Béni Badibanga

Béni Badibanga Diata (born 19 February 1996) is a Belgian footballer who plays for Forge FC in the Canadian Premier League. He spent most of his career in Belgium, with over 100 appearances in the Belgian top flight and has also played professionally in Morocco and Canada.[1]

In this Congolese name, the surname is Badibanga and the post-surname is Diata.
Béni Badibanga
Personal information
Full name Béni Badibanga Diata
Date of birth (1996-02-19) 19 February 1996
Place of birth Duffel, Belgium
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Forge FC
Number 39
Youth career
2004–2005 RRC de Waterloo
2005–2008 RCS Brainois
2008–2011 AFC Tubize
2011–2015 Standard Liège
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 Standard Liège 27 (1)
2017 → Roda JC (loan) 6 (0)
2018 → Lierse (loan) 10 (0)
2018–2020 Waasland-Beveren 53 (4)
2020–2021 Excel Mouscron 26 (0)
2022 Raja Casablanca 8 (1)
2022–2023 RAAL La Louvière 22 (9)
2023– Forge FC 10 (2)
International career‡
2015 Belgium U19 5 (0)
2015 Belgium U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 November 2015

Early life

Badibanga began playing youth football with RRC de Waterloo.[2] He then joined RCS Brainois.[3] At age 12, he joined AFC Tubize.[2] When he was 14, he was approached by Standard Liège, but chose not to join as he was not yet mentally prepared to leave home.[2] The following year, he was approached again by Standard Liège as well as Anderlecht, and chose to join Standard Liège, as his brother played at Anderlecht and he did not want to be in his shadow.[2]

Club career

In February 2015, he signed a professional contract with the Standard Liège first team.[4][5] On 25 July 2015, he made his senior debut against KV Kortrijk in a league match.[6] In January 2017, he went on loan with Dutch Eredivisie club Roda JC.[7] At the end of January 2018, he was loaned to Lierse in the Belgian First Division B.[8] He left Standard Liège in the summer of 2018, having scored one goal and adding two assists in 37 appearances.[9]

In July 2018, he signed with Belgian First Division A side Waasland-Beveren.[10][11]

In July 2020, Badibanga joined Belgian Pro League club Royal Excel Mouscron.[12][13]

In January 2022, he signed with Moroccan club Raja Casablanca in the Botola.[14] In August 2022, he terminated his contract with the club by mutual consent.[15]

In September 2022, he signed with RAAL La Louvière in the third tier Belgian National Division 1.[16] In December 2022, it was announced that he would leave the club and would not play in the second half of the season.[17][18] His departure was finalized in May 2023.[19]

In July 2023, Badibanga signed with Canadian Premier League club Forge FC.[20][21] He made his debut for the club on 4 August 2023, in a substitute appearance against Cavalry FC.[22] On 19 August, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against the HFX Wanderers.[23][24]

International career

Born in Belgium, Badibanga is of Congolese descent and is eligible for both national sides.[25]

In 2015, he played for Belgium U19 in the 2015 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification and Belgium U21 in the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification.[26]

He was called up by the DR Congo national team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.[27]

Personal life

He is the son of Samy Badibanga, the former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[28] He also works as a fashion model for American brand Fashion Nova.[29]

References
  1. Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre (20 September 2023). "AGR's High Press: How the midseason signing of Béni Badibanga instigated Forge's turnaround". OneSoccer.
  2. Juillard, Patrick (9 September 2020). "Beni Badibanga : « La RDC, un choix définitif »" [Beni Badibanga: "The DRC, a definitive choice"]. Football 365 (in French).
  3. Kadina, Scott (15 September 2019). "Béni Badibanga : «Je soutiens mes aînés dès que j'en ai l'occasion»" [Béni Badibanga : " I support my elders whenever I have the opportunity "]. Leopard Leader (in French).
  4. Akouete, Isidore (19 February 2015). "Standard : Beni Badibanga passe pro" [Standard : Beni Badibanga turns pro]. Africa Top Sports (in French).
  5. "Beni Badibanga passe pro au Standard" [Beni Badibanga turns pro at Standard]. RTBF (in French).
  6. "Foot portrait : Découvrez Beni Badibanga – une autre etoile Congolaise !!!" [Foot portrait: Discover Beni Badibanga – another Congolese star!!!]. Voila (in French).
  7. Akouete, Isidore (27 January 2017). "Beni Badibanga : Le Belgo-Congolaise prêté au Pays-Bas" [Beni Badibanga: The Belgian-Congolese loaned to the Netherlands]. Africa Top Sports (in French).
  8. "Le Standard prête Beni Badibanga au Lierse" [Standard lends Beni Badibanga to Lierse]. RTBF (in French).
  9. Ghislain, Pierre (3 May 2020). "Ce qu'il a manqué à Beni Badibanga au Standard" [What Beni Badibanga missed at Standard]. Walfoot (in French).
  10. Lizin, Cédric (2 July 2018). "Beni Badibanga quitte définitivement le Standard et signe à Waasland-Beveren" [Beni Badibanga leaves Standard for good and signs for Waasland-Beveren]. RTBF (in French).
  11. "Beni Badibanga naar Waasland-Beveren" [Beni Badibanga to Waasland-Beveren]. Standard Liège (in Dutch). 3 July 2018.
  12. "Officiel: Beni Badibanga signe aussi à l'Excel Mouscron" [Official: Beni Badibanga also signs for Excel Mouscron]. Le Soir (in French). 20 July 2020.
  13. "Beni Badibanga devrait rejoindre l'Excel Mouscron" [Beni Badibanga should join Excel Mouscron]. L'Avenir (in French). 18 July 2020.
  14. "Beni Badibanga rejoint le Raja de Marc Wilmots" [Beni Badibanga joins Marc Wilmots' Raja]. RTL Info (in French). 31 January 2022.
  15. Ichi, Abderrahman (16 August 2022). "Transferts : séparation à l'amiable entre le Raja et les joueurs Beni Badibanga et Kadima Kabango" [Transfers: amicable separation between Raja and players Beni Badibanga and Kadima Kabango]. Le Matin (in French).
  16. Bourlon, Antoine (20 September 2022). "Officiel : un ancien du Standard rejoint la RAAL" [Official: a former Standard member joins the RAAL]. Walfoot (in French).
  17. "N1 - Beni Badibanga n'est plus un joueur de la RAAL: «Il y a eu des divergences» (+ point mercato)" [N1 - Beni Badibanga is no longer a RAAL player: “There were differences” (+ mercato point)]. SudInfo (in French). 30 December 2022.
  18. Dumont, Nathalie (30 December 2022). "Beni Badibanga (ex-Standard, ex-Mouscron) and RAAL, it's over" [Beni Badibanga (ex-Standard, ex-Mouscron) et la RAAL, c’est fini]. La Dernière Heure (in French).
  19. Dumont, Nathalie (31 May 2023). "La RAAL officialise neuf départs dont Beni Badibanga" [The RAAL formalizes nine departures including Beni Badibanga]. La Dernière Heure (in French).
  20. "Forge FC sign international attacker Beni Badibanga". Forge FC. 27 July 2023.
  21. Jacques, John (27 July 2023). "Forge Adds Belgian Forward Beni Badibanga". Northern Tribune.
  22. Tierney, Mitchell (4 August 2023). "Highlights: Cavalry FC 3-0 Forge FC — CPL Match #70". Canadian Premier League.
  23. Palermo, Adam (21 August 2023). "Canadian Premier League weekly roundup: CPL Matchday 20 — Vancouver FC bag shock BC derby win, Cavalry back on top". Waking the Red.
  24. O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (19 August 2023). "Match Analysis: Badibanga stunner bags point for Forge vs. Halifax Wanderers". Canadian Premier League.
  25. Bisimwa Mirindi, Jean-Claude (10 September 2020). "Entre les Diables Rouges et Léopards, Beni Badibanga fait un choix de cœur !" [Between the Red Devils and Leopards, Beni Badibanga makes a heartfelt choice!]. Leopards Actu (in French).
  26. "The Daily Drool: Beni Badibanga". Headbands and Heartbreak. 4 September 2017.
  27. "CAN 2021 (Q) : la liste élargie de la RDC contre l'Angola avec Disasi !" [CAN 2021 (Q): the extended list of the DRC against Angola with Disasi] (in French). Afrik-foot. 6 March 2020.
  28. "Le premier ministre de la RDC Samy Badibanga est le père d'un international Belge du Standard de Liège" [DRC Prime Minister Samy Badibanga is the father of a Belgian international from Standard de Liège]. Ba Sanga Ya Congo Kinshasa (in French). 18 November 2016.
  29. Milton, Steve (21 September 2023). "The creative life of a Forge attacker". The Hamilton Spectator.
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