist as Genk clinch Belgian Cup title after Standard Liege win". Goal. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
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