{{Short description|Congolese footballer (born 1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Beni Baningime | image = Beni Baningime 2017.jpg | image_size = | caption = Baningime with Everton, 2017 | fullname = Beni Tangama Baningime<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Players Registered as Scholars in Accordance with Rule C.3 Between 01/07/2015 and 31/07/2015|url=http://www.thefa.com/-/media/files/thefaportal/governance-docs/registrations/july-2015.ashx|publisher=TheFA.com|accessdate=2 November 2017|page=45|format=pdf|date=27 November 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819090424/http://www.thefa.com/-/media/files/thefaportal/governance-docs/registrations/july-2015.ashx |archive-date=2017-08-19}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|9|9|df=y}}<ref name="Everton F.C. Profile">{{cite web|title=Beni Baningime|url=http://www.evertonfc.com/players/b/bb/beni-baningime|publisher=Everton F.C.|accessdate=26 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201195330/http://www.evertonfc.com/players/b/bb/beni-baningime|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> | birth_place = Kinshasa, DR Congo | height = 1.78 m | position = Central midfielder | currentclub = Heart of Midlothian | clubnumber = 6 | youthyears1 = 2007–2017 | youthclubs1 = Everton | years1 = 2017–2021 | clubs1 = Everton | caps1 = 8 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2019 | clubs2 = → Wigan Athletic (loan) | caps2 = 1 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2021 | clubs3 = → Derby County (loan) | caps3 = 2 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2021–2026 | clubs4 = Heart of Midlothian | caps4 = 107 | goals4 = 1 | club-update = 17 May 2026 }} '''Beni Tangama Baningime''' (born 9 September 1998) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for {{Scottish football updater|HeartofM}} club Heart of Midlothian.

==Early life== Baningime grew up in the Lemba district of Kinshasa.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58900311|title=Beni Baningime: Hearts midfielder on his childhood, finding faith and thriving in Scottish football|last=English|first=Tom|date=14 October 2021|work=BBC Sport}}</ref> He left at the age of 8, after his father, who was working as a doctor in England, moved the family to Wigan.<ref name="auto"/>

==Career==

=== Everton === [[File:Next Generation Trophy -2013 07.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Baningime (left) playing for Everton in 2013.]]

Baningime joined Everton at the age of nine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/who-beni-baningime-evertons-midfield-13812458|title=Meet Beni Baningime&nbsp;— the midfield prodigy likened to Kante|first=Adam|last=Jones|date=25 October 2017|work=Liverpool Echo}}</ref> He is an academy graduate of the club and won honours such as 'The Premier League 2'<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/football/everton/story/3111722/everton-under-23s-win-premier-league-2-title?src=com|title=Everton U23s win Premier League 2 title|date=24 April 2017|publisher=}}</ref> and the Dallas Cup<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2016/03/27/dallas-cup-final-report|title=So Close... - Everton Football Club|website=www.evertonfc.com|access-date=4 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615212053/http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2016/03/27/dallas-cup-final-report|archive-date=15 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> during his time in the Everton F.C. Reserves and Academy. Baningime also won the Everton F.C. Reserves and Academy Player of the Year award for the 2016/17 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2017/05/18/baningime-takes-top-academy-prize|title=So Close... - Everton Football Club|website=www.evertonfc.com|access-date=3 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828192437/http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2017/05/18/baningime-takes-top-academy-prize|archive-date=28 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Baningime's senior debut came in a League Cup game against Chelsea in October 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/beni-baningime-shock-everton-debut-13812892|title=This is what David Unsworth thought of Baningime's debut|last=Doyle|first=Ian|date=25 October 2017|work=liverpoolecho|accessdate=26 October 2017}}</ref> Baningime made his Premier League debut as a half-time substitute against Leicester City on 29 October 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballfallout.com/premier-league-2017-2018/game/leicester-city-vs-everton-29-10-2017|title=Leicester City v Everton|website=Football Fallout|language=en-gb|accessdate=3 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107032057/https://www.footballfallout.com/premier-league-2017-2018/game/leicester-city-vs-everton-29-10-2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2019, he was loaned to Wigan Athletic until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wiganathletic.com/news/2019/january/wigan-athletic-sign-everton-midfielder-beni-baningime-on-loan-until-the-end-of-the-season/|title=WIGAN ATHLETIC SIGN EVERTON MIDFIELDER BENI BANINGIME ON LOAN UNTIL THE END OF THE SEASON|publisher=Wigan Athletic F.C.|date=31 January 2019|accessdate=7 February 2019}}</ref>

On 1 February 2021, Baningime joined Championship side Derby County on loan for the remainder of the 2020−21 season, reuniting with former Everton teammate Wayne Rooney who is manager.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2021/02/rams-land-baningime-on-loan-from-everton|title=RAMS LAND BANINGIME ON LOAN FROM EVERTON|publisher=Derby County F.C.|date=1 February 2021|accessdate=1 February 2021}}</ref> Two days later, he made his debut for the Rams as a substitute for Graeme Shinnie in a 0–3 away league defeat by Rotherham United.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55920060 |title=Preston North End 1-2 Rotherham United: Late Millers flourish leave Rooney's Rams reeling |website=BBC Sport |date=3 February 2021 |accessdate=15 February 2021}}</ref>

=== Hearts === On 29 July 2021, Baningime joined Scottish Professional Football League club Heart of Midlothian for a nominal fee and signed a three-year deal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58019108|title=Baningime joins Hearts from Everton|date=29 July 2021|work=BBC Sport}}</ref> Baningime played his debut for Hearts in a 2–1 home win against Celtic, playing the full match and receiving the Man of the Match award.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Souttar earns Hearts win over Celtic|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57951053|access-date=2021-08-02}}</ref>

==Personal life== Baningime's younger brother Divin Baningime is also a footballer, who most recently played for Wigan Athletic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wiganathletic.com/news/2017/october/find-out-more-about-latics-academy-graduate-involved-tonight-against-middlesbrough-u23/|title=Find Out More About Latics' Academy Graduates Involved Tonight Against Middlesbrough U21|publisher=Wigan Athletic|date=24 October 2017|accessdate=8 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108204716/https://www.wiganathletic.com/news/2017/october/find-out-more-about-latics-academy-graduate-involved-tonight-against-middlesbrough-u23/|archive-date=8 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Baningime is a Christian. He prays before every match, and reads the Bible.<ref name="auto"/>

==Career statistics== {{updated|17 May 2026}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/beni-baningime/453276/ |title=B. Baningime |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=25 October 2017}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable style="text-align: center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan=2|Club !rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|FA Cup !colspan=2|League Cup !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=5|Everton |2017–18 |Premier League |8||0||0||0||1||0||3{{efn|Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League|name=UEL}}||0||12||0 |- |2018–19 |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2019–20 |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2020–21 |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- !colspan=2|Total !8!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!3!!0!!12!!0 |- |Wigan Athletic (loan) |2018–19 |Championship |1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- |Derby County (loan) |2020–21 |Championship |2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0 |- |rowspan=6|Heart of Midlothian |2021–22 |Scottish Premiership |24||1||2||1||1||0||0||0||27||2 |- |2022–23 |Scottish Premiership |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2023–24 |Scottish Premiership |29||0||4||0||2||0||1||0||36||0 |- |2024–25 |Scottish Premiership |28||0||4||0||0||0||2||0||34||0 |- |2025–26 |Scottish Premiership |26||0||1||0||3||0||0||0||30||0 |- !colspan=2|Total !107!!1!!11!!1!!6!!0!!3!!0!!127!!2 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !118!!1!!11!!1!!7!!0!!6!!0!!142!!2 |}

{{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.evertonfc.com/players/14623/beni-baningime Profile] at the Everton F.C. website *{{soccerway|beni-baningime/453276}}

{{Heart of Midlothian F.C. squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baningime, Beni}} Category:Living people Category:1998 births Category:Footballers from Kinshasa Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Everton F.C. players Category:Wigan Athletic F.C. players Category:Derby County F.C. players Category:Premier League players Category:Heart of Midlothian F.C. players Category:English men's footballers Category:Footballers from Wigan Category:English Football League players Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:21st-century Democratic Republic of the Congo sportsmen