Carlos Baleba

Carlos Baleba

Personal information
Full name	Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba
Date of birth	(2004-01-03) 3 January 2004 (age 20)
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	37	(1)
International career‡
2024–	Cameroon	5	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:29, 9 November 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

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

Lille

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

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

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

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

Club

As of match played 9 November 2024 ^[24]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

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	9	1	0	0	2	1	—		11	2
	Total		36	1	3	0	3	1	6	0	48	2
Career total			70	2	5	0	3	1	6	0	84	3

1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 11 October 2024

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Cameroon	2024	5	0
Total		5	0

References

1. "Carlos Baleba". LOSC (in French). Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
2. Pousset, Maxime (24 January 2023). "Dans les pas de Carlos Baleba". LOSC (in French). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
3. "Carlos Baleba est Lillois". efbc-cm.com. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
4. "Carlos Baleba, un nouveau Camerounais au LOSC". LOSC (in French). 14 January 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Da Rocha, Joseph (14 January 2022). "Officiel : Carlos Baleba et Joffrey Bazié rejoignent le LOSC". Le Petit Lillois (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
8. 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.
9. "LOSC : Carlos Baleba, la très belle révélation de la préparation". La Voix du Nord (in French). 1 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
10. Bja, Rayan (31 July 2022). "Carlos Baleba, le milieu qui monte au LOSC". Le Petit Lillois (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
11. Marouby, Corentin (7 August 2022). "Lille 4-1 Auxerre, Ligue 1, résultat et résumé du match". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
12. 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.
13. Lasseron, Arthur (8 August 2022). "Paulo Fonseca (LOSC) : " C'est très important de démarrer fort "". Le 11 HDF (in French). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
14. Hanson, Charlie (29 August 2023). "Carlos Baleba joins Albion from Lille". Brighton & Hove Albion . Retrieved 29 August 2023.
15. 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.
16. "Lille to retain 15% sell-on clause in departure of Carlos Baleba to Brighton". OneFootball . 28 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
17. Lafont, Romain (28 August 2023). "Transferts : Carlos Baleba (Lille) à Brighton, c'est imminent". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 29 August 2023.
18. 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.
19. https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/3698892/mitoma-magic-as-albion-pick-off-the-cherries ^{[ bare URL ]}
20. Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. (8 October 2023). "Team News for Liverpool 08.10.2023". X.com. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
21. The BBC (18 September 2024). "Brighton defeat Wolves to move forward in the EFL Cup". BBC.com. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
22. 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.
23. "Cameroon v Cape Verde game report". ESPN. 8 June 2024.
24. Carlos Baleba at Soccerway

External links

• Carlos Baleba at Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
• Carlos Baleba at Premier League
• Carlos Baleba at Soccerway
• Carlos Baleba at Athletic updates