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Émile Mpenza

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Émile Mpenza
Mpenza with Manchester City in 2007
Personal information
Full name Eka Basunga Lokonda Mpenza
Date of birth (1978-07-04) 4 July 1978 (age 46)[1]
Place of birth Zellik, Belgium
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1986–1989 LC Mesvins
1989–1995 Kortrijk
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Kortrijk 32 (5)
1996–1997 Mouscron 31 (12)
1997–1999 Standard Liège 46 (20)
2000–2003 Schalke 04 79 (28)
2003–2004 Standard Liège 28 (21)
2004–2006 Hamburger SV 36 (5)
2006–2007 Al-Rayyan 19 (9)
2007–2008 Manchester City 25 (5)
2008–2009 Plymouth Argyle 9 (2)
2009–2010 Sion 31 (21)
2010–2012 Neftchi Baku 31 (6)
2013–2014 Eendracht Aalst 0 (0)
Total 367 (134)
International career
1995–1996 Belgium U18 7 (6)
1995 Belgium U19 7 (0)
1996 Belgium U21 3 (0)
1997–2009 Belgium 57 (19)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eka Basunga Lokonda "Émile" Mpenza (born 4 July 1978) is a Belgian former footballer who played as a striker. He has been capped at international level by Belgium. His older brother, Mbo, also represented Belgium.

Club career

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Belgium, Germany and Qatar

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Mpenza started his career at K.V. Kortrijk, and then moved to R.E. Mouscron and Standard Liège in quick succession, with older brother Mbo playing alongside in all three clubs. In 2000, he moved to Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04, in an exchange with Michaël Goossens. At Schalke he was very successful together with his compatriot Marc Wilmots and other striker Ebbe Sand but they failed to win the German title on the last day of competition. Mpenza returned to Standard three years later. In 2004–05 he returned to Germany, signing for Hamburger SV. However, in January 2006 he made a surprise move to Qatari team Al Rayyan.

Manchester City

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Mpenza signed for Manchester City, after playing and scoring in a specially arranged match at Eastlands on 14 February 2007. "I am not finished and I will prove it in Manchester", Mpenza told Belgian radio station Bel RTL. "I make this move as revenge, with respect to all those who criticised my decision to play in Qatar".[3][4] He made his debut against Wigan Athletic on 3 March 2007 as a half-time substitute replacing Georgios Samaras.[5] He scored his first goal for the club in the 2–0 win at Middlesbrough on 17 March 2007,[6][7] and his second in the 1–0 victory at Newcastle United on 30 March.[8] He scored once more in the 2006–07 season, away to Tottenham Hotspur on the last day of the season, as City lost 2–1.[9]

Having signed until the end of the 2007–08 season, Mpenza scored on City's first pre-season game of the 2007–08 season away to Doncaster Rovers. He would also equalise against Fulham and put City ahead against Bristol City and Newcastle United. However, facing competition for his place from Rolando Bianchi, Valeri Bojinov, Geovanni and Elano, all signed by new City manager Sven-Göran Eriksson in summer 2007, Mpenza did not score again after September, and was released in July 2008.[10]

Plymouth Argyle

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He then signed for Championship side Plymouth Argyle on 2 September 2008.[11] Mpenza went on to make his Argyle debut as a sub on 70 minutes in a 2–1 defeat to Norwich City on 13 September. He then scored his first goal for the club against Charlton Athletic in a 2–2 draw,[12] and scored again in a 2–1 win over Cardiff City.[13] However Mpenza's time at Plymouth Argyle was blighted by injury and therefore he was not offered a new contract.

Sion

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For the 2009–10 season, Mpenza signed a one-year contract with Swiss Topflight club FC Sion. Here he rediscovered his eye for goal by scoring 21 goals in 32 matches.

Neftchi Baku

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In August 2010, Mpenza signed a three-year contract with Azerbaijan Premier League club Neftchi Baku.[14] He left the club in January 2012, having lost his place in the team during the 2011–12 season.[15][16]

In June 2015, Neftchi Baku were ordered by FIFA to pay Mpenza €1 million in unpaid wages.[17]

Eendracht Aalst

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After searching a club for over a year, Mpenza finally signed a one-year contract with Eendracht Aalst on 1 October 2013.[18]

International career

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Mpenza played for the Belgium national football team between 1997 and 2009, though he was frequently injured in times of international call-ups. He played alongside his brother Mbo in the 1998 World Cup and in Euro 2000 where he scored a goal in the opening match against Sweden (which ended with Belgium's victory 2–1), but missed out on the World Cup in 2002 with a groin injury.

Career statistics

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International goals

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Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 7 June 1997 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  San Marino 6–0 Won 1998 World Cup Qualification
2 7 June 1997 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  San Marino 6–0 Won 1998 World Cup Qualification
3 3 February 1999 Tsirion Stadium, Limassol  Cyprus 0–1 Won Friendly
4 18 August 1999 Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges  Finland 3–4 Lost Friendly
5 4 September 1999 Feijenoord Stadion, Rotterdam  Netherlands 5–5 Drawn Friendly
6 7 September 1999 Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège  Morocco 4–0 Won Friendly
7 29 March 2000 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  Netherlands 2–2 Drawn Friendly
8 10 June 2000 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  Sweden 2–1 Won Euro 2000
9 16 August 2000 Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, Sofia  Bulgaria 1–3 Won Friendly
10 28 February 2001 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  San Marino 10–1 Won 2002 World Cup Qualification
11 25 April 2001 Letná Stadium, Prague  Czech Republic 1–1 Draw Friendly
12 2 June 2001 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  Latvia 3–1 Won 2002 World Cup Qualification
13 12 February 2003 Stade 19 Mai 1956, Annaba  Algeria 1–3 Won Friendly
14 12 February 2003 Stade 19 Mai 1956, Annaba  Algeria 1–3 Won Friendly
15 26 March 2005 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  Bosnia and Herzegovina 4–1 Won 2006 World Cup Qualification
16 26 March 2005 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  Bosnia and Herzegovina 4–1 Won 2006 World Cup Qualification
17 17 August 2005 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  Greece 2–0 Won Friendly
18 10 October 2009 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  Turkey 2–0 Won 2010 World Cup Qualification
19 10 October 2009 Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels  Turkey 2–0 Won 2010 World Cup Qualification

Honours

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Club

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Schalke 04[19]

Hamburger SV

Neftchi Baku

Individual

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References

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  1. ^ "Emile Mpenza". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  2. ^ "Emile Mpenza". ESPNsoccernet. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  3. ^ "Man City set to seal Mpenza deal". ESPN FC. 15 February 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Man City complete Mpenza signing". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 February 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  5. ^ May, John (3 March 2007). "Man City 0–1 Wigan". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  6. ^ "Premiership clockwatch". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 17 March 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  7. ^ Stewart, Rob (19 March 2007). "City still not united as Distin snaps at Dunne". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  8. ^ "Mpenza eases City's relegation fears". Independent Online (South Africa). 31 March 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  9. ^ Burnton, Simon (14 May 2007). "Tottenham find progress in parity while City suffer". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  10. ^ "Club confirms released players list". Manchester City FC. 3 July 2008. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
  11. ^ "Mpenza pens deal". Plymouth Argyle FC. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  12. ^ "Plymouth 2–2 Charlton". BBC. 8 November 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  13. ^ "Plymouth 2–1 Cardiff". BBC. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  14. ^ "Ex-Schalke Emile Mpenza changes to Azerbaijan". Goal.com. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  15. ^ "Emile Mpenza de retour au Standard?" (in French). RTL Sport. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  16. ^ Aliyev, Elmir (20 January 2012). "Belgian footballer Emile Mpenza leaves Neftchi". News.az. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  17. ^ "ФИФА пригрозила Нефтчи: Выплатите Мпензе миллион евро или клуб ждут санкции!". azerifootball.com (in Russian). Azerifootball. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Eendracht Aalst brings back forgotten Mpenza" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  19. ^ "Schalke 04 | Palmarès".
  20. ^ "Valencia 0-0 Hamburg (Aggregate: 0 - 1)". uefa.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2006. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  21. ^ "FC Neftci Baku | Trophies".
  22. ^ "Jonge Prof van het Jaar". 31 December 2011.
  23. ^ "Erelijst Ebbehouten Schoen". Eurosport. 28 November 2011. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  24. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne volgt zichzelf op als Beste Belg in het buitenland". Eurosport. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  25. ^ "Kicker Ranking / Rangliste 1955 to 2017 (in German)". 26 January 2015.
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