Michel-Ange Balikwisha

Michel-Ange Balikwisha (born 10 May 2001) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Royal Antwerp.[1]

Michel-Ange Balikwisha
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-05-10) 10 May 2001
Place of birth Ghent, Belgium
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Antwerp
Number 10
Youth career
0000–2014 Anderlecht
2014–2020 Standard Liège
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Standard Liège 32 (9)
2021– Antwerp 74 (11)
International career‡
2017 Belgium U16 4 (1)
2018 Belgium U17 5 (1)
2019 Belgium U18 1 (0)
2019 Belgium U19 3 (0)
2021–2023 Belgium U21 10 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:48, 25 June 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Balikwisha made his professional debut for Standard Liège on 20 September 2020 in a Belgian First Division A game against KV Kortrijk.[2]

Royal Antwerp

On4 July 2021, Balikwisha joined Royal Antwerp on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee.[3]

He was part of the squad that won a domestic double during the 2022–23 season, including the club's first league title in 66 years.[4]

On 23 July 2023, Balikwisha scored a goal in the Belgian Super Cup against Mechelen. Antwerp would win on penalties to claim the trophy for the first time in their history.[5]

On 30 August 2023, he helped the club secure a spot in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever, by scoring a goal in the second leg of their 3–1 aggregate victory over AEK Athens in the play-off round.[6] He scored in Antwerp's first home match in the Champions League proper on 4 October, putting his side 2–0 up against Shakhtar Donetsk, but would squander the lead and fall to a 2–3 defeat.[7]

International career

Born in Belgium, Balikwisha is of Congolese descent. He is a youth international for Belgium.[8]

Personal life

Balikwisha is the brother of the footballer William Balikwisha.[9]

Career statistics

Club
As of matches played 4 October 2023[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Belgian Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Standard Liège 2020–21 Belgian Pro League 329206[lower-alpha 1]0–409
Royal Antwerp 2021–22 Belgian Pro League 324105[lower-alpha 1]1–335
2022–23 Belgian Pro League 337524[lower-alpha 2]1–4210
2023–24 Belgian Pro League 90004[lower-alpha 3]21[lower-alpha 4]1143
Total 741162134118918
Career total 10620821941112927
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. Appearance in Belgian Super Cup

Honours

Royal Antwerp

References
  1. Michel-Ange Balikwisha at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  2. "Résultat Standard de Liège - KV Courtrai, Championnat de Belgique, 6e journée, Dimanche 20 Septembre 2020". L'Équipe (in French). 20 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  3. "Nu ook officieel: Michel-Ange Balikwisha krijgt zijn zin en ruilt Standard voor Antwerp" (in Dutch). nieuwsblad.be. 4 July 2021.
  4. "Alderweireld earns Royal Antwerp first Belgian league title in 66 years". The Guardian. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  5. "Antwerp wint nu ook de Supercup! KV Mechelen plooit pas na strafschoppen" (in Dutch). Sporza. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  6. "Antwerp make history after qualifying for Champions League group stages for first time". Brussels Times. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  7. "Antwerp 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 3 - Highlights". BEIN Sports. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  8. "Foot-Belgique: Deux léopards sauvent le Standard de Liège". 27 September 2020.
  9. "Foot-Belgique: deux léopards sauvent le Standard de Liège". 27 September 2020.
  10. "Royal Antwerp win first Belgian title in 66 years after Toby Alderweireld's stoppage-time equaliser". BBC. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.


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