Aristote Nsiala

Aristote Nsiala

Nsiala on his Ipswich Town debut in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Aristote Nsiala [1]
Date of birth	(1992-03-25) 25 March 1992 (age 32) [2]
Place of birth	Kinshasa, Zaire
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) [2]
Position(s)	Centre back
Team information
Current team	Shrewsbury Town
Number	22
Youth career
2007–2009	Everton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009–2012	Everton	0	(0)
2010–2011	→ Macclesfield Town (loan)	10	(0)
2011–2012	→ Accrington Stanley (loan)	19	(0)
2012–2013	Accrington Stanley	17	(0)
2013–2014	Southport	19	(1)
2014–2016	Grimsby Town	79	(1)
2016–2017	Hartlepool United	21	(1)
2017–2018	Shrewsbury Town	65	(4)
2018–2022	Ipswich Town	63	(1)
2019–2020	→ Bolton Wanderers (loan)	12	(0)
2022–2023	Fleetwood Town	38	(1)
2024	Burton Albion	11	(1)
2024-	Shrewsbury Town	7	(1)
International career‡
2012	DR Congo	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:26, 12 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:54, 15 March 2019 (UTC)

Aristote Nsiala (born 25 March 1992), known as Toto Nsiala, is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as a centre back for EFL League One club Shrewsbury Town. He has also represented DR Congo at international level.

After graduating from the youth academy of Everton in 2009, Nsiala spent time on loan at Macclesfield Town and Accrington Stanley, before joining Accrington Stanley permanently in May 2012. He was released by Accrington in January 2013. He joined Southport in January 2014, before joining Grimsby Town in June 2014. After winning the 2016 National League play-off final he joined Hartlepool United, staying there for six months before a switch to Shrewsbury Town. Following defeat in the 2018 EFL League One play-off final he signed for Ipswich Town.

Early life

Nsiala was born in Kinshasa in 1992, but moved to Paris with his mother and four siblings when he was three years old. ^[3] He and his family moved again in 2002, to Liverpool. ^{[4] [5]} He began his football career playing for youth side Kingsley United in Toxteth, ^[3] and was recruited by Everton's youth academy in 2007. ^[4]

Club career

Everton

Nsiala rose through the ranks of Everton's youth system, and featured for the reserve team from 2009 onwards. He was an unused substitute for the Everton first-team in a UEFA Europa League dead rubber against BATE Borisov on 17 December 2009. ^[6]

He was an unused sub in the Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Goodison Park on 31 March 2011, ^[7] and said that "[during] the last few minutes when I was told to get stripped off, I actually nearly wet myself!" ^[8] In May 2011, he signed a new one-year contract with Everton. ^[9]

Macclesfield Town (loan)

On 8 October 2010, Nsiala joined League Two club Macclesfield Town for a one-month-long youth loan, ^[10] and made his debut the following day in a 2–1 away defeat to Lincoln City. ^[11] His loan at Macclesfield was extended by a further two months by "Silkmen" boss Gary Simpson, ^[12] and he made 13 appearances and scored one goal during his stay at Moss Rose. ^[13] He scored his first goal in senior football on 16 November when he scored the opening goal of a 2–2 draw with Southend United in the FA Cup. ^[14]

Accrington Stanley

Nsiala was loaned out to League Two club Accrington Stanley on 6 January 2012, signing an initial one-month loan deal, ^[15] which was later extended until the end of the 2011–12 season. ^[16]

Released by Everton, ^[17] he signed for Paul Cook's Accrington Stanley in May 2012 on a one-year deal. He made twenty appearances for Accrington in the 2012–13 season, his contract was terminated by mutual consent on 10 January 2013 after he fell out of new manager Leam Richardson's first team plans. ^[18]

Free agent

He joined Torquay United on trial in July 2013, ^[19] but failed to earn a contract. He also had trials at Dundee United and Partick Thistle, but was not offered a contract with either club. While on holiday in Vietnam, he briefly played for Vietnamese clubs Ha Noi FC and TDCS Dong Thap in the V.League 2. ^[20]

Southport

Nsiala signed for Southport in January 2014, in a move that reunited him with John Coleman, his former manager at Accrington. ^[21] He scored his first goal for the Sandgrounders on 15 March, in a 4–1 win over former club Macclesfield Town at Haig Avenue. ^[22] He ended the 2013–14 season with 19 appearances to his name, helping Southport to finish two points above the relegation zone.

Grimsby Town

On 12 June 2014, Nsiala signed for Conference Premier side Grimsby Town on a one-year contract. ^{[23] [24]} He made his debut in the 0–0 stalemate to Bristol Rovers on the opening day of the season. ^[25] He missed just six league games of the 2014–15 season as Paul Hurst's Mariners came 3rd in the Conference, and secured a play-off spot. ^[26] Following a hamstring injury to Josh Gowling, Nsiala reverted to his favored centre-back position in the 2015 Conference Premier play-off final against Bristol Rovers at Wembley on 17 May 2015; following a 1–1 draw after extra time, Grimsby lost 5–3 in a penalty shoot-out. ^[27]

On 3 June 2015, Nsiala agreed a new one-year deal with the club. ^[28] Nsiala's first goal for the club came on 11 August 2015 in the second game of the 2015–16 season, scoring the 4th goal in 4–1 thrashing of Barrow, a scramble in the box and Nsiala dived into a challenge to flick it home. ^[29]

Nsiala played in Grimsby's 3–1 victory over Forest Green Rovers in the 2016 National League play-off final at Wembley, seeing Grimsby promoted to League Two after a six-year absence from the Football League. ^{[30] [31]}

Hartlepool United

Nsiala joined Hartlepool United in June 2016 on a two-year deal, having turned down a new contract at Grimsby Town. ^{[32] [33]} Nsiala scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 loss to Notts County on 20 August 2016. ^[34] A week later he was sent off for deliberate handball in a 2–2 draw with Newport County. ^[35] Nsiala was sent off again on 31 August 2016 in an EFL Trophy tie against Notts County, though this time it was expected to be a case of mistaken identity. ^[36]

Shrewsbury Town

Six months into his contract at Hartlepool, Nsiala joined League One side Shrewsbury Town for an undisclosed fee on 1 January 2017, signing a deal until summer 2019. The move reunited him with Paul Hurst who had previously managed him at Grimsby. ^[37] He was sent off 53 minutes into his Shrewsbury debut, having been deemed to have fouled Luke Norris in a 1–1 draw away at Swindon Town, ^[38] although the red card was later rescinded on appeal. ^[39] Nsiala scored his first goal for the club – a 90th minute match-winning header against AFC Wimbledon – on 18 February to earn his side a fourth successive home victory. ^[40] In his first half-season he established a strong defensive partnership with the experienced left-sided centre-back Mat Sadler to help steer Shrewsbury away from relegation danger. ^[41]

Ipswich Town

After putting in transfer requests, Nsiala and Jon Nolan signed for Ipswich Town on 8 August 2018 for a combined fee of £2 million, reuniting with their former Grimsby and Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst, with both players signing three-year contracts with the option of an additional year's extension. ^[42] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 loss at Sheffield Wednesday on 25 August 2018, however he was later sent off in the same match. ^[43] He made 24 appearances in all competitions during his first season at Portman Road, scoring once. ^[44]

Nsiala suffered a hamstring injury during a friendly match against Fortuna Düsseldorf in the pre-season of the 2019–20 season. He returned to first-team action on 8 October 2019, starting in a 4–0 home win over Gillingham at Portman Road in a group stage match of the EFL Trophy. ^[45]

On 10 May 2021, Ipswich announced that they had taken up the option to extend Nsiala's contract by an additional year, keeping him under contract until 2022. ^[46]

Bolton Wanderers (loan)

On 10 January 2020, Nsiala joined Bolton Wanderers on loan for the remainder of the 2019–20 season. ^[47]

Fleetwood Town

On 14 January 2022, Nsiala joined Fleetwood Town on a permanent deal. ^[48] He signed a new two-year contract with the club at the end of the 2021–22 season. ^[49]

Nsiala left Fleetwood Town on 30 November 2023, by mutual consent. ^[50]

Burton Albion

On 9 February 2024, Nsiala joined League One club Burton Albion on a short-term contract until the end of the season. ^[51]

International career

Eligible to play for DR Congo, England, Scotland and Wales, ^[52] Nsiala was first called up by Wales to their under-19 training squad in July 2009. ^[53]

He made his international debut for DR Congo in a qualifier for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations against the Seychelles on 15 June 2012, coming on as a substitute for Diego Kazadi Mutombo in a 3–0 victory. ^[54]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 1 January 2023

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Everton	2009–10 [55]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2010–11 [56]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2011–12 [57]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Macclesfield Town (loan)	2010–11 [56]	League Two	10	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	13	1
Accrington Stanley (loan)	2011–12 [57]	League Two	19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	19	0
Accrington Stanley	2012–13 [58]	League Two	17	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	20	0
	Total		36	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	39	0
Southport	2013–14 [59]	Conference Premier	19	1	0	0	—		0	0	19	1
Grimsby Town	2014–15 [60] [61]	Conference Premier	40	0	2	0	—		5 [lower-alpha 1]	0	47	0
	2015–16 [62] [61]	National League	39	1	3	0	—		7 [lower-alpha 2]	0	49	1
	Total		79	1	5	0	0	0	12	0	96	1
Hartlepool United	2016–17 [63]	League Two	21	1	2	0	1	0	1 [lower-alpha 3]	0	25	1
Shrewsbury Town	2016–17 [63]	League One	21	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	1
	2017–18 [64]	League One	44	3	4	0	1	0	9 [lower-alpha 4]	0	58	3
	Total		65	4	4	0	1	0	9	0	79	4
Ipswich Town	2018–19 [44]	Championship	22	1	1	0	1	0	—		24	1
	2019–20 [65]	League One	3	0	3	0	0	0	3 [lower-alpha 3]	0	9	0
	2020–21 [66]	League One	27	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	30	0
	2021–22 [67]	League One	11	0	3	0	0	0	1 [lower-alpha 3]	0	15	0
	Total		63	1	8	0	3	0	4	0	78	1
Bolton Wanderers (loan)	2019–20 [65]	League One	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
Fleetwood Town	2021–22 [67]	League One	20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	0
	2022–23 [68]	League One	18	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	21	0
	Total		38	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	41	0
Career total			343	8	25	1	7	0	27	0	402	9

1. Two appearances in FA Trophy, three in Conference Premier play-offs
2. Four appearances in FA Trophy, three in National League play-offs
3. Appearance in EFL Trophy
4. Six appearances in EFL Trophy, three in League One play-offs

International

As of match played 17 June 2012 ^[61]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
DR Congo	2012	1	0
Total		1	0

Honours

Grimsby Town

• National League play-offs: 2016 ^[69]
• FA Trophy runner-up: 2015–16 ^[70]

Shrewsbury Town

• EFL Trophy runner-up: 2017–18 ^[71]

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Ipswich Town" (PDF). English Football League. p. 34. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
2. "Aristote Nsiala: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
3. "Everton's teenage defender Toto Nsiala is keen to fight for a Goodison career when he returns from successful loan spell at Accrington Stanley". Liverpool Echo. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
4. "Aristote Nsiala player profile". evertonfc.com. Everton FC. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
5. "Macclesfield sign Everton defender Aristote Nsiala". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
6. "Everton 0 – 1 BATE Borisov". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
7. "Everton v Aston Villa" . Retrieved 9 June 2014.
8. O'Keefe, Greg (4 June 2011). "Enthusiasm of excitable Nsiala is a real tonic". Liverpool Echo . Retrieved 9 June 2014.
9. "New Deal For Young Pair". Everton F.C. 31 May 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
10. "Nsiala joins Macc on loan". Evertonfc.com. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
11. "Lincoln City 2 – 1 Macclesfield". BBC Sport. 9 October 2010. Archived from the original on 9 October 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
12. "Nsiala loan extended". evertonfc.com. Everton FC. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
13. "Nsiala set for loan return". evertonfc.com. Everton FC. 3 January 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
14. "Southend 2–2 Macclesfield". BBC Sport . 16 November 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
15. "Everton's Aristote Nsiala joins Accrington Stanley". BBC Sport. 5 January 2012.
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17. "Six players released". evertonfc.com. Everton FC. 18 May 2012. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
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20. Cox, Lewis (8 September 2017). "Shrewsbury's Toto Nsiala battles strikers – and lack of self-belief". Shropshire Star. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
21. "Transfer window: Southport sign defender Aristote Nsiala". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
22. "Southport 4 – 1 Macclesfield". BBC Sport . 15 March 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
23. "Defender Arrives". Grimsby Town Football Club. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
24. "Grimsby Town sign Southport defender Aristote Nsiala". BBC Sport. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
25. "Bristol Rovers 0–0 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 9 August 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
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27. "Bristol Rovers 1–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
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29. "Grimsby 4–1 Barrow". BBC Sport. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
30. "Forest Green 1–3 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
31. "Grimsby secure promotion back to Football League at Wembley". Sky Sports. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
32. "Aristote Nsiala leaves Grimsby Town for Hartlepool United". Sky Sports. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
33. "Toto Nsiala joins Hartlepool after rejecting Town". Grimsby Telegraph. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
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35. "Hartlepool 2–2 Newport County". BBC Sport. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
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39. "Aristote Nsiala: Shrewsbury Town successful in appeal at defender's red card". BBC Sport. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
40. "Shrewsbury Town 2–1 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport. 18 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
41. "Mat Sadler stars at Shrewsbury Town end of season awards". Shropshire Star. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
42. Warren, Andy (8 August 2018). "Blues complete signing of Shrewsbury duo Nolan and Nsiala in combined £2m deal". East Anglian Daily Times. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
43. "Sheffield Wednesday 2–1 Ipswich". BBC Sport. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
44. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
45. "Town 4–0 Gillingham". Ipswich Town. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
46. "Options Taken Up on Five". Ipswich Town F.C. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
47. "Toto Joins Bolton on Loan". Ipswich Town F.C. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
48. "Defender Toto Nsiala becomes latest addition for the Cods". www.fleetwoodtownfc.com. 14 January 2022.
49. "Nsiala agrees new two-year contract with Fleetwood". www.fleetwoodtownfc.com. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
50. "Toto Nsiala departs Fleetwood Town". www.fleetwoodtownfc.com. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
51. "BURTON ALBION SIGN DEFENDER TOTO NSIALA". www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
52. "Aristote Nsiala academy profile". evertonfc.com. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
53. "Welsh Football News – Under 19". DragonSoccer.co.uk. 10 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 October 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
54. "DR Congo vs. Seychelles". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
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56. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
57. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
58. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
59. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
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62. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
63. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
64. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
65. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
66. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
67. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
68. "Games played by Aristote Nsiala in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
69. "Forest Green Rovers 1–3 Grimsby Town". BBC Sport. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
70. Alan Smith (22 May 2016). "Scott McManus strikes for Halifax to beat Grimsby in FA Trophy final". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
71. Scott, Ged (8 April 2018). "Lincoln City 1–0 Shrewsbury Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

External links

• Aristote Nsiala profile at the Ipswich Town F.C. website
• Aristote Nsiala at National-Football-Teams.com
• Aristote Nsiala at Soccerway
• Aristote Nsiala at Soccerbase