1. Overview
Vincent Paté Aboubakar (born January 22, 1992) is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Süper Lig club Hatayspor and serves as captain of the Cameroon national team. Aboubakar began his career in Cameroon before moving to Europe in 2010. He has played for several prominent clubs, including Valenciennes, Lorient, Porto, Beşiktaş, and Al Nassr.
Aboubakar has earned over 100 caps for Cameroon since his international debut in May 2010, establishing himself as the third-highest scorer in the history of the national team, a significant achievement behind football legends Samuel Eto'o and Roger Milla. He has been a key player in multiple FIFA World Cups (2010, 2014, 2022) and Africa Cup of Nations tournaments (2015, 2017, 2021, 2023), notably scoring the winning goal in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final and emerging as the top goalscorer in the 2021 edition. His career is marked by significant contributions to both club and international success, demonstrating resilience and consistent performance at the highest levels of the sport.
2. Early life
Vincent Aboubakar was born on January 22, 1992, in Garoua, located in the North Region of Cameroon. He grew up in a devout Christian family within a city where the majority of the population is Muslim. His mother, Maobeal Alice, held the position of a deaconess for the Evangelical Missionary Society of Cameroon, highlighting the family's deep commitment to their faith.
3. Club career
Aboubakar's professional football journey spans multiple clubs across Cameroon, France, Portugal, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, marked by significant transfers, loan spells, and title victories.
3.1. Coton Sport
Aboubakar began his youth career in 2006 at Coton Sport in his home country of Cameroon. He was promoted to the senior team in 2009. During the 2009-10 season, playing in the Elite One league, he made 15 appearances and scored 7 goals, contributing to the club's success.
3.2. Valenciennes
On May 26, 2010, Aboubakar signed a three-year contract with Valenciennes in France. He was assigned the number 9 shirt. He made his debut for the club as a substitute in their opening league match of the season against Nice. Aboubakar scored his first goal and achieved a hat-trick in the Coupe de la Ligue against Boulogne. Throughout his tenure at Valenciennes, he made 72 league appearances and scored 9 goals.
3.3. Lorient
Aboubakar joined Lorient on a free transfer on July 1, 2013. He made his debut for the Breton team on August 10, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss against Lille. Eight days later, he scored his first goal for Lorient, an equalizer in a 2-1 victory over Nantes at the Stade du Moustoir. In the 2013-14 season, he was the joint second-highest goalscorer in the league with 16 goals from 35 appearances. His notable performances included two-goal hauls in a 4-0 win at Évian on November 23 and a 4-4 home draw with Montpellier on April 20, 2014. Overall, he made 37 league appearances for Lorient, scoring 17 goals.
3.4. Porto
On August 24, 2014, Aboubakar signed a four-year contract with Porto for a transfer fee of 3.00 M EUR, which represented 30% of his economic rights. He had previously been a transfer target for Hull City. He debuted on September 14, coming on as a substitute in a 1-1 Primeira Liga draw at Vitória S.C.. Three days later, he scored his first goal for Porto in the UEFA Champions League, concluding a 6-0 home win over BATE Borisov after replacing Jackson Martínez. On October 25, he scored his first league goal in a 5-0 victory at F.C. Arouca. During his first season, he was primarily used as a substitute as Porto finished as runners-up to S.L. Benfica.
In his second season in Portugal (2015-16), following the sale of Martínez, Aboubakar played much more regularly. He started the season on August 15, 2015, with two goals in a 3-0 win over Vitória at the Estádio do Dragão. On January 10, 2016, he scored another two goals in a 5-0 victory against city rivals Boavista FC. He also contributed to Porto's run to the Taça de Portugal final, scoring the only goal in a fifth-round win against C.D. Feirense on December 16, 2015.
3.4.1. Loan to Beşiktaş
On August 27, 2016, Süper Lig reigning champions Beşiktaş signed Aboubakar on a season-long loan. He made his debut for the Istanbul-based club on September 10, entering as a substitute in a 3-1 home win over Kardemir Karabükspor. He scored his first goals in his eighth match, contributing two goals to a 3-2 Champions League victory against Napoli on October 19, 2016. This marked Beşiktaş's first win in the competition since November 2009. Four days later, he scored his first league goal and assisted Talisca in a 3-0 win over Antalyaspor at Vodafone Park. In March 2017, he scored in both legs of a 5-2 aggregate win against Olympiakos in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League, though he was sent off in the second leg for an altercation with Panagiotis Retsos. He concluded the season with 12 goals in 27 league appearances, as Beşiktaş successfully retained their league title.
3.5. Return to Porto
Upon returning to Portugal for the 2017-18 season, Aboubakar formed a potent attacking trio with Malian player Moussa Marega and Algerian Yacine Brahimi. He scored his first hat-trick for Porto on August 20, 2017, in a 3-0 home victory over Moreirense FC. On September 13, despite Porto's 3-1 home loss to Beşiktaş in the Champions League, Aboubakar notably celebrated with his former teammates in their changing room. He scored five goals in the group stage, including two-goal performances in both wins against French champions AS Monaco, helping Porto advance. On December 10, he netted another hat-trick in a 5-0 win at Vitória F.C. that propelled Porto back to the top of the league table.
In September 2018, Aboubakar suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while playing against C.D. Tondela. This injury required surgery, leading to a long-term absence from the field. He made his comeback on May 4, 2019, as a late substitute for Marega in a 4-0 home win over C.D. Aves. On August 18, 2019, Aboubakar played the full 90 minutes for FC Porto B in their 1-1 home draw with Varzim S.C. in LigaPro. He left Porto after the 2019-20 season.
3.6. Return to Beşiktaş
After terminating his contract with Porto, Aboubakar returned to Istanbul to rejoin Beşiktaş. On September 26, 2020, he signed a contract with the club until May 31, 2021. In his single season back in Istanbul, Aboubakar was the fifth-highest goalscorer in the league with 15 goals, playing a crucial role as his team clinched the league title. This impressive tally included a brace on November 29 in a thrilling 4-3 victory against city rivals Fenerbahçe. He also contributed to Beşiktaş winning the Turkish Cup that season.
3.7. Al Nassr
On June 8, 2021, Aboubakar made a significant move to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, signing a three-year deal with an annual salary of 6.00 M EUR. He played for the Riyadh-based club until January 2023.
In January 2023, Aboubakar reached a mutual agreement with Al Nassr to terminate his contract, receiving compensation for the remainder of his deal. This departure was necessitated by the club's need to free up a foreign player quota spot to accommodate the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo. This move reflected the harsh realities of professional football, where even established players can be displaced by high-profile transfers, regardless of their own performance.
3.8. Third stint at Beşiktaş
On January 21, 2023, Aboubakar re-signed with Turkish club Beşiktaş, effectively replacing the departing striker Wout Weghorst. The contract was for two and a half years, including a 1.10 M EUR signing bonus and 1.50 M EUR for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, with an additional 3.10 M EUR per season for the subsequent years, plus a maximum of 12.00 K EUR per match depending on competition. In the second half of the season, Aboubakar scored 13 goals in 16 matches, ranking him ninth in the Süper Lig top scorers list.
However, on December 11, 2023, Beşiktaş officially announced that Aboubakar, along with Valentin Rosier, Eric Bailly, Rachid Ghezzal, and Jean Onana, had been excluded from the squad due to poor performance and incompatibility within the team. Despite this, he was pardoned by the club and resumed training with the team on February 14, 2024, and was included in the squad for the upcoming game against Konyaspor.
3.9. Hatayspor
Following the termination of his contract with Beşiktaş for undisclosed reasons, Aboubakar signed with another Turkish club, Hatayspor, in 2024. As of February 16, 2025, he has made 19 appearances and scored 6 goals for Hatayspor in the Süper Lig, along with 3 appearances and 1 goal in the Turkish Cup, totaling 22 appearances and 7 goals.
4. International career
Aboubakar has a distinguished international career representing the Cameroon national team, participating in major tournaments at both youth and senior levels.
4.1. Youth career
On August 18, 2009, Aboubakar was called up to the Cameroon national under-20 football team for the Francophone Games held in Beirut, Lebanon. During his time with the U-20 team, he made 14 appearances and scored 22 goals, showcasing his promising talent from a young age.
4.2. Senior career
Aboubakar made his senior international debut for Cameroon on May 29, 2010, in a friendly match against Slovakia. At just 18 years old, he was named to the Cameroon 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, being the only player in the squad based in Cameroon at the time. He featured as a substitute in the group stage matches against Denmark and Netherlands, though Cameroon was eliminated after three consecutive losses. On August 11, 2010, he scored his first goal for the national team in a friendly against Poland.
He was also part of Cameroon's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Aboubakar's most iconic international moment came in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored an 88th-minute winning goal in the final against Egypt, securing a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory for Cameroon and ending the nation's 15-year wait for a continental title.
Later in 2017, he represented Cameroon at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, scoring a consolation goal in their 3-1 loss to world champions Germany in Sochi on June 25. He was notably absent from Cameroon's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad due to concerns about his fitness following a long-term injury, as stated by then-manager Clarence Seedorf.
Aboubakar returned to the national team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Cameroon at the start of 2022. He delivered an exceptional performance, scoring five goals in the group stage against Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Cape Verde. He added a sixth goal in a 2-1 win over Comoros in the last 16. In the third-place match against Burkina Faso, he scored twice in a 3-3 draw, which Cameroon eventually won on penalties. With 8 goals in 7 games, he was the tournament's top scorer and was selected for the Team of the Tournament.
In the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Aboubakar made a significant impact. He scored a goal and provided an assist in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Serbia. His goal against Serbia was notably described by BBC Sport as an "outrageous scoop." In the third match, he scored the winning goal against Brazil in a historic 1-0 victory, bringing Cameroon their first World Cup win in 20 years since the 2002 tournament. However, he received a second yellow card and was sent off for taking off his shirt during his goal celebration, an action that humorously led to his symbolic membership in the "Garrincha Club" of players sent off after scoring.
Aboubakar sustained an injury just before the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. He recovered in time for the Round of 16, where his team was eliminated by rivals Nigeria. This match also marked his 100th appearance for the national team.
5. Career statistics
5.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Coton Sport | 2009-10 | Elite One | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 15 | 7 | |||
| Valenciennes | 2010-11 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 20 | 4 | ||
| 2011-12 | 27 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 31 | 8 | ||||
| 2012-13 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 30 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 72 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 81 | 15 | ||||
| Lorient | 2013-14 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 16 | ||
| 2014-15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 37 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 38 | 17 | ||||
| Porto | 2014-15 | Primeira Liga | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | - | 20 | 8 | |
| 2015-16 | 28 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | - | 42 | 18 | |||
| 2017-18 | 28 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 5 | - | 43 | 26 | |||
| 2018-19 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 2019-20 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | - | 9 | 2 | |||
| Total | 83 | 36 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 21 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 125 | 58 | ||
| Beşiktaş (loan) | 2016-17 | Süper Lig | 27 | 12 | 2 | 1 | - | 9 | 6 | - | 38 | 19 | ||
| Beşiktaş | 2020-21 | 26 | 15 | 3 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 29 | 16 | |||
| Al Nassr | 2021-22 | Saudi Pro League | 23 | 8 | 1 | 0 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 27 | 9 | ||
| 2022-23 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 34 | 12 | 2 | 0 | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 13 | |||
| Beşiktaş | 2022-23 | Süper Lig | 16 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 16 | 13 | ||||
| 2023-24 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 0 | - | 10 | 7 | - | 34 | 12 | ||||
| Total | 38 | 18 | 2 | 0 | - | 10 | 7 | - | 50 | 25 | ||||
| Hatayspor | 2024-25 | Süper Lig | 19 | 6 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 22 | 7 | |||
| Career total | 337 | 132 | 29 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 43 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 420 | 177 | ||
5.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 2010 | 7 | 1 |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 10 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 12 | 6 | |
| 2016 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 16 | 5 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 17 | 10 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 5 | |
| Total | 108 | 42 | |
Scores and results list Cameroon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Aboubakar goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 11, 2010 | Stadion Poznań, Poznań, Poland | 5 | Poland | 3-0 | 3-0 | Friendly |
| 2 | March 5, 2014 | Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria, Portugal | 22 | Portugal | 1-1 | 1-5 | Friendly |
| 3 | September 6, 2014 | Stade TP Mazembe, Lubumbashi, DR Congo | 27 | DR Congo | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 4 | September 10, 2014 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 28 | Ivory Coast | 2-1 | 4-1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 5 | 3-1 | ||||||
| 6 | November 15, 2014 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 30 | DR Congo | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 7 | January 10, 2015 | Stade d'Angondjé, Libreville, Gabon | 32 | South Africa | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 8 | March 25, 2015 | Gelora Delta Stadium, Sidoarjo, Indonesia | 36 | Indonesia | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 9 | June 6, 2015 | Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes, France | 37 | Burkina Faso | 1-1 | 3-2 | Friendly |
| 10 | June 14, 2015 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 39 | Mauritania | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 11 | September 6, 2015 | Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia | 40 | Gambia | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 12 | November 13, 2015 | Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey, Niger | 42 | Niger | 2-0 | 3-0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | May 30, 2016 | Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France | 45 | France | 1-1 | 2-3 | Friendly |
| 14 | November 12, 2016 | Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam, Cameroon | 48 | Zambia | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | February 5, 2017 | Stade de l'Amitié, Libreville, Gabon | 54 | Egypt | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final |
| 16 | March 24, 2017 | Mustapha Ben Jannet Stadium, Monastir, Tunisia | 55 | Tunisia | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 17 | June 10, 2017 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 57 | Morocco | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 18 | June 25, 2017 | Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia | 60 | Germany | 1-2 | 1-3 | 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup |
| 19 | September 4, 2017 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 62 | Nigeria | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 20 | March 25, 2018 | Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait | 65 | Kuwait | 1-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 21 | November 12, 2020 | Reunification Stadium, Douala, Cameroon | 68 | Mozambique | 1-0 | 4-1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 22 | 2-0 | ||||||
| 23 | November 16, 2020 | Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique | 69 | Mozambique | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 24 | September 3, 2021 | Paul Biya Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 72 | Malawi | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 25 | November 13, 2021 | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | 76 | Malawi | 1-0 | 4-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 26 | January 9, 2022 | Paul Biya Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 78 | Burkina Faso | 1-1 | 2-1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 27 | 2-1 | ||||||
| 28 | January 13, 2022 | Paul Biya Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 79 | Ethiopia | 2-1 | 4-1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 29 | 3-1 | ||||||
| 30 | January 17, 2022 | Paul Biya Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 80 | Cape Verde | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 31 | January 24, 2022 | Paul Biya Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 81 | Comoros | 2-0 | 2-1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 32 | February 5, 2022 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 84 | Burkina Faso | 2-3 | 3-3 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 33 | 3-3 | ||||||
| 34 | November 28, 2022 | Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar | 93 | Serbia | 2-3 | 3-3 | 2022 FIFA World Cup |
| 35 | December 2, 2022 | Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar | 94 | Brazil | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup |
| 36 | March 28, 2023 | Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | 95 | Namibia | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 37 | September 12, 2023 | Roumdé Adjia Stadium, Garoua, Cameroon | 96 | Burundi | 3-0 | 3-0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 38 | June 8, 2024 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 101 | Cape Verde | 2-0 | 4-1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 39 | 3-1 | ||||||
| 40 | September 7, 2024 | Japoma Stadium, Douala, Cameroon | 103 | Namibia | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 41 | October 11, 2024 | Japoma Stadium, Douala, Cameroon | 105 | Kenya | 1-0 | 4-1 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 42 | November 19, 2024 | Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon | 108 | Zimbabwe | 1-0 | 2-1 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
6. Honours
6.1. Club
- Coton Sport
- Elite One: 2009-10
- Beşiktaş
- Süper Lig: 2016-17, 2020-21
- Turkish Cup: 2020-21, 2023-24
- Turkish Super Cup: 2024
- Porto
- Primeira Liga: 2017-18, 2019-20
- Taça de Portugal: 2019-20
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2018
6.2. International
- Cameroon
- Africa Cup of Nations: 2017
6.3. Individual
- Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot: 2021
- Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2021
- France Football Africa Team of the Year: 2017