Carlos Baleba
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba | ||
Date of birth | 3 January 2004 | ||
Place of birth | Douala, Cameroon | ||
Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
Number | 20 | ||
Youth career | |||
Futur Soccer FC | |||
2017–2022 | EF Brasseries du Cameroun | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2022–2023 | Lille B | 13 | (1) |
2022–2023 | Lille | 21 | (0) |
2023– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 40 | (2) |
International career‡ | |||
2024– | Cameroon | 5 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:59, 15 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 October 2024 |
Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba (born 3 January 2004) is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a central or defensive midfielder for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Cameroon national team.
Early life
[edit]Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba was born on 4 January 2004 in Douala, Cameroon.[1] His father is a former professional footballer who played in South Africa and Cameroon.[2] He grew up in the neighbourhood of Akwa and is of Bassa descent.[2] Baleba started playing football at Futur Soccer FC in Douala and then joined École de Football des Brasseries du Cameroun academy centre at the age of 13.[2]
Club career
[edit]Lille
[edit]Baleba was transferred to French team Lille in January 2022,[3][4] having already attracted the scouts of several other European clubs.[5][6] Having arrived in the Nord along with another youngster Joffrey Bazié; the two Africans first joined Lille's reserve team, that played in National 3 that season.[5][7]
Despite being in the matchday squad multiple times towards the end of the 2021–22 Ligue 1 season, Baleba's professional debut had to wait until the 2022–23 Ligue 1 season where he would break into the first team of newly appointed manager, Paulo Fonseca.[8][9][10]
He made his professional debut for Lille on 7 August 2022, replacing Angel Gomes during a 4–1 Ligue 1 win against Auxerre.[11][12][13]
Brighton & Hove Albion
[edit]On 29 August 2023, Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion announced the signing of Baleba on a five-year contract.[14] According to various reports, the financial details of the transfer include an initial and base fee of €27 million, a maximum of €3 million add-ons depending on sporting conditions and a 15% sell-on clause.[15][16][17][18] Baleba made his debut for Brighton in a 3–1 home victory against AFC Bournemouth on 24 September, coming on as a 73rd minute substitute for Mahmoud Dahoud.[19] On 8 October, Baleba made his first start for Brighton in a 2–2 draw against Liverpool.[20]
On 18 September, 2024, Baleba would score his first goal in Brighton colors in a 3-2 win against Wolves to help the Albion move onto the fourth round of the EFL Cup.[21] Just over a week later on 28 September, Baleba scored his first league goal for the Seagulls in a dramatic 4-2 loss against Chelsea.[22]
International career
[edit]Baleba made his debut for the Cameroon national team on 8 June 2024 in a World Cup qualifier 4–1 victory against Cape Verde at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium. He started the game and played 80 minutes.[23]
Style of play
[edit]Known for his stamina, dribbling and passing range, Baleba is a complete and powerful central midfielder who can play in a box-to-box role or as a holding midfielder. He grew up idolising Paul Pogba, Kevin De Bruyne, Thiago Alcântara as well as former Lille players Nicolas Pépé and Idrissa Gueye, a collection of unrelated players in either their roles, positions, and skills.[2]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played 15 December 2024[24]
Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Lille B | 2021–22 | Championnat National 3 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | |||
2022–23 | Championnat National 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
Total | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||||
Lille | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 | ||
2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
Total | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||||
Brighton & Hove Albion | 2023–24 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[a] | 0 | 37 | 0 |
2024–25 | Premier League | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 15 | 3 | ||
Total | 40 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 52 | 3 | ||
Career total | 74 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 88 | 4 |
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
[edit]- As of match played 11 October 2024
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Cameroon | 2024 | 5 | 0 |
Total | 5 | 0 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Carlos Baleba". LOSC (in French). Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d Pousset, Maxime (24 January 2023). "Dans les pas de Carlos Baleba". LOSC (in French). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ "Carlos Baleba est Lillois". efbc-cm.com. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ "Carlos Baleba, un nouveau Camerounais au LOSC". LOSC (in French). 14 January 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.[permanent dead link ]
- ^ a b Guilbaud, Philippe (14 January 2022). "Mercato : la pépite Carlos Baleba s'engage pour cinq ans au LOSC". La Voix du Nord (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Yomba, Steve Wilfried (6 January 2022). "Mercato: Âgé de 18 ans, Carlos Noom Baleba signe au LOSC". Camerfoot-Infos (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Da Rocha, Joseph (14 January 2022). "Officiel : Carlos Baleba et Joffrey Bazié rejoignent le LOSC". Le Petit Lillois (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Esanji, Isaac (1 August 2022). "Ligue 1 : Carlos Baleba, la très belle révélation camerounaise de la préparation de Lille". L'Actu (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ "LOSC : Carlos Baleba, la très belle révélation de la préparation". La Voix du Nord (in French). 1 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Bja, Rayan (31 July 2022). "Carlos Baleba, le milieu qui monte au LOSC". Le Petit Lillois (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Marouby, Corentin (7 August 2022). "Lille 4-1 Auxerre, Ligue 1, résultat et résumé du match". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Esanji, Isaac (8 August 2022). "Carlos Baleba : " Fier d'avoir effectué mes premières minutes en Ligue 1 "". L'Actu (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Lasseron, Arthur (8 August 2022). "Paulo Fonseca (LOSC) : " C'est très important de démarrer fort "". Le 11 HDF (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Hanson, Charlie (29 August 2023). "Carlos Baleba joins Albion from Lille". Brighton & Hove Albion. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ^ Sherlock, Harry (26 August 2023). "Moises Caicedo replacement? Brighton close in on 19-year-old wonderkid Carlos Baleba to replace £115m man". Goal. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ^ "Lille to retain 15% sell-on clause in departure of Carlos Baleba to Brighton". OneFootball. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ^ Lafont, Romain (28 August 2023). "Transferts : Carlos Baleba (Lille) à Brighton, c'est imminent". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ^ Marcant, Raphaël (29 August 2023). "Officiel : Carlos Baleba quitte le LOSC pour Brighton et la Premier League". Le Petit Lillois (in French). Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ^ "Mitoma Magic as Albion Pick off the Cherries". www.brightonandhovealbion.com. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. (8 October 2023). "Team News for Liverpool 08.10.2023". X.com. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ The BBC (18 September 2024). "Brighton defeat Wolves to move forward in the EFL Cup". BBC.com. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- ^ The Guardian (28 September 2024). "Chelsea's Cole Palmer hits record four goals in first half to rock Brighton". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ "Cameroon v Cape Verde game report". ESPN. 8 June 2024.
- ^ Carlos Baleba at Soccerway
External links
[edit]- Carlos Baleba at Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
- Carlos Baleba at Premier League
- Carlos Baleba at Soccerway
- Carlos Baleba at Athletic updates
- 2004 births
- Living people
- Cameroonian men's footballers
- Cameroon men's international footballers
- Footballers from Douala
- Men's association football midfielders
- Ligue 1 players
- Championnat National 3 players
- Premier League players
- Lille OSC players
- Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
- Cameroonian expatriate men's footballers
- Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in France
- Expatriate men's footballers in France
- Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in England
- Expatriate men's footballers in England