Orel Mangala

1.1. Birth and Family

Orel Johnson Mangala was born on 18 March 1998, in Brussels, Belgium. He is of Congolese descent, a heritage that connects him to his roots outside of his Belgian nationality.

1.2. Youth Career

Mangala began his footballing journey in the youth system of RSC Anderlecht, a renowned Belgian club known for its strong youth development program. During his time at Anderlecht, he honed his skills as a midfielder. In 2016, he gained further experience by moving to Borussia Dortmund's youth team on a loan spell, where he continued his development until 2017.

2.1. VfB Stuttgart

On 9 June 2017, Mangala officially began his professional career by signing a four-year contract with German club VfB Stuttgart. He made his debut for the club's reserve team, VfB Stuttgart II, appearing once in the Regionalliga Südwest during the 2017-18 season. His contributions to the main squad led to a contract extension on 9 April 2021, which saw him commit to VfB Stuttgart until June 2024. During his tenure at Stuttgart, he made a total of 101 league appearances, scoring 3 goals, and also played in 8 national cup matches.

2.2. Hamburger SV (loan)

On 8 August 2018, Mangala was loaned out to Hamburger SV in the 2. Bundesliga for the remainder of the season, with no purchase option included in the agreement. During his loan spell, he played in 29 league matches and scored 1 goal in 5 national cup appearances, contributing to Hamburger SV's campaign.

2.3. Nottingham Forest

Mangala made a move to Premier League side Nottingham Forest on 31 July 2022. The transfer fee was undisclosed, but it was widely reported to be around 12.70 M GBP. He made his debut for Forest as a substitute in the opening game of the 2022-23 Premier League season, a 2-0 loss against Newcastle United on 6 August. Mangala scored his first goal for the club on 4 April 2023, in a 2-1 defeat to Leeds United. His second goal came on 5 November 2023, in a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa. In total, he made 47 league appearances for Nottingham Forest, scoring 2 goals, and also played in 2 national cup matches and 4 league cup matches.

2.4. Olympique Lyonnais

On 1 February 2024, Mangala joined Ligue 1 club Lyon on a loan deal that included a permanent purchase option. The loan fee was reported to be 11.70 M EUR (approximately 10.00 M GBP), with some reports from Japan stating the loan fee was around 1.86 B JPY. Lyon exercised their purchase option, making the move permanent on 2 July 2024. The permanent transfer fee was 17.50 M EUR (approximately 15.00 M GBP), with an additional 3.50 M EUR (approximately 2.00 M GBP) available in potential bonuses. During his loan spell, he played 8 league matches and 4 national cup matches, scoring 2 goals. He also made 1 league appearance for Lyon in the 2024-25 season before his next move.

2.5. Everton

On 30 August 2024, Mangala joined Everton on loan on deadline day. As of his current tenure, he has made 19 league appearances, scoring 1 goal, and has also played in 1 national cup match and 1 league cup match for the club.

3.1. Belgium National Team

Mangala received his first call-up to the senior Belgium squad in March 2021. He made his official international debut on 26 March 2022, in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland, which ended in a 2-2 draw. As of November 2024, he has accumulated 23 caps for the senior team.

3.2. Belgium Youth Teams

Mangala has been a prominent figure in Belgium's youth national teams, participating in several age-group competitions. He represented Belgium at the U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19, and U-21 levels. Notably, he was part of the Belgium U-17 squad that achieved third place in the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup. His participation in youth tournaments includes three major competitions, showcasing his early talent and potential.

4.1. Club Statistics

4.2. International Statistics

5.1. Team Honours

• Coupe de France runner-up: 2023-24 (with Lyon)

5.2. Youth Honours

• FIFA U-17 World Cup third place: 2015 (with Belgium U17)