1. Early life and background
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Akolo left his home country at the age of 14 with his family due to widespread political upheaval. Their journey involved crossing the Mediterranean Sea before they eventually arrived in Switzerland. It was in Switzerland that Akolo's football talent was recognized. He initially joined the youth academy of FC Bex before moving to FC Sion, a prominent club in the Swiss Super League, where he continued his development. Akolo stands at 70 in (178 cm) and weighs 154 lb (70 kg).
2. Career
Chadrac Akolo's professional football career spans several clubs across Switzerland, Germany, and France, in addition to his international commitments with the DR Congo national team.
2.1. Club career
Akolo began his senior career at FC Sion in Switzerland. Between 2014 and 2017, he made 58 appearances for the club, scoring 18 goals, establishing himself as a promising talent. During this period, on 1 February 2016, Akolo was loaned to Neuchâtel Xamax until the end of the 2015-16 season, where he played 16 matches and scored 9 goals.
On 9 July 2017, Akolo signed a four-year deal with German club VfB Stuttgart, a significant move in his career. He spent two seasons with Stuttgart, appearing in 38 matches and scoring 5 goals before departing.
In July 2019, Akolo moved to Amiens SC in France. He spent three seasons with Amiens, making 61 appearances and scoring 10 goals. During his time at Amiens, he had a loan spell at German club SC Paderborn in February 2021, playing in 8 matches and scoring 1 goal for them until the end of the 2020-21 season.
On 3 July 2022, Akolo returned to Switzerland, signing a two-year contract with FC St. Gallen. He wears the number 77 shirt. As of late 2023 and early 2024, he has become a key player for St. Gallen, contributing significantly to their performance in the Swiss Super League.
2.2. International career
Akolo made his senior debut for the DR Congo national football team on 5 September 2017, in a 2-2 draw against Tunisia during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
He was selected to represent the DR Congo at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt. During the tournament, Akolo participated in two matches. On 30 June, he started in the match against Zimbabwe, playing 83 minutes before being substituted. He also started in the round of 16 match against Madagascar on 7 July, playing for 70 minutes before being replaced. DR Congo was ultimately eliminated from the tournament in a penalty shootout in that match. He has scored two international goals for his country. His first goal came on 13 October 2019 in a friendly against Ivory Coast, and his second was on 7 October 2021 in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Madagascar.
3. Career statistics
The following tables detail Chadrac Akolo's career statistics for both his club and international appearances, including goals scored.
3.1. Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Amiens | 2019-20 | Ligue 2 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| 2020-21 | Ligue 2 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 14 | 2 | ||
| 2021-22 | Ligue 2 | 33 | 6 | 5 | 4 | - | 38 | 10 | ||
| Total | 61 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 68 | 14 | ||
| Paderborn (loan) | 2020-21 | 2. Bundesliga | 8 | 1 | - | - | 8 | 1 | ||
| St. Gallen | 2022-23 | Swiss Super League | 32 | 7 | 3 | 5 | - | 35 | 12 | |
| 2023-24 | Swiss Super League | 18 | 8 | 1 | 1 | - | 19 | 9 | ||
| Total | 50 | 15 | 4 | 6 | - | 54 | 21 | |||
| Career total | 119 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 130 | 36 | ||
3.2. International statistics
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 October 2019 | Stade de la Licorne, Amiens, France | Ivory Coast | 1-2 | 1-3 | Friendly |
| 2 | 7 October 2021 | Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo | Madagascar | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
4. Honours
Individual
- Swiss Cup top scorer: 2022-23 (shared)