Biography
Who is Chancel Mbemba?
Early life and professional beginnings
Born in Kinshasa, Chancel is one of nine children. His mother, Antoinette, played basketball for the DR Congo women's national team. Chancel began his youth career in his home city, playing for clubs like E.S. La Grace and FC MK Etanchéité. In 2012, he moved to Belgium to join Anderlecht. He spent time with the reserve and youth squads before breaking into the first team.
During his debut season of 2013–14, he played 35 league games and scored five goals as Anderlecht won the Belgian Pro League. He was an unused substitute in the 2013 Belgian Super Cup victory against Genk and later played in the 2014 edition. During his time in Belgium, he requested a bone scan to address media speculation regarding his date of birth.
European club career
In July 2015, Chancel Mbemba signed a five-year contract with Newcastle United in the Premier League. He made his league debut against Southampton and scored his only goal for the club during a 3–0 win against Barnsley in May 2017, coinciding with the team clinching the EFL Championship title. Following his time in England, he moved to Porto in 2018 for a reported fee of £7.14 million.
At Porto, he secured multiple trophies, including the Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal in 2020 and 2022. He scored two goals in the 2020 Taça de Portugal final against Benfica. In July 2022, he joined Marseille on a free transfer. He scored his first goal for the French side against Nantes in August 2022. After his contract expired in 2025, he signed with Lille and subsequently joined the Saudi Pro League club Al-Diriyah in August 2026.
International achievements
Chancel made his international debut for the DR Congo on 17 June 2012 during a match against the Seychelles. He was part of the squad that finished third at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. His first international goal came in October 2015 during a friendly match against Gabon. He has appeared at six Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
In November 2025, he reached a significant milestone by earning his 100th international cap, the first Congolese player to achieve this. He marked the occasion by scoring a stoppage-time winner against Cameroon in a World Cup qualifier. In May 2026, he was named in the squad selected by coach Sébastien Desabre to compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Recognitions and personal history
Throughout his career, Chancel has received several individual honors. He was named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year for the 2021–22 season and the UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year for 2022–23. He also won the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé for the 2022–23 season. His defensive contributions have been recognized by CAF, earning him a spot in their Team of the Year for 2023 and 2024.
Regarding his personal history, there have been historical reports from 2013 involving conflicting documentation about his birth year, with different sources suggesting dates ranging from 1988 to 1994. Upon joining Newcastle United, Chancel maintained that he was born in 1994 and stated that forensic proof supported this claim.
Birthday and age
Chancel Mbemba was born on August 8, 1994, which makes Chancel 32 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Chancel shares the date with 57 other famous people.
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