1. Early Life and Youth Career
Mbwana Ally Samatta was born on December 23, 1992, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He began his football career as a youth player with Tanzanian club African Lyon in 2008, where he remained until 2010 before turning professional.
2. Club Career
Mbwana Samatta's professional club career has spanned across African and European leagues, marking him as a significant figure in Tanzanian football.
2.1. African Clubs
Samatta began his professional career in Africa, establishing himself as a prolific goalscorer before moving to Europe.
2.1.1. Simba S.C.
Samatta made his professional debut with Simba S.C. in the Tanzanian Premier League in 2010. During the 2010-11 season, he made 27 appearances across all competitions, scoring 15 goals. His contributions helped Simba S.C. secure a runner-up finish in the league during that season.
2.1.2. TP Mazembe
In 2011, Samatta transferred to TP Mazembe, a dominant club in the Congolese Linafoot. He spent five impactful years with the club, becoming a first-team regular. During his tenure, he made 133 appearances, scoring 85 goals. He was instrumental in TP Mazembe's four consecutive Linafoot titles from 2011 to 2013-14, and they finished as league runners-up in the 2014-15 season.
Samatta played a crucial role in TP Mazembe's success in continental competitions. The team reached the semifinals of the 2012 CAF Champions League and the 2014 CAF Champions League, and finished as runners-up in the 2013 CAF Confederation Cup. His most significant achievement came in the 2015 CAF Champions League, where he scored seven goals, making him the competition's top scorer. He netted a memorable hat-trick against Moghreb Tétouan in the group stage to help secure a semi-final spot. He scored a goal in both legs of the final against USM Alger, leading TP Mazembe to win the title with a 4-1 aggregate score.
Following this successful campaign, Samatta participated in the FIFA Club World Cup 2015. TP Mazembe faced Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the quarter-finals, where they were defeated 0-3. His individual performances at TP Mazembe earned him significant accolades, including being named the African Inter-Club Player of the Year at the Glo-CAF Awards on January 7, 2016. He was the first player from East Africa to receive this honor, accumulating 127 points, ahead of his teammate Robert Kidiaba and Algerian Baghdad Bounedjah. He was also included in the CAF Team of the Year in 2015 and was the Linafoot Top Scorer in both 2012 and 2013-14.
2.2. European Clubs
Samatta's move to Europe marked a new chapter in his career, where he continued to demonstrate his goalscoring abilities across various leagues.
2.2.1. K.R.C. Genk (First Stint)
In January 2016, following his recognition as the best African player based in Africa, Samatta signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Belgian side K.R.C. Genk. During his initial period at Genk, he made 191 appearances, scoring 75 goals. He played a key role in helping Genk qualify for the UEFA Europa League, where they reached the quarter-finals in the 2016-17 season. On August 23, 2018, he scored a hat-trick against Brøndby IF in the Europa League, contributing to a 5-2 victory.
The 2018-19 season was particularly successful for Samatta and Genk. He led the 2018-19 Belgian First Division A in scoring with 23 goals, as Genk secured the league title, their first since the 2010-11 season. In May 2019, he was awarded the Ebony Shoe award for his outstanding performance, and also received the Belgian First Division A Golden Shoe. In the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, he scored a notable goal against Liverpool at Anfield on November 5, 2019, though Genk ultimately lost the match 1-2. He also won the 2019 Belgian Super Cup with Genk.
2.2.2. Aston Villa F.C.
On January 20, 2020, Samatta signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Premier League club Aston Villa F.C.. The transfer fee paid to Genk was reported as 8.50 M GBP. This transfer was historic, as Samatta became the first Tanzanian player to sign for a Premier League club, and subsequently, the first to play and score in the league.
He made his debut for Aston Villa eight days later in the 2019-20 EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Leicester City, a match Aston Villa won 2-1 to secure their place in the final. On February 1, 2020, Samatta scored on his league debut for Aston Villa in a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, officially marking him as the first Tanzanian to score in the Premier League. His only other goal for the club came on March 1, 2020, in the EFL Cup final against Manchester City, which Aston Villa lost 2-1, finishing as runners-up.
2.2.3. Fenerbahçe S.K.
On September 25, 2020, Samatta joined Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe S.K. on an initial loan deal until the end of the season. This move came as he faced challenges in securing a starting position at Aston Villa following the arrival of Ollie Watkins and Keinan Davis. As part of the agreement, Samatta signed a four-year permanent contract with Fenerbahçe in July 2021 after his loan spell concluded. In the 2020-21 season, he made 30 appearances for Fenerbahçe, scoring 6 goals, and contributed to the team's third-place finish in the Süper Lig. However, his playing time significantly decreased in the 2021-22 season.
2.2.4. Royal Antwerp F.C.
Due to a diminished role at Fenerbahçe, Samatta joined Belgian side Royal Antwerp F.C. on a season-long loan on September 1, 2021. During the 2021-22 season, he made 39 appearances and scored 9 goals. He played a part in Royal Antwerp's fourth-place finish in the Belgian Pro League and their subsequent qualification for the 2022-23 UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round.
2.2.5. K.R.C. Genk (Second Stint)
On August 16, 2022, Samatta returned to his former club, K.R.C. Genk, on another loan deal, which included an option to buy. In his second stint with Genk during the 2022-23 season, he made 36 appearances and scored 6 goals. His efforts contributed to Genk finishing as runners-up in the Belgian Pro League that season.
2.2.6. PAOK FC
On July 17, 2023, Super League Greece side PAOK announced the signing of Samatta on a two-year contract, with an option for an additional year. As of the current season (2024-25), he has made 58 appearances for PAOK, scoring 7 goals, including appearances in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa Conference League.
3. International Career
Mbwana Samatta has been a prominent figure for the Tanzania national football team since his debut. He made his international A-match debut on February 9, 2011, in a friendly against Palestine. A month later, on March 26, he scored his first international goal in a 2-1 victory over the Central African Republic during the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.
Samatta has consistently led the Tanzanian attack, scoring multiple goals in crucial matches, including a brace against Morocco in the 2014 FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers. He also netted two goals in the 2013 CECAFA Cup, helping Tanzania reach the semifinals.
On June 13, 2019, he was named by manager Emmanuel Amunike in the 23-man squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He made his tournament debut on June 23 against Senegal in the group stage and scored a goal against Kenya in a 2-3 loss during the same tournament. As of November 19, 2024, he has made 83 appearances for Tanzania, scoring 22 goals, making him one of the nation's top goalscorers. He also holds the role of captain for the Tanzania national team.
4. Personal Life
Mbwana Samatta is a devout Muslim. In 2018, he undertook the umrah pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, alongside his then K.R.C. Genk teammate, Omar Colley.
5. Honours
Mbwana Samatta has accumulated numerous club and individual honours throughout his career:
TP Mazembe
- Linafoot: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2013-14
- DR Congo Super Cup: 2013, 2014
- CAF Champions League: 2015
Genk
- Belgian Pro League: 2018-19
- Belgian Cup: Runner-up (2017-18)
- Belgian Super Cup: 2019
PAOK
- Super League Greece: 2023-24
Aston Villa
- EFL Cup: Runner-up (2019-20)
Fenerbahçe
- Süper Lig: Third Place (2020-21)
Individual
- Linafoot Top Scorer: 2012, 2013-14
- African Inter-Club Player of the Year: 2015
- CAF Team of the Year: 2015
- CAF Champions League Top Scorer: 2015
- Ebony Shoe: 2019
- Belgian First Division A Golden Shoe: 2018-19
6. Career Statistics
6.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||
| Simba | 2010-11 | Tanzanian Premier League | 25 | 13 | - | 2 | 2 | - | 27 | 15 | ||||||||
| TP Mazembe | 2011 | Linafoot | 8 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2012 | Linafoot | 29 | 23 | - | 6 | 6 | - | 35 | 29 | |||||||||
| 2013 | Linafoot | 37 | 20 | - | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 45 | 28 | ||||||||
| 2013-14 | Linafoot | 29 | 15 | - | 9 | 3 | - | 38 | 18 | |||||||||
| 2014-15 | Linafoot | - | 7 | 8 | - | 7 | 8 | |||||||||||
| 2015-16 | Linafoot | - | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Total | 103 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 133 | 85 | ||||||||
| Genk | 2015-16 | Belgian Pro League | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 18 | 5 | |||||||
| 2016-17 | Belgian Pro League | 37 | 13 | 4 | 2 | - | 18 | 5 | - | 59 | 20 | |||||||
| 2017-18 | Belgian Pro League | 31 | 8 | 4 | 0 | - | - | - | 35 | 8 | ||||||||
| 2018-19 | Belgian Pro League | 38 | 23 | 1 | 0 | - | 12 | 9 | - | 51 | 32 | |||||||
| 2019-20 | Belgian Pro League | 20 | 7 | 1 | 0 | - | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 10 | ||||||
| Total | 144 | 56 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 191 | 75 | ||||||
| Aston Villa | 2019-20 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 16 | 2 | ||||||
| Fenerbahçe (loan) | 2020-21 | Süper Lig | 27 | 5 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 30 | 6 | |||||||
| Fenerbahçe | 2021-22 | Süper Lig | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| Royal Antwerp (loan) | 2021-22 | Belgian Pro League | 32 | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | 6 | 3 | - | 39 | 9 | ||||||
| Genk (loan) | 2022-23 | Belgian Pro League | 33 | 6 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 36 | 6 | |||||||
| PAOK | 2023-24 | Super League Greece | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | - | 12 | 1 | - | 44 | 3 | ||||||
| 2024-25 | Super League Greece | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 14 | 4 | |||||||
| Total | 36 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 7 | ||||||
| Career total | 417 | 150 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 91 | 50 | 3 | 2 | 535 | 205 | ||||||
6.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanzania | 2011 | 9 | 2 |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 10 | 6 | |
| 2014 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 3 | |
| 2018 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 83 | 22 | |
Scores and results list Tanzania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Samatta goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 March 2011 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Central African Republic | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2 | 3 September 2011 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Algeria | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3 | 11 January 2013 | Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Ethiopia | 1-1 | 1-2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 6 February 2013 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Cameroon | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 24 March 2013 | Morocco | 2-0 | 3-1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 6 | 3-0 | |||||
| 7 | 4 December 2013 | Afraha Stadium, Nakuru, Kenya | Burundi | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2013 CECAFA Cup |
| 8 | 12 December 2013 | Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya | Zambia | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2013 CECAFA Cup |
| 9 | 3 August 2014 | Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique | Mozambique | 1-1 | 1-2 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 10 | 7 October 2015 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Malawi | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 11 | 14 November 2015 | Algeria | 2-0 | 2-2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 12 | 23 March 2016 | Stade Omnisports Idriss Mahamat Ouya, N'Djamena, Chad | Chad | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 13 | 25 March 2017 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Botswana | 1-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| 14 | 2-0 | |||||
| 15 | 10 June 2017 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Lesotho | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 16 | 27 March 2018 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | DR Congo | 1-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| 17 | 16 October 2018 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Cape Verde | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 18 | 16 June 2019 | Olympic Sports Center, Cairo, Egypt | Zimbabwe | 1-1 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 19 | 27 June 2019 | 30 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt | Kenya | 2-1 | 2-3 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 20 | 8 September 2019 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Burundi | 1-0 | 1-1 (penalty shoot-out 3-0) | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 21 | 19 November 2019 | Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet, Monastir, Tunisia | Libya | 1-0 | 1-2 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 22 | 23 March 2022 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Central African Republic | 2-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |