1. Overview
Stéphane Mbia Etoundi, born on May 20, 1986, is a Cameroonian professional footballer who primarily plays as a defensive midfielder or defender. His extensive club career spans across multiple European and Asian leagues, notably including Ligue 1 in France with Rennes and Marseille, and a highly successful period with Sevilla FC in Spain, where he notably secured two consecutive UEFA Europa League titles. Mbia has also been a prominent figure in the Cameroon national team, representing his country in major international tournaments such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics, multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and two FIFA World Cups. He earned 70 caps and scored 5 goals for Cameroon between 2005 and 2016, eventually serving as the team's captain.
2. Early Life and Background
Stéphane Mbia Etoundi was born on May 20, 1986, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He began his football education at a young age, joining the Kadji Sports Academy in Douala, Cameroon. This prestigious youth academy is renowned for producing several notable Cameroonian footballers, including Samuel Eto'o, Idriss Carlos Kameni, and Eric Djemba-Djemba. Mbia followed in their footsteps, embarking on an elite development path. His brother, Franck Etoundi, is also a professional footballer who has represented Cameroon internationally and played in Switzerland. Stéphane Mbia also holds French citizenship.
3. Club Career
Stéphane Mbia's professional club career saw him play for numerous teams across various leagues and countries, establishing himself as a versatile and impactful player.
3.1. Rennes
Mbia joined Rennes in France on July 1, 2003, after developing at the Kadji Sports Academy. He was promoted to the Rennes first team during the 2005-06 season, making his senior debut on September 25, 2005, in a goalless draw against RC Lens, playing the full 90 minutes. Throughout that campaign, he made a handful of appearances. The Cameroonian scored his first Ligue 1 goal in November 2006 against the reigning French champions, Lyon.
On April 18, 2007, during a match against Lyon, Mbia was involved in an incident with Lyon player Milan Baroš. Baroš was accused of making a gesture by pinching his nose and fanning the air, which Rennes interpreted as a racist act, leading them to file a complaint with the French Football Federation. The Federation subsequently banned Baroš for three matches, though it concluded that the gesture itself was not racially motivated. In August 2008, Mbia expressed interest in a move to Everton F.C. following a rumored offer, but he ultimately extended his contract with Rennes for another year on September 9, 2008.
3.2. Marseille
On July 14, 2009, Stéphane Mbia completed a transfer to Olympique de Marseille from Rennes for a fee reported to be 10.40 M GBP (or 12.00 M EUR). He quickly became a vital player in Marseille's successful Ligue 1 campaign that season, which saw them clinch the league title. Initially, Mbia played in his natural position as a defensive midfielder. However, following an injury to Gabriel Heinze midway through the season, manager Didier Deschamps converted Mbia to a centre-back. Despite Mbia's initial dissatisfaction with playing out of his preferred position, his redeployment at centre-back proved highly successful. He formed a formidable defensive partnership with Souleymane Diawara and was widely regarded as one of the best performers in Deschamps' talented squad, playing the remainder of the season in this new role.
3.3. Queens Park Rangers
On August 31, 2012, Mbia signed a two-year deal with English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers for an undisclosed fee, as part of a deal that saw Joey Barton move in the opposite direction on a season-long loan to Marseille. Upon his transfer, Mbia controversially stated in an interview that he had initially believed he was joining Rangers F.C. of Scotland, leading to criticism from QPR fans. He made his debut for QPR on September 26, 2012, in a Football League Cup match against Reading, which QPR lost 2-3.
On October 27, 2012, in only his fourth league appearance for QPR, Mbia was sent off seventeen minutes from the end of a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. He was dismissed in the 79th minute for violent conduct after kicking Gunners defender Thomas Vermaelen in retaliation to a strong challenge that had left Mbia on the ground. He received the standard three-match ban from the FA, making him ineligible for QPR's league games against Reading, Stoke City, and Southampton. Following QPR's relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2012-13 season, Mbia tweeted Joey Barton on May 6, 2013, hinting at his desire to leave the club. However, in July 2013, he scored his first goal for the club in a pre-season friendly against Southend United and subsequently expressed a desire to stay at QPR.
3.4. Sevilla
On August 26, 2013, Mbia was loaned out to Spanish La Liga club Sevilla FC for the remainder of the season. He made his Sevilla debut on September 1, starting and providing an assist for Kevin Gameiro's first goal in a 2-2 draw with Málaga CF. On October 27, Mbia provided assists for both Ivan Rakitić and Jairo Samperio as Sevilla overcame 10-man Osasuna 2-1. His first goal in La Liga came in the Seville derby against Real Betis on November 24, where he headed in Sevilla's second goal in a 4-0 victory at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.
Mbia scored a crucial back-heel goal in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against compatriots Valencia on April 24, 2014, in a 2-0 home win. In the second leg on May 1, he scored the decisive winning away goal with a header in the fourth minute of added time, taking Sevilla into the final. Sevilla subsequently won the final in a penalty shootout against Benfica at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy, on May 14, with Mbia successfully converting his penalty kick after the match had ended 0-0. On June 3, Mbia was selected in the 18-man Europa League "Team of the Year" alongside teammates Ivan Rakitić, Nicolás Pareja, and Beto. At the LFP Awards, he was nominated for the league's best African player, alongside the Granada duo of Yacine Brahimi and Youssef El-Arabi.
On August 31, 2014, Mbia rejoined Sevilla on a permanent basis. He scored his first goal of the new season on September 18, heading in a cross from Gerard Deulofeu as Sevilla began the defense of their Europa League title with a 2-0 win over Feyenoord. Mbia netted a brace as Sevilla earned a comfortable 4-1 victory over Deportivo de La Coruña at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on October 5. On May 27, 2015, Mbia started for Sevilla in the 2015 UEFA Europa League Final victory over Dnipro at National Stadium in Poland, thus retaining their Europa League crown and qualifying the team for the next season's Champions League.
3.5. Later Career
On July 2, 2015, Mbia joined Turkish club Trabzonspor on a free transfer, signing a three-year deal. Prior to this move, Sevilla had reportedly sought to extend his contract, and there were rumors of offers from clubs like Inter Milan and several Premier League teams. He made 17 league appearances for Trabzonspor, scoring two goals.
On January 29, 2016, Mbia signed for Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune. His arrival coincided with other high-profile signings by Hebei China Fortune, including Ezequiel Lavezzi from Paris Saint-Germain, Gervinho from Roma, and Gaël Kakuta from Sevilla. In March 2018, he left the club by mutual consent.
In August 2018, Mbia returned to France, joining Ligue 1 side Toulouse FC on a season-long contract. He departed the club in January 2019.
On February 3, 2019, Mbia returned to China to join top-flight newcomers Wuhan Zall. A year later, in January 2020, he moved across the league to Shanghai Greenland Shenhua. After one season with Shanghai Shenhua, he re-joined Wuhan Zall, which had been renamed Wuhan F.C., reuniting with his former Sevilla team-mate Daniel Carriço.
On August 31, 2021, Mbia returned to Spain after six years, signing a one-year deal with CF Fuenlabrada in the Segunda División. However, on January 21, 2022, he left the club, citing "personal problems."
On January 27, 2022, Mbia signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Turkish TFF First League club Tuzlaspor. Despite this, he decided to leave the club in April without making a single official appearance.
In February 2024, Mbia returned to France to join LB Châteauroux, signing a six-month contract with an option for an additional year. In addition to his playing role, Mbia was also contracted as an ambassador and a member of the club's managerial staff.
4. International Career
Stéphane Mbia has had a distinguished international career representing Cameroon at various levels, from youth tournaments to major senior competitions.
4.1. Youth Career
Mbia played international football at the junior level for Cameroon. He was part of the Cameroon squad that competed in the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship held in Finland, where his side, which also included Alexandre Song, was eliminated at the group stage. He was also a member of the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China. In this tournament, Mbia played in all four of his team's matches and scored one goal against Honduras.
4.2. Senior Career
Mbia made his debut for the full Cameroon national team in 2005. He went on to become a key player for the Indomitable Lions, participating in several significant tournaments.
4.2.1. Africa Cup of Nations
Mbia was part of the Cameroon squad that finished as runners-up at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana. During this tournament, he notably scored two goals in a thrilling 3-2 victory against Tunisia in the quarter-finals. His performances earned him a place in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament. He was also selected to represent Cameroon at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
4.2.2. FIFA World Cup
Mbia was selected to represent Cameroon at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He started in all of Cameroon's group stage matches. In their opening match against Japan, Mbia unleashed a powerful long-range shot in the 85th minute that struck the post.
On June 2, 2014, Mbia was included by Cameroon manager Volker Finke in the final 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The team faced significant challenges and were ultimately eliminated after losing all of their group games. This period was marked by a dispute over player bonuses, which eventually led to Mbia replacing Samuel Eto'o as captain of the national team on August 26, 2014.
5. Statistics
Stéphane Mbia's professional football career spanned over a decade, playing for numerous clubs and representing his national team in various competitions.
5.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rennes | 2004-05 | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2005-06 | Ligue 1 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2006-07 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 1 | |||
| 2007-08 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | - | 31 | 4 | ||
| 2008-09 | Ligue 1 | 27 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | 35 | 2 | ||
| Total | 105 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 7 | ||
| Marseille | 2009-10 | Ligue 1 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | - | 37 | 2 | |
| 2010-11 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 1 | |
| 2011-12 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 23 | 2 | ||
| 2012-13 | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 69 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 102 | 5 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | 2012-13 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 0 | ||
| Sevilla (loan) | 2013-14 | La Liga | 20 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | 8 | 2 | - | 30 | 5 | ||
| Sevilla | 2014-15 | La Liga | 23 | 4 | - | - | 13 | 3 | - | 36 | 7 | |||
| Trabzonspor | 2015-16 | Süper Lig | 17 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 0 | - | 18 | 2 | |||
| Hebei China Fortune | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 26 | 6 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 27 | 7 | |||
| 2017 | Chinese Super League | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 14 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 9 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 41 | 10 | |||||
| Toulouse | 2018-19 | Ligue 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 5 | 0 | ||
| Wuhan Zall | 2019 | Chinese Super League | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 24 | 0 | |||
| Shanghai Shenhua | 2020 | Chinese Super League | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 18 | 0 | |||
| Wuhan Zall | 2021 | Chinese Super League | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 1 | ||||
| Fuenlabrada | 2021-22 | Segunda División | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 12 | 0 | |||
| Tuzlaspor | 2021-22 | TFF First League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||
| Châteauroux | 2023-24 | Championnat National | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 366 | 28 | 21 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 57 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 461 | 37 | ||
5.2. International Statistics
Stéphane Mbia earned 70 caps for the Cameroon national team, scoring 5 goals between 2005 and 2016.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 2005 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | 5 | |
List of international goals scored by Stéphane Mbia
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | June 3, 2007 | Antoinette Tubman Stadium, Monrovia, Liberia | Liberia | 0 - 1 | 1 - 2 | 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2. | February 4, 2008 | Tamale Stadium, Tamale, Ghana | Tunisia | 0 - 1 | 2 - 3 | 2008 Africa Cup of Nations - Quarter-finals |
| 3. | 2 - 3 | |||||
| 4. | October 15, 2014 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Mefou-et-Afamba, Cameroon | Sierra Leone | 2 - 0 | 2 - 0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 5. | November 13, 2015 | Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey, Niger | Niger | 0 - 1 | 3 - 0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
6. Honours
Stéphane Mbia has accumulated several significant team and individual honours throughout his football career.
6.1. Club Honours
Rennes
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2008
Marseille
- Ligue 1: 2009-10
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12
- Trophée des Champions: 2010, 2011
Sevilla
- UEFA Europa League: 2013-14, 2014-15
6.2. Individual Honours
- Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2008
- CAF Team of the Year: 2014
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2013-14, 2014-15
6.3. International Honours
Cameroon
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2008