Stéphane Mbia

Stéphane Mbia

Mbia playing for Marseille in 2010
Personal information
Full nameStéphane Mbia Etoundi
Date of birth20 May 1986
Place of birthYaoundé, Cameroon
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionDefensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
Sevilla
Number25
Youth career
2003–2004Kadji Sports Academy
2004Rennes
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2004–2009Rennes105(4)
2009–2012Marseille69(5)
2012–2014Queens Park Rangers29(0)
2013–2014→ Sevilla (loan)19(3)
2014–Sevilla15(4)
National team‡
2005–Cameroon52(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 March 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 June 2014

Stéphane Mbia Etoundi (born 20 May 1986) is a Cameroonian footballer who plays for Spanish club Sevilla FC and the Cameroon national team as a defensive midfielder.

He has represented Cameroon on almost 50 occasions since winning his first cap in 2005 and scored a total of 3 goals for the national team. He was included in their squads for the 2008 Olympics, two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and two FIFA World Cups. He was given the captain's armband on 26 August 2014.

Club career

Stade Rennais

Born in Yaoundé, Mbia made his début for the Rennes first team during the 2005–06 season, going on to making a handful of appearances. The Cameroonian scored his first Ligue 1 goal for the club in November 2006 against the incumbent French champions Lyon.

On 18 April 2007, Mbia was abused by Lyon player Milan Baroš. This led to disciplinary action being taken against Baroš by the French Football Federation, who banned the striker for three matches for implying that Mbia smelt. The Federation later ruled that although Baroš was guilty of implying Mbia smelt, the remark was not made in a racial context.[1][2]

Marseille

On 14 July 2009, Mbia completed his £10.4 million move to Marseille from Rennes, going on to play a vital role in Marseille's victorious Ligue 1 campaign that season, starting off as a defensive midfielder but later making the transition to the role of centre back alongside former Charlton Athletic powerhouse Souleymane Diawara. His redeployment at centre back was a success and he played the rest of the season in this position, where he was considered to be one of the best performers in Didier Deschamps' talented, diverse squad, all the while forming a formidable defensive partnership with Diawara.

Queens Park Rangers

On 31 August 2012 Mbia signed a two-year deal with English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers, transferring from Marseille for an undisclosed fee, with Joey Barton heading in the opposite direction on a season-long loan.[3][4]

On 27 October 2012, Mbia was sent off seventeen minutes from the end of only his fourth league appearance for QPR, a 1–0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. He was dismissed in the 79th minute for violent conduct after kicking Gunners defender Thomas Vermaelen in retaliation to a strong challenge that had left Mbia floored.[5] He received the standard three-match ban from the FA, and became ineligible for QPR's league games versus Reading, Stoke City and Southampton.[6] On 6 May 2013, Mbia had tweeted to Joey Barton, asking him if he would like to switch seats with him as Marseille hinting that he wants to leave Queen Park Rangers after they were relegated from the Premier League.

Sevilla

On 26 August 2013, Mbia was loaned to Sevilla FC of the Spanish La Liga for the upcoming season.[7] Mbia made his Sevilla debut on 1 September, providing an assist for Kévin Gameiro's first goal in a 2–2 draw with Málaga CF.[8] On 27 October, Mbia provided assists for both Ivan Rakitić and Jairo Samperio, as Sevilla overcame 10-man CA Osasuna 2–1.[9] His first goal in Spain came in the Seville derby against Real Betis on 24 November, heading in Sevilla's second goal of an eventual 4–0 win.[10]

He scored with a back-heel in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against compatriots Valencia CF on 24 April 2014 in an eventual 2–0 home win.[11] In the second leg on 1 May, he scored a headed winning away goal in the fourth minute of added time to take Sevilla into the final.[12] Sevilla subsequently won the final in a shootout against S.L. Benfica at the Juventus Stadium in Turin on 14 May, with Mbia converting his penalty kick, after the match had finished 0—0.[13] On 3 June, Mbia was selected to the 18-man Europa League "Team of the Year" along with teammates Ivan Rakitić, Nicolás Pareja and Beto.[14] At the LFP Awards, he was a nominee for the league's best African player, alongside the Granada CF duo of Yacine Brahimi and Youssef El-Arabi.[15]

On 31 August 2014, Mbia rejoined Sevilla on permanent basis.[16] He scored his first goal of the season on 18 September, heading in a cross from Gerard Deulofeu as Sevilla started the defense of their title with a 2–0 win over Feyenoord.[17] Mbia netted a brace as Sevilla earned a comfortable 4–1 victory over Deportivo de La Coruña at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on 5 October.[18]

International career

Mbia played international football at junior level for Cameroon. He was part of the Cameroon squad that competed in the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland, where his side were eliminated in the group stage.[19]

He made his debut for the Cameroon national team in 2005. He was part of the squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, where Mbia scored twice against Tunisia in the quarter-finals.[20]

Mbia was part of the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Olympics in China, playing in all four of his teams matches, and scoring once against Honduras.[21] Mbia was also selected to represent Cameroon at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola[22] and the World Cup in South Africa.[23]

On 2 June 2014, Mbia was included by Cameroon manager Volker Finke in the final 23-man squad for the World Cup in Brazil.[24]

On 26 August 2014, it was announced that Mbia has replaced Samuel Eto'o as captain of the national team.

Personal life

Mbia is the older brother of footballer Franck Etoundi, who currently plays for FC Zürich of the Swiss Super League.[25]

Mbia holds a French passport, having previously resided in the country for more than five years.

Career statistics

Club

As of 30 January 2013
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rennes 2004–05 Ligue 1 1000000010
2005–06 220000030250
2006–07 301000000301
2007–08 253000041294
2008–09 270511021352
Total 10545110921207
Marseille 2009–10 Ligue 1 272102070372
2010–11 261104060371
2011–12 152102050232
2012–13 1000003040
Total 69530802101015
Queens Park Rangers 2012–13 Premier League 2902010—320
Sevilla 2013–14 La Liga 203200082305
Career total 2231212110038428317

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 3 June 2007 Antoinette Tubman Stadium, Monrovia, Liberia  Liberia
0 – 1
1 – 2
 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2. 4 February 2008 Tamale Stadium, Tamale, Ghana  Tunisia
0 – 1
2 – 3
 2008 Africa Cup of Nations – Quarter-finals
3.
2 – 3

Honours

Rennes
Marseille
Sevilla

Individual

References

  1. ↑ BBC SPORT | Football | African | Baros in racism row over Mbia. BBC News (20 April 2007). Retrieved on 2011-12-03.
  2. ↑ BBC SPORT | Football | African | Baros banned for Mbia incident. BBC News (4 May 2007). Retrieved on 2011-12-03.
  3. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: STEPHANE SEALS SWITCH". QPR. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: BARTON JOINS MARSEILLE". QPR. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  5. ↑ "Mikel Arteta's late winner ended bottom-club Queens Park Rangers' resistance as Arsenal finished a turbulent week with a vital victory.". BBC Sport. 27 October 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  6. ↑ "Mbia sent off versus Arsenal; match report 27 October 2012".
  7. ↑ "QPR midfielder Stephane Mbia joins Sevilla on loan". BBC Sport. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Gameiro double thwarts Málaga". ESPNFC. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "Sevilla see off 10-man Osasuna". ESPNFC. 27 October 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Sevilla ease to victory over Betis". ESPNFC. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Sevilla 2–0 Valencia". BBC Sport. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  12. ↑ "Sevilla advance with last-gasp winner". ESPNFC. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  13. ↑ "Spot-on Sevilla leave Benfica dreams in tatters". UEFA. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "UEFA Europa League squad of the season". UEFA. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "gala de premios LFP 2013/14" [LFP Awards show 2013/14] (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "STÉPHANE MBIA NUEVO JUGADOR DEL SEVILLA FC". Sevilla FC. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "Quick-fire Sevilla catch Feyenoord cold". UEFA. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  18. ↑ "Mbia double sinks Depor". ESPNFC. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  19. ↑ Mbia: The place to be. Fifa.com. Retrieved on 2011-12-03.
  20. ↑ "Tunisia 2–3 Cameroon". The Guardian. 4 February 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  21. ↑ Stéphane Mbia – FIFA competition record
  22. ↑ "Cameroon omit defender Sebastien Bassong from squad". BBC. 23 December 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  23. ↑ "World Cup 2010: Cameroon finalise World Cup squad". BBC Sport. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  24. ↑ "Eto'o, Song headline Cameroon's final 23". FIFA. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  25. ↑ "Franck Etoundi, vainqueur de la coupe de Suisse" (in French). Lion Indomptable. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.

External links