Cédric Bakambu

Cédric Bakambu
Born	(1991-04-11) April 11, 1991 Vitry-sur-Seine, Val-de-Marne, France
Occupation	Professional footballer
Years active	2010–present
Known for	Forward or winger for Real Betis and DR Congo national team

Cédric Bakambu (born 11 April 1991) is a professional football player who operates primarily as a forward or winger for the La Liga side Real Betis and represents the DR Congo national team internationally.

Bakambu launched his professional journey at Sochaux in 2010, where he featured in 107 official fixtures across five seasons and scored 21 goals. He later moved to Bursaspor for a transfer fee of €1.8 million, becoming the club’s leading scorer as they finished as runners-up in the Turkish Cup. After one season, he joined Villarreal.

Although born in France, Bakambu played for French youth squads up to under-20 level, accumulating eight goals in 38 appearances and securing the 2010 UEFA European Championship title with the under-19 team.

In 2015, he made his senior debut for the DR Congo national team.

Sochaux

Originating from Vitry-sur-Seine, Val-de-Marne, Bakambu began his football development at local club Ivry at age 10 before transferring to Sochaux four years later.

On 1 May 2010, Bakambu found the net during the 2010 Coupe Gambardella Final held at the Stade de France, although Sochaux ultimately lost 4–3 on penalties. Prior to this, he had scored twice in the semi-final aggregate victory against Metz.

He made his professional debut on 7 August 2010, entering as an 83rd-minute substitute in Sochaux’s opening match of the Ligue 1 season against Arles-Avignon, contributing to a 2–1 win. The subsequent month, he secured his first professional contract, signing a three-year agreement through June 2013.

Bakambu netted his inaugural professional goal on 17 September 2011, leveling the score shortly after coming off the bench in a 2–2 draw at Lille OSC. One year later, he scored twice during extra time to clinch a 3–2 victory at home over Evian in the third round of the Coupe de la Ligue.

In the course of the 2013–14 Ligue 1 campaign, Bakambu scored seven times across 31 appearances as Sochaux struggled against relegation; this included a brace in a 2–1 home triumph over Rennes. Under manager Hervé Renard, he was initially positioned on the right wing before transitioning mentally and tactically into a centre-forward role. On 23 March, Bakambu received a red card for handball during a 2–1 defeat at Saint-Étienne.

Bursaspor

On 1 September 2014, Bakambu completed a transfer from France to Turkish outfit Bursaspor, signing a four-year contract valued at €1.8 million with an annual salary of €800,000. He debuted in the Süper Lig twelve days later and opened his scoring account on 19 October during a 2–2 draw versus Eskişehirspor. Shortly thereafter, on 25 October, he achieved his first professional hat-trick by netting three goals in a commanding 5–0 away win against Balıkesirspor. He concluded the season with a tally of 13 goals from 27 league appearances.

In the course of the 2014–15 Turkish Cup, Bakambu emerged as top scorer by registering eight goals over twelve matches, playing a key role in Bursaspor’s progression to the final where they were defeated 3–2 by Galatasaray. His scoring exploits included two hat-tricks during the group phase. Following Galatasaray’s league and cup double triumphs, Bursaspor faced them again in the 2015 Turkish Super Cup on 8 August, with Bakambu featuring for the entire match in their narrow 1–0 loss.

Villarreal

On 19 August 2015, Bakambu committed to a five-year deal with the Spanish outfit Villarreal. He made his La Liga debut just four days later and netted a brace against Espanyol on 28 August, contributing to a 3–1 triumph.

His first appearance in European competition came on 17 September during the UEFA Europa League group phase. On 22 October, he scored twice in the first half to help Villarreal secure a 4–0 victory over Dinamo Minsk. Bakambu continued his scoring streak with two goals in the round of 16 clash against Bayer Leverkusen and added four goals across the quarter-final ties versus Sparta Prague, playing a crucial role in Villarreal's advancement to the semi-finals. His tally of nine goals in the Europa League ranked him second among top scorers and earned him inclusion in the competition’s Squad of the Season.

On 1 October 2017, Bakambu achieved a hat-trick during a 3–0 win against Eibar. Following additional goals against Girona and Las Palmas, he was honored as the La Liga Player of the Month, becoming the first African player to receive this distinction.

In January 2018, Villarreal’s coach Javier Calleja confirmed Bakambu’s forthcoming move to Chinese Super League club Beijing Sinobo Guoan. On 17 January, Bakambu officially terminated his contract with Villarreal. Although the transfer faced initial delays due to Chinese Football Association regulations concerning transfer taxes, it was finalized prior to the start of the Chinese league season with all fees settled.

Beijing Guoan

On 28 February 2018, Beijing Sinobo Guoan completed Bakambu’s acquisition from Villarreal by activating his €40 million release clause. The club initially refrained from announcing the signing amid uncertainties about a possible 100% transfer tax. Bakambu scored his inaugural goal in China during his second appearance, aiding in a 2–1 victory over Jiangsu Suning. He contributed significantly to Beijing Guoan’s triumph in the Chinese FA Cup during his first season.

Marseille

Bakambu joined French side Marseille on 13 January 2022, signing a contract valid until 30 June 2024. He marked his debut by scoring after coming off the bench in a 2–0 win over Lens.

Olympiacos

On 16 September 2022, Bakambu signed with Greek club Olympiacos on an agreement lasting until 30 June 2025.

Al-Nasr

The UAE Pro League club Al-Nasr announced on 29 June 2023 that Bakambu had agreed to a two-year contract with them.

Galatasaray

Negotiations between Galatasaray and Al-Nasr commenced on 22 July 2023, culminating in Bakambu’s permanent transfer to the Turkish Süper Lig team the following day. He inked a two-year contract for a transfer fee of €700,000. Bakambu made his debut in a Champions League qualifying match against Žalgiris Vilnius on 2 August and netted his first Champions League goal on 8 November with a stoppage-time strike during a 2–1 defeat to Bayern Munich.

Betis

On 1 February 2024, Bakambu signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Real Betis.

International career

Bakambu represented France at under-18 and under-19 levels, playing an integral role in their triumph at the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship by scoring decisive goals against the Netherlands and Croatia. He also participated in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where France secured fourth place.

In March 2015, he opted to represent the senior national team of DR Congo. Upon arriving in Kinshasa, he received an enthusiastic reception from supporters, reflecting his deep connection to his roots through football. His senior debut came in June 2015 during a friendly against Cameroon, where he started in a match that ended in a 1–1 draw.

Bakambu netted his first international goal on 26 March 2016 via penalty in a 2–1 victory over Angola during qualification for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. He went on to score twice more in a commanding 6–1 win against Madagascar and was selected for DR Congo’s squad for the final tournament held in Gabon. He started their opening match victory over Morocco and made a brief appearance in the quarter-final defeat by Ghana.

After missing several qualifiers due to injury, Bakambu returned on 24 March 2019 and scored the decisive goal in a narrow 1–0 win against Liberia, securing DR Congo’s place at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Following DR Congo’s exit from qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the hands of Morocco, Bakambu announced his retirement from international football on 1 April 2022 but subsequently reversed this decision.

On 17 January 2024, he provided an assist to Brentford forward Yoane Wissa for an equalizing goal during DR Congo’s group stage match against Zambia at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which concluded as a 1–1 draw.

Personal life

Bakambu was born in France to parents originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and he proudly identifies with both heritages, mentioning that this dual cultural background greatly enriches his life experience.

In March 2016, Bakambu, alongside his teammate Dieumerci Mbokani, was at Brussels Airport during the terrorist attacks but fortunately emerged without injury.

Club

Club appearances and goal records by season and competition

Club	Season	League			Domestic cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Overall
		Division	Appearances	Goals	Appearances	Goals	Appearances	Goals	Appearances	Goals	Appearances	Goals	Appearances	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		2	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	0	1	0
	Total		27	13	12	8	—		—		1	0	40	21
Villarreal	2015–16	La Liga	34	12	3	1	—		13	9	—		50	22
	2016–17		26	11	1	1	—	7	0	—	34	12
	2017-18		15	9	1	۲	—	5	3	—	21	14
	Total	75	32	5	4	—	25	12	—	105	48
Beijing Guoan	2018	Chinese Super League	— !! colspan= " ۲" | — !! colspan= " ۲" | — !!28 !!23
	2019		— !!6  !!3 !!1  !!26 !!16
	2020		— !!1  !!0 !! colspan= " ۲" | — !!20 !!14
	2021		— !! colspan= " ۲" | — !! colspan= " ۲" | — !!13 !!5
	Total	71	48	8	7	—	7	3	1	0	87	58
Olympique de Marseille	2021-22 Olympique de Marseille season	>Ligue ۱ | ۱۲ ۴ ۲ ۰  colspna=""۲"" - ۷ ۰ - ۲۱ ۴ |- ۲۰۲۲-۲۳ Olympique de Marseille season -۳ ۰ ۰ ۰ - ۰ ۰ - ۳ ۰ |- ! colspna=""۲"" total -۱۵ ۴ ۲ ۰ - ۷ ۰ - ۲۴ ۴ |- Olympiacos F.C. -۳۲ ۱۸ ۵ ۰ - - - -۳۷‌۱۸ |- Galatasaray S.K. (football) -۱۰‌۱‌۰‌- - -۶‌۱‌-۱۶‌۲ |- rowspan=""۳"" Real Betis -۴‌۰‌- - -۱‌۱‌-۵‌۱ |- ۲۰۲۴-۲۵ Real Betis season -۲۵‌۲‌- - -۱۴‌۷‌-۴۲‌۱۰ |- ! colspna=""۲"" total -۲۹‌۲‌- - -۱۵‌۸‌-۴۷‌۱۱ |- ! colspna=""۳"" Career total !۳۸۱ !۱۵۱ !۴۳ !۲۱ !۵ !۲ !۶۰ !۲۴ !۲ !۰ !۴۹۱ !۱۹۸|} International Appearances and goals by national team and year National team Year Appearances 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 3 0 Total 57 16 The score column lists DR Congo’s goals first; the score shown reflects the state immediately following each goal scored by Bakambu. Detailed list of international goals scored by Cédric Bakambu No. Date Venue Opponent Score after goal Final result Competition 1 26 March 2016 Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo Template:Fb 1–0 2–1 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group B 2 5 June 2016 Rabemananjara Stadium, Mahajanga, Madagascar Template:Fb 1–0 6–1 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification 3 5–0 4 10 June 2017 Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo Template:Fb 1–0 3–1 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group G 5 2–1 6 1 September 2017 Stade Olympique de Radès, Radès, Tunisia Template:Fb 1–1 1–2 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF third round 7 7 October 2017 Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet, Monastir, Tunisia Template:Fb 1–0 2–1 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification 8 24 March 2019 Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo Template:Fb 1–0 1–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification 9 30 June 2019 30 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt Template:Fb 2–0 4–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group A 10 3–0 11 7 July 2019 Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt Template:Fb 1–1 2–2 Template:Aet 2019 Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage 12 10 October 2019 Mustapha Tchaker Stadium, Blida, Algeria Template:Fb 1–1 1–1 Friendly 13 18 November 2019 Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia Template:Fb 1–0 2–2 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group D 14 24 March 2023 Stade TP Mazembe, Lubumbashi, DR Congo Template:Fb 2–0 3–1 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group I 15 28 March 2023 Stade Cheikha Ould Boïdiya, Nouakchott, Mauritania Template:Fb 1–0 1–1 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification 16 13 October 2023 Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain Template:Fb 1–0 1–1 Friendly Honours Bursaspor Runner-up in the Turkish Cup: 2014–15 Beijing Guoan Winner of the Chinese FA Cup: 2018 Real Betis Runner-up in the UEFA Conference League: 2024/25 France U19 Champions of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship Individual Achievements Selected for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2010 Top scorer in the Turkish Cup: Season 2014–15 Recipient of the Facebook FA La Liga Best Breakthrough award: 2016 Villarreal's Rookie of the Year for season: 2015–16 Included in the UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2015–16 Awarded La Liga Player of the Month: October 2017 Leading scorer in the Chinese Super League: Year 2020 Named Super League Greece Player of the Month: January 2023 Top scorer in Super League Greece for season: 2022–23 Selected for Super League Greece Team of the Season: 2022–23 Records All-time leading goal scorer for Beijing Guoan External links Cédric Bakambu official club profile