1. Overview
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa's career journey began in his native Cameroon, leading him to prominent European clubs and establishing him as a key figure for the national team. From his formative years in youth academies to his impactful contributions in top leagues like Ligue 1, Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A, Anguissa has developed into a highly regarded central midfielder. His career highlights include reaching a UEFA Europa League final with Olympique de Marseille, a loan spell at Villarreal CF, and most notably, winning the Serie A title with SSC Napoli. Internationally, he has consistently represented Cameroon, participating in major tournaments such as the FIFA Confederations Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, and the FIFA World Cup.
2. Early Career
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa's early football development laid the foundation for his professional career, beginning in Cameroon before his move to France.
2.1. Youth Career
Zambo Anguissa began his football journey at Coton Sport, a club in his native Cameroon. In 2014, he was loaned to the French club Stade de Reims, where he primarily played for their reserve team. Although Reims had the option to sign him permanently at the end of the 2014-15 season, they ultimately decided against it. Despite this, his time at Reims provided him with early experience in European football.
3. Professional Career
Zambo Anguissa's senior club career has seen him progress through several major European leagues, making significant impacts at each stage of his development.
3.1. Marseille
After trials with Valenciennes and Marseille, Zambo Anguissa officially joined Marseille on 31 July 2015, marking the signing of his first professional contract. Initially, he was expected to play predominantly for the reserve team, but under the guidance of then-manager Marcelo Bielsa, he was quickly promoted to the first team. Although Bielsa resigned just two weeks later, his successor, Rudi Garcia, recognized Anguissa's potential and decided to make him a regular starter.
He made his first-team debut on 17 September 2015 in a UEFA Europa League match against FC Groningen, where he provided an assist in a 3-0 victory for Marseille. Three days later, he made his Ligue 1 debut against Lyon. His consistent performances helped Marseille reach the 2018 UEFA Europa League final on 16 May 2018, where they faced Atlético Madrid at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon, France. Marseille ultimately lost the final 3-0.
3.2. Fulham
On 9 August 2018, Fulham secured the signing of Zambo Anguissa for a then-club record transfer fee. He made his debut for the club in a 3-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.
Following Fulham's relegation from the Premier League, Zambo Anguissa was loaned to Villarreal in July 2019.
3.2.1. Villarreal (loan)
Zambo Anguissa's loan spell at Villarreal began in July 2019. He made his debut for the Spanish club on 17 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a thrilling 4-4 home draw against Granada. His performances during this period were notable, and the loan agreement included a buy option for Villarreal.
3.3. Napoli
On 31 August 2021, Zambo Anguissa signed a new three-year contract with Fulham before immediately heading out on loan to Napoli for the 2021-22 season. His impact at Napoli was significant, leading the club to make his transfer permanent on 26 May 2022, purchasing his rights from Fulham.
He scored his first Champions League goal on 7 September 2022 in a dominant 4-1 victory over Liverpool. On 1 October of the same year, he netted his first Serie A goals, scoring a brace in a 3-1 win against Torino. At the culmination of the 2022-23 season, Zambo Anguissa and Napoli achieved a historic feat by winning the Serie A title, marking the club's first league championship in 33 years.
4. International Career
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa has been a consistent and vital presence for the Cameroon national team, representing his country in various significant global and continental tournaments.
4.1. Debut and Early Caps
Zambo Anguissa made his international debut for the Cameroon national team on 24 March 2017, in a friendly match against Tunisia, which Cameroon won 1-0. This marked the beginning of his journey on the international stage, where he quickly established himself as a key midfielder for the "Indomitable Lions."
4.2. Major Tournament Participation
Zambo Anguissa has participated in several major international tournaments for Cameroon:
- 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup:** He was included in Cameroon's squad for the tournament held in Russia. During the competition, he scored his first international goal in a 1-1 group stage draw against Australia. However, Cameroon finished at the bottom of their group, behind Germany, Chile, and Australia.
- 2019 Africa Cup of Nations:** In June 2019, Zambo Anguissa was named to Cameroon's squad for the tournament hosted in Egypt. Cameroon's campaign ended in the Round of 16 after a 3-2 defeat to Nigeria.
- 2021 Africa Cup of Nations:** This tournament, hosted by Cameroon in January 2022, was a significant adventure for Anguissa and his team. He featured in six of Cameroon's seven matches. Although he did not play in the third-place match against Burkina Faso, Cameroon secured third place after a dramatic comeback (3-3 draw) and a 5-3 victory in the penalty shootout.
- 2022 FIFA World Cup:** At the end of 2022, Anguissa was called up by new national team manager Rigobert Song for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He played in all three group stage matches for Cameroon. Despite a historic 1-0 victory against Brazil in their final group match, Cameroon ultimately failed to progress to the knockout stage.
4.3. International Goals and Records
Zambo Anguissa has scored 5 goals for the Cameroon national team. His international goals are as follows:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 June 2017 | Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia |  Australia | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup |
| 2 | 11 November 2017 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia |  Zambia | 1-1 | 2-2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 12 November 2020 | Stade de la Réunification, Douala, Cameroon |  Mozambique | 3-0 | 4-1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 4 | 4 June 2021 | Stadion Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria |  Nigeria | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 13 November 2021 | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa |  Malawi | 2-0 | 4-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
5. Career Statistics
This section provides detailed statistical data for André-Frank Zambo Anguissa's performances throughout his professional club and international career.
5.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Marseille | 2015-16 | Ligue 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 13 | 0 | |
| 2016-17 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 37 | 0 | |||
| 2017-18 | Ligue 1 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | - | 56 | 0 | ||
| Total | 79 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 | - | 106 | 0 | |||
| Fulham | 2018-19 | Premier League | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 38 | 0 | |||
| 2021-22 | Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 61 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 66 | 0 | ||||
| Villarreal (loan) | 2019-20 | La Liga | 36 | 2 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 39 | 2 | |||
| Napoli (loan) | 2021-22 | Serie A | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | - | 30 | 0 | ||
| Napoli | 2022-23 | Serie A | 36 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | 8 | 1 | - | 45 | 4 | ||
| 2023-24 | Serie A | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 | ||
| 2024-25 | Serie A | 26 | 5 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 28 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 121 | 8 | 3 | 0 | - | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 144 | 10 | |||
| Career total | 294 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 352 | 12 | ||
5.2. International Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 2017 | 11 | 2 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 12 | 0 | |
| Total | 63 | 5 | |
6. Honours
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa has achieved several team and individual honours throughout his career, reflecting his contributions to both his clubs and the national team.
6.1. Club Honours
- Marseille**
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2017-18
- Napoli**
- Serie A: 2022-23
6.2. International Honours
- Cameroon**
- Africa Cup of Nations third place: 2021
6.3. Individual Honours
- CAF Team of the Year: 2023
- Serie A Player of the Month: January 2025