Vincent Aboubakar
Vincent Aboubakar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Vincent Paté Aboubakar January 22, 1992 Garoua, Cameroon |
| Occupation | Professional footballer |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Known for | Striker for Neftçi and captain of the Cameroon national team |
Vincent Paté Aboubakar (born 22 January 1992) is a professional footballer from Cameroon who plays as a striker for the Azerbaijani Premier League side Neftçi and serves as the captain of the Cameroon national team.
Aboubakar launched his professional journey with Coton Sport before relocating to Europe in 2010. There, he featured for French Ligue 1 clubs Valenciennes and Lorient, accumulating 109 appearances and netting 26 goals in France’s top flight. In 2015, he transferred to Porto, where he scored 58 goals in 125 matches and secured a Primeira Liga championship. While on loan at Beşiktaş, he won the Turkish Süper Lig title twice, first in 2017 and again in 2021.
On the international stage, Aboubakar has earned more than 110 caps since his debut in May 2010, making him Cameroon's second all-time leading scorer behind Samuel Eto'o. He has represented his nation in the 2010, 2014, and 2022 tournaments, alongside multiple editions of the Africa Cup of Nations (2015, 2017, 2021, 2023). Notably, he scored the decisive goal in the 2017 final and finished as the top scorer at the 2021 tournament.
Early life
Born on 22 January 1992 in Garoua, located in Cameroon's North Region, Vincent Aboubakar grew up in a devoutly Christian household within a predominantly Muslim city. His mother, Maobeal Alice, was actively involved as a deaconess for the Evangelical Missionary Society of Cameroon.
Valenciennes
On 26 May 2010, Aboubakar secured a contract with French club Valenciennes. Wearing the number 9 jersey, he made his debut coming off the bench during the opening league match against Nice. His first goals came in the form of a hat-trick during a Coupe de la Ligue fixture against Boulogne.
Lorient
Aboubakar transferred to Lorient on a free move starting 1 July 2013. He played the entire match on his debut on 10 August, despite a 1–0 defeat away to Lille. Eight days later, he scored his inaugural goal for Lorient by equalizing in a 2–1 victory over Nantes at the Stade du Moustoir. Concluding that season, he was joint second top scorer in Ligue 1 with sixteen goals from thirty-five appearances. Highlights included scoring twice during a comprehensive 4–0 win at Évian on 23 November and adding another brace in a thrilling 4–4 home draw against Montpellier on 20 April 2014.
Porto
Aboubakar signed a four-year deal with Portuguese giants Porto on 24 August 2014 for a €3 million fee, with Porto acquiring thirty percent of his economic rights. Prior to this move, he had attracted interest from English club Hull City.
He made his debut on 14 September as a late substitute for Héctor Herrera during a 1–1 draw against Vitória S.C. in the Primeira Liga. Shortly after, he netted his first goal for Porto three days later in a UEFA Champions League group stage match—a dominant 6–0 win over BATE Borisov—coming off the bench for Jackson Martínez. On 25 October, again as a substitute, he scored his initial league goal contributing to a commanding 5–0 away triumph at F.C. Arouca. Throughout that season, he was mostly utilized as an impact substitute while Porto finished second behind rivals S.L. Benfica.
With Martínez's departure ahead of his second season, Aboubakar established himself as a regular starter. He kicked off with two goals in a convincing 3–0 home victory over Vitória at Estádio do Dragão on 15 August 2015 and added another brace during a dominant 5–0 away win against rivals Boavista FC on 10 January. Additionally, he scored once across five appearances as Porto advanced to the final of the Taça de Portugal, including netting the winning goal in a fifth-round clash at C.D. Feirense on 16 December 2015.
Loan Move to Beşiktaş
On 27 August 2016, reigning Süper Lig champions Beşiktaş secured Aboubakar on a season-long loan deal. He made his debut on 10 September, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–1 home victory against Kardemir Karabükspor. His initial goals arrived during his eighth appearance, when he scored twice in a 3–2 Champions League triumph over Napoli on 19 October 2016—marking Beşiktaş's first success in the competition since 2009. Just four days later, he netted his first league goal and provided an assist to Talisca in a 3–0 win at Vodafone Park versus Antalyaspor. In March 2017, Aboubakar found the net in both legs of the UEFA Europa League round of 16 clash against Olympiacos, contributing to a 5–2 aggregate victory despite being sent off in the second leg following an altercation with Panagiotis Retsos. He ended the campaign with 12 goals from 27 league outings, playing a key role in Beşiktaş securing consecutive Süper Lig championships.
Return to Porto
Upon his return to Portugal, Aboubakar became part of a formidable attacking trio composed of African talents Moussa Marega from Mali and Algeria’s Yacine Brahimi. He recorded his first hat-trick for Porto on 20 August 2017 during a 3–0 league win over Moreirense FC. Throughout the Champions League group phase, he scored five goals, including two braces against French titleholders AS Monaco, aiding Porto’s progression. On 10 December, he achieved another hat-trick in a commanding 5–0 away victory over Vitória F.C., which helped propel Porto back to the summit of the league standings.
In September 2018, Aboubakar sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a match against C.D. Tondela that necessitated surgery and sidelined him for an extended period. He made his comeback on 4 May 2019 as a late substitute during a 4–0 home win against C.D. Aves.
On 18 August 2019, Aboubakar featured for the full duration of an FC Porto B match that ended in a 1–1 draw with Varzim S.C. in LigaPro.
Return to Beşiktaş
Following the termination of his contract with Porto, Aboubakar returned to Istanbul to negotiate with Beşiktaş on 25 September 2020. The following day, he inked a deal lasting until 31 May 2021. In his single season back at the club, he ranked as the fifth-leading scorer with 15 goals while helping Beşiktaş clinch the league title. This tally included a brace on 29 November in a thrilling 4–3 victory over city rivals Fenerbahçe.
Al Nassr
On 8 June 2021, Aboubakar committed to a three-year contract with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, reportedly earning €6 million per year.
The contract was mutually terminated in January 2023, with Aboubakar receiving compensation for the remaining term. His exit opened up a foreign player slot at the Riyadh-based club that was subsequently filled by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Third Spell at Beşiktaş
Aboubakar rejoined Turkish outfit Beşiktaş on 21 January 2023 as a replacement for outgoing striker Wout Weghorst. The agreement spanned two years and included a €1.1 million signing bonus, €1.5 million for the remainder of the 2022–23 season, followed by €3.1 million annually thereafter, plus match-related bonuses up to €12,000 depending on competition type. During the latter half of the season, he scored 13 goals across 16 appearances, placing him ninth among Süper Lig top scorers for 2022–23.
On 11 December 2023, Beşiktaş announced that Aboubakar would be excluded from the squad along with Valentin Rosier, Eric Bailly, Rachid Ghezzal, and Jean Onana due to underperformance and lack of cohesion within the team.
By 14 February 2024, Aboubakar was reinstated and resumed training sessions with the squad. He was named in the roster for the forthcoming fixture against Konyaspor.
Hatayspor
Following the termination of his contract with Beşiktaş for reasons not publicly disclosed, Aboubakar signed with the Turkish outfit Hatayspor. On 9 May 2025, both parties agreed to end the contract by mutual consent.
Neftçi PFK
On 21 October 2025, Aboubakar secured a one-year contract with Azerbaijani Premier League side Neftçi, which includes an option to extend for an additional year.
International career
In August 2009, Aboubakar received a call-up to the Cameroon national under-20 football team for participation in the Francophone Games. At just 18 years old, he was selected in May 2010 for Cameroon's 23-man roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, notably as the only player based domestically. He made his senior international debut in a friendly versus Slovakia on 29 May 2010 and registered his first international goal against Poland in August of the same year.
Aboubakar featured at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and participated in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. His decisive 88th-minute goal in the final of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations clinched Cameroon’s first continental championship in 15 years. Later that year, he scored during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in a defeat against Germany.
Due to fitness issues, Aboubakar missed the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations but made a comeback at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Cameroon. He emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals over seven matches and earned selection to the Team of the Tournament.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Aboubakar contributed both a goal and an assist in a thrilling 3–3 draw against Serbia. He scored the winning goal against Brazil but was subsequently dismissed after receiving a second yellow card following his celebration.
Although sidelined by injury prior to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, he recovered in time to participate in Cameroon's round of 16 match, where they were eliminated by Nigeria. This fixture marked Aboubakar’s 100th appearance for the national team.
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup[lower-alpha 1] | League cup[lower-alpha 2] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Coton Sport | 2009–10 | Elite One | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 7 | |||
| Valenciennes | 2010–11 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 20 | 4 | ||
| 2011–12 | 27 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 8 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 72 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 81 | 15 | ||||
| Lorient | 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 16 | ||
| 2014–15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 37 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 17 | ||||
| Porto | 2014–15 | Primeira Liga | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4[lower-alpha 3] | 3 | — | 20 | 8 | |
| 2015–16 | 28 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |
3 | — | 42 | 18 | |||
| 2017–18 | 28 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |
5 | — | 43 | 26 | |||
| 2018–19 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |
0 | 11 | 4 | ||||
| 2019–20 FC Porto season | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |
2 | — | 9 | 2 | |||
| Total | 83 | 36 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 21 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 125 | 58 | ||
| Beşiktaş (loan) | 2016–17 Beşiktaş J.K. season | Süper Lig | 27 | 12 | 2 | 1 | — | 9 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |
6 | — | 38 | 19 | ||
| Beşiktaş | 2020–21 Beşiktaş J.K. season | 26 | 15 | 3 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 16 | |||
| Al Nassr FC | 2021–22 Al-Nassr FC season | Saudi Pro League | 23 | 8 | 1 | 0 | – | 3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |
1 | – | 27 | 9 | ||
| 2022–23 Al-Nassr FC season | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 34 | 12 | 2 | 0 | – | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 13 | |||
| Beşiktaş | 2022–23 Beşiktaş J.K. season | Süper Lig | — !! colspan= "2" | — !! colspan= "2" | — !! colspan= "2" | — !!16 !!13 | |||||||||||
| 2023–24 Beşiktaş J.K. season | — !!10 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content !!7 !! colspan= "2" | — !!34 !!12
| |||||||||||||
| Total | 38 | 18 | 2 | 0 | — | 10 | 7 | — | 50 | 25 | ||||
| Hatayspor | 2024–25 Hatayspor season | Süper Lig | — !! colspan= "2" | — !! colspan= "2" | — !!28 !!8 | |||||||||||
| Neftçi PFK | 2025–26 Neftçi PFK season | Azerbaijan Premier League | — !! colspan= "2" | — !! colspan= "2" | — !!5 !!5 | |||||||||||
| Career total | 347 | 136 | 30 | 13 !11 !7 !43 !27 !1 !0 !431 !183 | ||||||||||
International
| National team | Year | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 2010 | 7 | 1 |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 10 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 12 | 6 | |
| 2016 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 16 | 5 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 17 | 10 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 5 | |
| 2025 | 9 | 3 | |
| Overall total | 117 | 45 | |
- The score column reflects Cameroon's goals first; the score shown corresponds to the state after each goal by Aboubakar.
| No. | Date | Location | Cap number | Opponent | Score after goal | Final result | Tournament/Match type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 August 2010 | Stadion Poznań, Poznań, Poland | 5 | Template:Fb | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly match |
| 2 | 5 March 2014 | Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria, Portugal | 22 | Template:Fb | 1–1 | 1–5 | Friendly match |
| 3 | 6 September 2014 | Stade TP Mazembe, Lubumbashi, DR Congo | 27 | Template:Fb | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group D |
| 4-5 | 10 September 2014 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 28 | Template:Fb | 2–1, 3–1 | 4–1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 6 | 15 November 2014 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 30 | Template:Fb | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 7-11 | Various dates in 2015-16 | Multiple venues | Caps 32-45 | Multiple opponents including RSA, IDN, FRA, BFA, MTN, GAM, NIG | Goals range from openers to equalizers in Friendlies and qualifiers. | ||
| 44-45 | March - June 2025 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé & Marrakesh Stadium, Morocco | Caps 110-112 | Template:Fb, Template:Fb | Goals instrumental in victories and draws during World Cup qualifiers and friendly matches. |
Honours
Coton Sport
Beşiktaş
Porto
Cameroon
Individual
- Africa Cup of Nations Top Scorer: 2021
- Africa Cup of Nations Best XI: 2021
- France Football Africa Team of the Year: 2017
See also
External links
- Official profile at Beşiktaş J.K.
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- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Articles without Wikidata item
- 1992 births
- Living people
- People from Garoua
- Sportspeople from North Region (Cameroon)
- Cameroonian men's footballers
- 21st-century Cameroonian sportsmen
- Men's association football forwards
- Cameroon men's international footballers
- Cameroon men's youth international footballers
- Africa Cup of Nations–winning players
- 2010 FIFA World Cup players
- 2014 FIFA World Cup players
- 2015 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2017 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup players
- 2021 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2022 FIFA World Cup players
- 2023 Africa Cup of Nations players
- Coton Sport FC de Garoua players
- Valenciennes FC players
- FC Lorient players
- FC Porto players
- Beşiktaş J.K. footballers
- FC Porto B players
- Al-Nassr FC players
- Hatayspor footballers
- Neftçi PFK players
- Ligue 1 players
- Primeira Liga players
- Süper Lig players
- Liga Portugal 2 players
- Saudi Pro League players
- Cameroonian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in France
- Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
- Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey
- Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia
- Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in France
- Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
- Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey
- Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia
- FIFA Men's Century Club
- Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Azerbaijan