{{Short description|Footballer (born 1992)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Yeni Ngbakoto | image = Yeni Ngbakoto 2022.png | caption = Ngbakoto with [[Western Sydney Wanderers]] in 2022 | full_name = Yeni Atito N'Gbakoto<ref name="Retained List 2016-17">{{cite web|title=Retained List 2016-17|url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-released-and-retained-list---2016-17.pdf|publisher=English Football League|access-date=13 June 2017}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|1|23|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Croix, Territoire de Belfort|Croix]], France | height = 1.73 m | position = [[Winger (association football)|Winger]] | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2001–2007 | youthclubs1 = SCC Besançon | youthyears2 = 2007–2009 | youthclubs2 = [[FC Metz|Metz]] | years1 = 2009–2016 | clubs1 = [[FC Metz|Metz]] | caps1 = 185 | goals1 = 44 | years2 = 2016–2018 | clubs2 = [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] | caps2 = 31 | goals2 = 3 | years3 = 2018–2021 | clubs3 = [[En Avant de Guingamp|Guingamp]] | caps3 = 73 | goals3 = 14 | years4 = 2021–2022 | clubs4 = [[Panathinaikos F.C.|Panathinaikos]] | caps4 = 14 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2021 | clubs5 = [[Panathinaikos B]] | caps5 = 2 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2022 | clubs6 = [[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]] | caps6 = 14 | goals6 = 3 | years7 = 2022–2023 | clubs7 = [[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|WS Wanderers]] | caps7 = 18 | goals7 = 4 | years8 = 2023–2025 | clubs8 = [[Vejle Boldklub|Vejle]] | caps8 = 38 | goals8 = 3 | nationalyears1 = 2008–2009 | nationalteam1 = [[France national under-17 football team|France U17]] | nationalcaps1 = 32 | nationalgoals1 = 6 | nationalyears2 = 2009–2010 | nationalteam2 = [[France national under-18 football team|France U18]] | nationalcaps2 = 12 | nationalgoals2 = 4 | nationalyears3 = 2017– | nationalteam3 = [[DR Congo national football team|DR Congo]] | nationalcaps3 = 2 | nationalgoals3 = 1 | club-update = 29 May 2025 | nationalteam-update = 6 June 2017 }} '''Yeni Atito N'Gbakoto''' (born 23 January 1992) is a professional [[association football|footballer]]. Born in France, he plays for the [[DR Congo national football team|DR Congo national team]] internationally. He primarily plays as a [[winger (association football)|winger]], but is capable of playing as a [[striker (association football)|striker]].
He is a former [[France national youth football team|France youth international]] having earned caps at [[France national under-17 football team|under-17]] and [[France national under-18 football team|under-18]] level.
He is known for his speed, technical ability, and strength, which compensates for his small stature.<ref>{{cite news |title=Yeni N'Gbakoto signe pour 5 ans |url=http://www.espoirsdufootball.com/5848-fc-metz-yeni-n%E2%80%99gbakoto-signe-pour-5-ans.html |work=Espoirs du Football |date=25 June 2009 |access-date=21 January 2010 |archive-date=20 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220165511/http://www.espoirsdufootball.com/5848-fc-metz-yeni-n%E2%80%99gbakoto-signe-pour-5-ans.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Club career ==
=== Metz === Born in [[Croix, Territoire de Belfort|Croix]], Ngbakoto began his football career at SC Clemenceau in the [[Communes of France|commune]] of [[Besançon]]. He excelled in the club's youth academy and eventually secured a move to the youth academy of professional club [[FC Metz|Metz]]. While at the academy, he developed gracefully becoming one of the club's most sought after products. During his time at the academy, he drew interest from English clubs [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] and [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] and Spanish club [[F.C. Barcelona|Barcelona]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Premier League today |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3803788.ece |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110604182902/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3803788.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 June 2011 |work=[[The Times Online]] |date=24 April 2008 |access-date=6 February 2010}}</ref> Ngbakoto's play with the club's under-16 team saw him earn a call up to the [[France national under-17 football team|France under-17 team]] by [[Coach (sport)|coach]] [[Philippe Bergeroo]]. On 25 June 2009, he agreed to his first professional contract signing a five-year deal until June 2014.<ref>{{cite news |title=Premier contrat pour Ngbakoto |url=http://www.fcmetz.com/news/display/5581 |work=[[FC Metz]] |date=25 June 2009 |access-date=21 January 2010}}</ref> Following the agreement, he was promoted to the senior team and assigned the number 15 shirt in preparation for the [[2009–10 Ligue 2|2009–10 season]].
Ngbakoto began the season playing on the club's amateur team in the [[Championnat de France amateur 2]], the fifth level of French football, scoring on his debut in the team's opening match against [[CA Pontarlier]] on 15 August 2009. He consistently appeared in the amateur team for the next four months, adding another goal in a 1–0 victory over [[Thionville FC|Thionville]], before earning a call up to the senior team by [[Manager (football)|manager]] [[Yvon Pouliquen]] for the club's [[Coupe de la Ligue]] match against [[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]] on 13 January 2010. Ngbakoto made his professional debut in the match appearing as a substitute in the 83rd minute for [[Julien Cardy]]. Metz lost the match 3–0.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lyon v. Metz Match Report |url=http://www.lfp.fr/coupeLigue/feuilleMatch.asp?saison=2009/2010&code_evt=&code_jr_tr=T96&num_ordre=3&no_groupe=0 |work=[[Ligue de Football Professionnel]]|date=13 January 2010 |access-date=21 January 2010}}</ref> He was relegated back to the amateur division shortly after and finished the campaign with 16 appearances and eight goals as the Metz reserve team were crowned champions of the league finishing with 107 points.
For the [[2010–11 Ligue 2|2010–11 season]], Ngbakoto was reassigned the number 23 shirt by new manager [[Dominique Bijotat]]. He made league debut on 27 August 2010 in a league match against [[AC Ajaccio]], which ended 0–0. He started the match and played 90 minutes before being substituted out in [[injury time]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ajaccio v. Metz Match Report |url=http://www.lfp.fr/ligue2/feuilleMatch.asp?saison=2010/2011&code_evt=D2&num_ordre=1&code_jr_tr=J05 |work=[[Ligue de Football Professionnel]]|date=27 August 2010 |access-date=27 August 2010}}</ref> On 18 December, he scored his first professional goal in a 3–0 victory over [[L'Entente SSG]] in the [[Coupe de France]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Coupe de France, 8ème tour |url=http://www.fcmetz.com/match/fiche/cdf_2010-2011_fc-metz-3-0-entente-sannois-saint-gratien_18122010.html |work=[[FC Metz]]|date=18 December 2010 |access-date=18 December 2010}}</ref>
=== Queens Park Rangers === Ngbakoto signed for English club [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] on 7 August 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37000915 |title=Yeni Ngbakoto: QPR sign Metz forward for an undisclosed fee |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=7 August 2016 |access-date=11 August 2016}}</ref> He scored on his debut for the club against [[Swindon Town]] in an [[EFL Cup]] tie on 10 August 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36961111 |title=QPR 2-2 Swindon |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=10 August 2016 |access-date=11 August 2016}}</ref>
=== Guingamp === On 3 January 2018, Ngbakoto signed for French [[Ligue 1]] club [[En Avant de Guingamp|Guingamp]] for an undisclosed fee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news/ngbakoto-leaves-qpr-for-guingamp/|title=Ngbakoto leaves QPR for Guingamp|website=English|language=en|access-date=3 January 2018}}</ref> He was assigned the number 12 shirt.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.eaguingamp.com/mercato-yeni-ngbakoto-guingampais/|title=Mercato : Yeni Ngbakoto est Guingampais ! - En Avant de Guingamp|date=3 January 2018|work=En Avant de Guingamp|access-date=3 January 2018|language=fr-FR}}</ref>
=== Panathinaikos === On 1 February 2021, Greek club [[Panathinaikos F.C.|Panathinaikos]] have signed DR Congo international Yeni Ngbakoto. Ngbakoto, who was born in France but has played twice for his national team, has signed an 18-month deal which according to Greek media will earn him €400 000.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pao.gr/transfers/sta-prasina-o-engkmpakoto/ |title=Στα πράσινα ο Ενγκμπακοτό|date=1 February 2021|work=www.pao.gr|access-date=1 February 2021|language=el}}</ref>
===Nancy=== On 31 January 2022, Ngbakoto signed with [[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]] in [[Ligue 2]] until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=[[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]]|url=https://www.asnl.net/58/actualites/actualites/fiche/28413|title=Ngbakoto en attaque|date=31 January 2022|access-date=13 February 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
===Western Sydney Wanderers=== On 23 June 2022, Ngbakoto joined [[A-League Men]] club [[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|Western Sydney Wanderers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wswanderersfc.com.au/news/wanderers-secure-ngbakoto|title=Wanderers secure N'gbakoto|website=wswanderersfc.com.au|date=23 June 2022|accessdate=30 June 2022}}</ref>
In May 2023, it was announced that Ngbakoto was leaving the club at the end of his contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wswanderersfc.com.au/news/wanderers-confirm-four-isuzu-ute-a-league-departures|title=Wanderers confirm four Isuzu UTE A-League departures|website=[[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|Western Sydney Wanderers]]|date=24 May 2023}}</ref>
===Vejle Boldklub=== On 1 September 2023, Ngbakoto joined [[Danish Superliga]] club [[Vejle Boldklub]] on a deal until June 2025.<ref>[https://vejle-boldklub.dk/vejle-boldklub-har-yeni-ngbakoto-paa-plads-som-klubbens-nye-angriber/ Vejle Boldklub har Yeni N'Gbakoto på plads som klubbens nye angriber], vejle-boldklub.dk, 2 September 2023</ref>
== International career == Ngbakoto was born in France and is of Congolese and Ivorian descent. Ngbakoto has earned [[France national youth football team|international youth]] caps with the [[France national under-17 football team|under-17]] and [[France national under-18 football team|under-18]] teams. With the under-17s, he was a regular appearing in 14 matches scoring four goals with his first two coming in a tournament in [[Austria]] against [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]] and [[Austria national football team|the hosts]]. Ngbakoto scored both his other goals in the qualification process for the [[2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship]]. He scored one in the [[2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round|first qualifying round]] against [[Scotland national under-17 football team|Scotland]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Scotland v. France Match Report |url=http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under17/history/season=2009/round=15211/match=302131/index.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707184615/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under17/history/season=2009/round=15211/match=302131/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 July 2012 |work=[[UEFA|Union of European Football Associations]] |date=1 October 2008 |access-date=21 January 2010}}</ref> and the other in the [[2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship elite round|Elite Round]] against [[Belarus national under-17 football team|Belarus]] converting a [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty]].<ref>{{cite news |title=France v. Belarus Match Report |url=http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under17/history/season=2009/round=15212/match=304534/index.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708093722/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under17/history/season=2009/round=15212/match=304534/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 July 2012 |work=[[UEFA|Union of European Football Associations]] |date=24 March 2009 |access-date=21 January 2010}}</ref> The team later suffered group stage elimination in the tournament with Ngbakoto appearing in all three matches.
With the under-18s, Ngbakoto earned his first appearance in the yearly SBS Cup, held in [[Japan]], against [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]]. He was one of the few underage players for France at the tournament. In the tournament, he scored his only two goals so far against the [[Shizuoka Prefecture|Shizuoka]] national team in the second group stage match and the hosts [[Japan national football team|Japan]] in the final group stage match.
Ngbakoto was called up to the [[DR Congo national football team|DR Congo national team]] in March 2017, eligible through heritage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/qpr-yeni-ngbakoto-rotherham-united-3635758.aspx|title=QPR attacker Yeni Ngbakoto looks back on Saturday's 5-1 victory against Rotherham United|publisher=[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]|date=20 March 2017|quote=Ngbakoto is thriving under Holloway and the man himself is eager to go from strength-to-strength following the international break, where he’ll link up with Congo for the very first time.|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327080506/http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/qpr-yeni-ngbakoto-rotherham-united-3635758.aspx|archivedate=27 March 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> He made his first appearance in a 2–1 friendly loss to [[Kenya national football team|Kenya]] on 26 March 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leopardsfoot.com/leopards-la-rdc-chute-2-1-en-amical-face-au-kenya/|title=Léopards : La RDC chute 2-1 en amical face au Kenya|date=26 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39338662|title = Kenya v Congo DR|work = BBC Sport}}</ref>
== Career statistics ==
=== Club === {{Updated|match played 12 November 2023}}<ref>{{Lequipe|33313|accessdate=14 January 2018|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Soccerway|88814|accessdate=14 January 2018}}</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"|Cup !colspan="2"|Australia{{efn|Appearance in the [[2022–23 A-League Men#Finals series|2022–23 A-League Men finals series]].}} !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="8"|[[FC Metz|Metz]] |[[2009–10 Ligue 2|2009–10]] |rowspan="3"|[[Ligue 2]] |0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0 |- |[[2010–11 Ligue 2|2010–11]] |22||2||4||2||colspan="2"|—||26||4 |- |[[2011–12 Ligue 2|2011–12]] |20||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||24||0 |- |[[2012–13 Championnat National|2012–13]] |[[Championnat National]] |38||11||5||3||colspan="2"|—||43||14 |- |[[2013–14 Ligue 2|2013–14]] |Ligue 2 |37||14||2||0||colspan="2"|—||39||14 |- |[[2014–15 Ligue 1|2014–15]] |Ligue 1 |30||5||5||1||colspan="2"|—||35||6 |- |[[2015–16 Ligue 2|2015–16]] |Ligue 2 |38||12||4||3||colspan="2"|—||42||15 |- !colspan="2"|Total !185!!44!!25!!9!!0!!0!!210!!53 |- |rowspan="3"|[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] |[[2016–17 EFL Championship|2016–17]] |rowspan="2"|[[EFL Championship|Championship]] |26||3||2||1||colspan="2"|—||28||4 |- |[[2017–18 EFL Championship|2017–18]] |5||0||2||1||colspan="2"|—||7||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !31!!3!!4!!2!!0!!0!!35!!5 |- |rowspan="5"|[[En Avant de Guingamp|Guingamp]] |[[2017–18 Ligue 1|2017–18]] |rowspan="2"|Ligue 1 |16||4||1||1||colspan="2"|—||17||5 |- |[[2018–19 Ligue 1|2018–19]] |15||1||4||2||colspan="2"|—||19||3 |- |[[2019–20 Ligue 2|2019–20]] |rowspan="2"|Ligue 2 |21||4||2||0||colspan="2"|—||23||4 |- |[[2020–21 Ligue 2|2020–21]] |21||5||1||0||colspan="2"|—||22||5 |- !colspan="2"|Total !73!!14!!8!!3!!0!!0!!81!!17 |- |[[Panathinaikos F.C.|Panathinaikos]] |[[2020–21 Panathinaikos F.C. season|2020–21]] |[[Super League Greece|Superleague Greece]] |14||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||16||0 |- |[[Panathinaikos F.C. B|Panathinaikos B]] |[[2021–22 Super League Greece 2|2021–22]] |[[Super League Greece 2]] |2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||0 |- |[[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]] |[[2021–22 AS Nancy Lorraine season|2021–22]] |Ligue 2 |14||3||0||0||colspan="2"|—||14||3 |- |[[Western Sydney Wanderers FC|Western Sydney Wanderers]] |[[2022–23 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season|2022–23]] |[[A-League Men]] |18||4||0||0||1||0||19||4 |- |[[Vejle Boldklub|Vejle]] |[[2023–24 Danish Superliga|2023–24]] |[[Danish Superliga]] |8||2||2||2||colspan="2"|—||10||4 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !345!!70!!41!!16!!1!!0!!387!!86 |}
===International=== {{Updated|match played 5 June 2017}} :''Scores and results list DR Congo's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ngbakoto goal.''
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Yeni Ngbakoto |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col" data-sort-type="date"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Cap !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition |- |align="center"|1 |5 June 2017||[[Sports Center of FAR]], [[Rabat]], Morocco||align="center"|2||{{fb|BOT}}||align="center"|2–0||align="center"|2–0||[[Friendly (association football)|Friendly]] |}
== Honours == '''Guingamp''' * [[Coupe de la Ligue]] runner-up: [[2018–19 Coupe de la Ligue|2018–19]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Strasbourg remporte la Coupe de la Ligue aux tirs au but |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/football/article/2019/03/31/strasbourg-remporte-la-coupe-de-la-ligue-aux-tirs-au-but_5443712_1616938.html |access-date=5 November 2023 |date=31 March 2019 |language=fr |last1=Kezzouf |first1=Youmni |website=[[Le Monde]]}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.fcmetz.com/fiche/joueur/819 Yeni N'Gbakoto profile] at [http://www.fcmetz.com fcmetz.com] * {{LFP}}
{{2015–16 Ligue 2 UNFP Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ngbakoto, Yeni}} [[Category:1992 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Men's association football midfielders]] [[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's footballers]] [[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's international footballers]] [[Category:French men's footballers]] [[Category:France men's youth international footballers]] [[Category:French sportspeople of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent]] [[Category:French sportspeople of Ivorian descent]] [[Category:FC Metz players]] [[Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players]] [[Category:En Avant Guingamp players]] [[Category:Panathinaikos F.C. players]] [[Category:AS Nancy Lorraine players]] [[Category:Western Sydney Wanderers FC players]] [[Category:Vejle Boldklub players]] [[Category:Ligue 1 players]] [[Category:Ligue 2 players]] [[Category:Championnat National players]] [[Category:Championnat National 2 players]] [[Category:Championnat National 3 players]] [[Category:English Football League players]] [[Category:Super League Greece players]] [[Category:Super League Greece 2 players]] [[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]] [[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in England]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece]] [[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in Greece]] [[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Australia]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark]] [[Category:Black French sportspeople]] [[Category:French expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in England]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Australia]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Greece]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Denmark]] [[Category:Footballers from the Territoire de Belfort]] [[Category:21st-century French sportsmen]]