Bright Arrey-Mbi

Bright Arrey-Mbi

Arrey-Mbi playing for Bayern Munich U19 in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Bright Akwo Arrey-Mbi
Date of birth	(2003-03-26) 26 March 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth	Kumba, Cameroon [1]
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) [2]
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Braga
Number	26
Youth career
0000–2014	SG Kaarst
2014	Norwich City
2014–2019	Chelsea
2019–2020	Bayern Munich
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2022	Bayern Munich II	34	(2)
2021–2023	Bayern Munich	0	(0)
2022	→ 1. FC Köln (loan)	0	(0)
2022	→ 1. FC Köln II (loan)	9	(0)
2022–2023	→ Hannover 96 (loan)	15	(0)
2023–2024	Hannover 96	32	(0)
2024–	Braga	17	(0)
International career‡
2016	England U15	8	(0)
2018–2019	Germany U16	6	(0)
2019–2020	Germany U17	9	(0)
2021–2022	Germany U19	9	(0)
2023–2025	Germany U21	17	(1)
Medal record Men's football Representing   Germany UEFA European Under-21 Championship Runner-up 2025 Slovakia
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10:10, 29 June 2025 (UTC)

Bright Akwo Arrey-Mbi (born 26 March 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Primeira Liga club Braga. Born in Cameroon, he has represented England and Germany at youth levels internationally.

Early life

Arrey-Mbi moved to England at age 11. ^[3] He was educated at St Thomas More School in Bedford, England. ^[4]

Club career

Bayern Munich

Bright Arrey-Mbi made his professional debut for Bayern Munich II on 19 September 2020 in a 3. Liga game against Türkgücü München. ^[5] Later he made his Champions League debut for Bayern Munich senior team on 1 December 2020 against Atlético Madrid. ^[6]

Loan to 1. FC Köln

On 30 January 2022 German sports magazine Kicker reported that Arrey-Mbi would join Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln, on loan for 18 months until 30 June 2023. ^[7]

Hannover 96

After he did not feature in any first-team matches while at the club, Bayern Munich decided to terminate the loan agreement with Köln in August 2022, he was then loaned out to 2. Bundesliga club Hannover 96 on a deal until June 2023. ^[8] He joined Hannover 96 permanently on 1 July 2023. ^[9]

Braga

On 17 July 2024, Arrey-Mbi joined Portuguese Primeira Liga club Braga for a transfer fee of €6.2 million. ^[10]

International career

Born in Cameroon, Arrey-Mbi grew up in England and Germany. ^[11] He moved to England at a young age and represented the England U15s eight times, before switching back to represent Germany internationally. ^[12] He remains eligible to play for England, Germany or Cameroon internationally. ^[13]

Style of play

Arrey-Mbi mainly operates as a centre-back and can also play as a left-back.

Career statistics

As of match played 28 August 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup [a]		League cup [b]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Bayern Munich II	2020–21	3. Liga	15	0	—		—		—		—		15	0
	2021–22	Regionalliga Bayern	19	2	—		—		—		—		19	2
	Total		34	2	—		—		—		—		34	2
Bayern Munich	2020–21	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	—		1 [c]	0	0	0	1	0
	2021–22	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	1	0
1. FC Köln (loan)	2021–22	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
	2022–23	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
1. FC Köln II (loan)	2021–22	Regionalliga West	6	0	—		—		—		—		6	0
	2022–23	Regionalliga West	3	0	—		—		—		—		3	0
	Total		9	0	—		—		—		—		9	0
Hannover 96 (loan)	2022–23	2. Bundesliga	15	0	1	0	—		—		—		16	0
Hannover 96	2023–24	2. Bundesliga	32	0	1	0	—		—		—		33	0
Braga	2024–25	Primeira Liga	14	0	2	0	1	0	10 [d]	0	—		27	0
	2025–26	Primeira Liga	2	0	0	0	0	0	3 [d]	0	—		5	0
	Total		16	0	2	0	1	0	13	0	—		32	0
Career total			106	2	4	0	1	0	13	0	0	0	124	2

1. Includes DFB-Pokal, Taça de Portugal
2. Includes Taça da Liga
3. Appearance in UEFA Champions League
4. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Germany U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2025 ^[14]

Individual

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2025 ^[15]

References

1. "Neuer Defensivspieler für 96: Bright Arrey-Mbi kommt vom FC Bayern München nach Hannover". hannover96.de. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
2. "Bright Arrey-Mbi". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
3. "16-year-old Bright Arrey-Mbi becomes the youngest player to join Bayern Munich in Qatar". bavarianfootballworks.com. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
4. "right Arrey-Mbi: From St Thomas More school to the Champions League". Bedford Independent. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
5. "Bayern München II vs. Türkgücü-Ataspor". soccerway.com. 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
6. "Atletico Madrid vs. Bayern Munich". soccerway.com. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
7. "Köln leiht Bayern-Talent Arrey-Mbi aus: Kimmichs "Biest" soll sich entwickeln". Kicker (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2022.
8. "Arrey-Mbi beendet Leihe in Köln - und wechselt nach Hannover". kicker (in German). Retrieved 30 August 2022.
9. "Hannover 96 verpflichtet Bayern-Leihgabe Arrey-Mbi fest". Kicker (in German). 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
10. "Für über 6 Millionen Euro: Arrey-Mbi verlässt Hannover gen Portugal". Kicker (in German). 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
11. Lesley, Angu (19 August 2020). "Bayern's Bright Arrey-Mbi, a son who resembles his father".^{[ permanent dead link ]}
12. "Bayern Munich sign 16-year-old Chelsea talents Jamal Musiala and Bright Arrey-Mbi". bundesliga.com. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
13. Bolton, Josh (8 December 2020). "The Bedford schoolboy playing Champions League football for Bayern Munich". HertsLive. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
14. "England 3-2 Germany (aet) highlights: Rowe header ensures Young Lions retain title". uefa.com. 28 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
15. "2025 Under-21 EURO Team of the Tournament". UEFA . 1 July 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.

External links

• Bright Arrey-Mbi at Soccerway
• Bright Arrey-Mbi at DFB (also available in German )