Émile Mpenza

2.1. Family and Congolese Heritage

Born Eka Basunga Lokonda Mpenza on 4 July 1978 in Zellik, Belgium, Émile Mpenza is one of five children born to his mother Rosalie and his father Arsène, a pharmacist. Both parents nurtured his early football development. He holds dual Belgian and Congolese nationality. His older brother, Mbo Mpenza, also became a professional footballer and represented the Belgium national team. The brothers often played together, sharing clubs during their early careers.

2.2. Youth Career

Mpenza began his football journey at a young age, developing his skills in various youth academies. From 1986 to 1989, he played for LC Mesvins. He then moved to KV Kortrijk's youth system, where he trained from 1989 to 1995, before making his professional debut with the same club.

3.1. Early Career in Belgium

Mpenza began his professional career in 1995 with KV Kortrijk in the Belgian Second Division, making 32 appearances and scoring 5 goals. His talent quickly became evident, leading him to move to R.E. Mouscron in the Belgian First Division A in 1996, where he joined his brother Mbo. Under coach Georges Leekens, the Mpenza brothers formed a formidable attacking partnership, contributing significantly to Mouscron's success. Following a successful 1996-97 season, Émile Mpenza was recognized with the Belgian Young Professional Footballer of the Year award and the Ebony Shoe, which acknowledges the best African player in the Belgian league. His impressive performances led to a joint transfer with Mbo to Standard Liège in 1997. At Standard Liège, he continued his development, scoring 20 goals in 46 appearances during his initial spell.

3.2. German Bundesliga and Qatar

On 2 January 2000, Émile Mpenza moved to German Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 in an exchange deal involving compatriot Michaël Goossens. The transfer fee was reported as 17.00 M DEM, the highest in the club's history at the time. He quickly made an impact, debuting against Arminia Bielefeld on 5 February and scoring his first goal against Werder Bremen in a 3-1 victory. His initial nine appearances yielded six goals, earning him the nickname "Magic." In his second season, Mpenza formed a highly effective partnership with striker Ebbe Sand, a duo praised by former Schalke legend Klaus Fischer as the club's best ever. Despite their efforts, Schalke narrowly missed out on the Bundesliga title by one point on the final day of the season. Subsequent seasons proved challenging for Mpenza, as he struggled with injuries and faced conflicts with general manager Rudi Assauer, leading to his temporary banishment from the squad. He returned to Standard Liège in 2003, signing a three-year contract for 1.50 M EUR. Under coach Dominique D'Onofrio, he rediscovered his form, scoring 21 goals in 28 matches and leading the attack alongside players like Almani Moreira and Mohammed Aliyu Datti. This resurgence earned him a return to Germany in 2004, signing a four-year contract with Hamburger SV for 2.50 M EUR. However, he failed to establish himself, scoring only 5 goals in 36 appearances. In January 2006, Mpenza made a surprising move to Al Rayyan in the Qatar Stars League for a reported fee of 1.50 M EUR. This decision drew criticism from some who believed he was prioritizing financial gain over his career, but Mpenza stated that his move was "as revenge, with respect to all those who criticised my decision to play in Qatar."

3.3. Manchester City

After leaving Al Rayyan as a free agent, Mpenza underwent a trial with Manchester City in the English Premier League to address the club's shortage of strikers following the departures of Darius Vassell and Paul Dickov. He impressed by scoring two goals in a practice match against Blackpool at the City of Manchester Stadium, leading to him signing a contract until the end of the 2006-07 season on 16 February 2007. Upon signing, Mpenza famously told Belgian radio station Bel RTL, "I am not finished and I will prove it in Manchester. I make this move as revenge, with respect to all those who criticised my decision to play in Qatar." He made his debut on 3 March 2007 as a half-time substitute against Wigan Athletic. His first goal for the club came on 17 March 2007 in a 2-0 away victory over Middlesbrough, and his second was the decisive goal in a 1-0 win against Newcastle United on 30 March. He scored once more, against Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season, finishing the season with three goals. His strong performances led to a contract extension until the end of the 2007-08 season. In the 2007-08 pre-season, Mpenza showed good form, scoring against Doncaster Rovers and in subsequent matches against Fulham, Bristol City, and Newcastle United. However, a series of knee and hamstring injuries, combined with increased competition from new signings like Rolando Bianchi, Valeri Bojinov, Geovanni, and Elano under new manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, limited his playing time. Despite offers for a loan move, he opted to stay but ultimately failed to score after September and was released in July 2008.

3.4. Plymouth Argyle

On 2 September 2008, Mpenza joined Championship side Plymouth Argyle on a one-year contract. He made his debut on 13 September, coming on as a substitute in the 70th minute of a 2-1 defeat to Norwich City. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw against Charlton Athletic and added a second in a 2-1 victory over Cardiff City. Despite being the highest-paid player, reportedly earning 10.00 K GBP per week, Mpenza's time at Plymouth was significantly hampered by recurring injuries, limiting him to only nine appearances, including three starts, and two goals. As a result, he was not offered a new contract and left the club.

3.5. FC Sion

Following his departure from Plymouth Argyle in June 2009, Mpenza signed a two-year contract with Swiss top-flight club FC Sion on 8 July 2009, with an option for a one-year extension. At Sion, he experienced a career resurgence, overcoming his long-standing injury problems. He became a prolific scorer, achieving a hat-trick in the final match of the season against FC St. Gallen, which Sion won 5-1. Mpenza finished the Swiss Super League season as the second-highest scorer with 21 goals in 32 matches, tied with Cristian Ianu and Marco Streller. This impressive performance led to an offer from Ajax Amsterdam as a replacement for Marko Pantelić, but negotiations fell through as Sion deemed the bid insufficient.

3.6. Neftchi Baku

On 3 August 2010, Mpenza signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Azerbaijan Premier League club Neftchi Baku. In his first season, he played a crucial role despite undergoing knee surgery during the winter break, which sidelined him for up to six months. He still managed to score six goals, contributing to Neftchi Baku's league title victory in the 2010-11 season. However, in the 2011-12 season, Mpenza fell out of favor under new coach Boyukagha Hajiyev, with playing time limited due to the strong partnership of Bahodir Nasimov and Flávio Alex Valêncio. He made only eight appearances, playing an average of 22 minutes per match, and consequently left the club at the end of the season. In June 2015, FIFA ordered Neftchi Baku to pay Mpenza 1.00 M EUR in unpaid wages, highlighting a dispute related to his departure.

3.7. Eendracht Aalst and Retirement

After leaving Neftchi Baku and returning to Belgium, Mpenza spent over a year as a free agent, training with several clubs including Waasland-Beveren (July 2012), KVC Westerlo (November 2012), Hoogstraten VV (August 2013), and Royal Antwerp FC (September 2013), but failed to secure a contract. Finally, on 1 October 2013, he signed a one-year contract with Eendracht Aalst in the Belgian Second Division. This marked his last professional club stint before his retirement from professional football.

4.1. Major Tournament Participation

Mpenza made his debut for the Belgium national team in 1997 against Northern Ireland in a 0-3 loss. He scored his first two international goals in the same year against San Marino in a 6-0 victory. He participated in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 alongside his brother Mbo. In the 1998 World Cup, he appeared as a substitute in all three group stage matches. At Euro 2000, he started all three group stage matches, partnering with different forwards like Branko Strupar and Luc Nilis, and scored a goal in the opening match against Sweden, which Belgium won 2-1. However, Belgium was eliminated in the group stage in both tournaments. A groin injury prevented him from participating in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

4.2. Periods of International Retirement and Return

Mpenza announced his retirement from international football in April 2004, prior to a match against Turkey, citing personal reasons. However, he returned to the national squad in October of the same year. He again retired from international football on 6 June 2007, after a Euro 2008 qualifier against Finland, stating his desire to focus on his club career. Despite this, he was persuaded by coach Franky Vercauteren to return, accepting a call-up on 6 August 2009. He made his comeback in a friendly match against the Czech Republic on 12 August. On 10 October 2009, in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Turkey, Mpenza scored two goals, marking his first international goals since a match against Greece on 17 August 2005. These were his final international goals.

4.3. International Goals and Statistics

Mpenza played for the Belgium national football team between 1997 and 2009, earning 57 caps and scoring 19 goals.

5.1. Media Appearances

In 2002, Émile Mpenza appeared in the comedy film "Hop," directed by Dominique Standaert, marking his foray into the entertainment industry.

6.1. Club Honours

• FC Schalke 04
  • DFB-Pokal: 2000-01, 2001-02
• Hamburger SV
  • UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2005
• Neftchi Baku
  • Azerbaijan Premier League: 2010-11

6.2. Individual Honours

• Belgian Young Professional Footballer of the Year: 1996-97
• Belgian Ebony Shoe: 1997
• Best Belgian Footballer Abroad: 2000
• kicker German Football Rankings - International Class Player: 2000-01
• Standard Liège Man of the Season: 2003-04

7.1. Strengths and Contributions

Mpenza was primarily known for his attributes as a powerful and quick striker. His ability to score goals was a consistent highlight, particularly during his time at Standard Liège and his remarkable season with FC Sion, where he rediscovered his prolific scoring form with 21 goals. He formed effective partnerships with other forwards, notably Ebbe Sand at Schalke 04, and his contributions were crucial to his teams' successes, including domestic cup victories with Schalke and a league title with Neftchi Baku. His determination was also evident in his return to top-flight football and his desire to prove critics wrong after his move to Qatar.

7.2. Challenges and Criticisms

Despite his talent, Mpenza's career was often marred by recurring injuries, particularly to his knee and hamstrings, which frequently interrupted his rhythm and prevented him from maintaining consistent form. These injuries affected his stints at clubs like Plymouth Argyle and Manchester City, where he struggled to secure a regular starting position. He also faced challenges in his relationships with club management, notably a public conflict with Schalke's general manager Rudi Assauer. His move to Al Rayyan in Qatar was met with criticism from some sections of the football community, who viewed it as a premature end to his career in a major European league, although Mpenza himself saw it as an act of defiance against his critics. The dispute over unpaid wages with Neftchi Baku further highlighted some of the difficulties he encountered during his career.