Michel-Ange ra Balikwisha (born 10 May 2001) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Royal Antwerp.[1]
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 10 May 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Ghent, Belgium | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Antwerp | ||
| Number | 67 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2014 | Anderlecht | ||
| 2014–2020 | Standard Liège | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2021 | Standard Liège | 32 | (9) |
| 2021– | Antwerp | 98 | (18) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017 | Belgium U16 | 4 | (1) |
| 2018 | Belgium U17 | 5 | (1) |
| 2019 | Belgium U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2019 | Belgium U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Belgium U21 | 10 | (1) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:45, 26 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:48, 25 June 2023 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editBalikwisha made his professional debut for Standard Liège on 20 September 2020 in a Belgian First Division A game against KV Kortrijk.[2]
Royal Antwerp
editOn4 July 2021, Balikwisha joined Royal Antwerp on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee.[3]
He was part of the squad that won a domestic double during the 2022–23 season, including the club's first league title in 66 years.[4]
On 23 July 2023, Balikwisha scored a goal in the Belgian Super Cup against Mechelen. Antwerp would win on penalties to claim the trophy for the first time in their history.[5]
On 30 August 2023, he helped the club secure a spot in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever, by scoring a goal in the second leg of their 3–1 aggregate victory over AEK Athens in the play-off round.[6] He scored in Antwerp's first home match in the Champions League proper on 4 October, putting his side 2–0 up against Shakhtar Donetsk, but would squander the lead and fall to a 2–3 defeat.[7]
In July 2024, Scottish football club Celtic FC approached Balikwisha for a transfer.[8]
International career
editBorn in Belgium, Balikwisha is of Congolese descent. He is a youth international for Belgium.[9]
Personal life
editBalikwisha is the brother of the footballer William Balikwisha.[10]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of matches played 26 May 2024[1]
| Club | Season | League | Belgian Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Standard Liège | 2020–21 | Belgian Pro League | 32 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6[a] | 0 | — | 40 | 9 | |
| Antwerp | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5[a] | 1 | — | 38 | 5 | |
| 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 33 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 4[b] | 1 | — | 42 | 10 | ||
| 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League | 33 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7[c] | 2 | 1[d] | 1 | 44 | 10 | |
| Total | 98 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 124 | 25 | ||
| Career totals | 130 | 27 | 11 | 2 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 164 | 34 | ||
- ^ a b Appearances in the UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League
- ^ Appearances in the UEFA Champions League
- ^ Appearance in the Belgian Super Cup
Honours
editRoyal Antwerp
References
edit- ^ a b Michel-Ange Balikwisha at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ^ "Résultat Standard de Liège - KV Courtrai, Championnat de Belgique, 6e journée, Dimanche 20 Septembre 2020". L'Équipe (in French). 20 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ^ "Nu ook officieel: Michel-Ange Balikwisha krijgt zijn zin en ruilt Standard voor Antwerp" (in Dutch). nieuwsblad.be. 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Alderweireld earns Royal Antwerp first Belgian league title in 66 years". The Guardian. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Antwerp wint nu ook de Supercup! KV Mechelen plooit pas na strafschoppen" (in Dutch). Sporza. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "Antwerp make history after qualifying for Champions League group stages for first time". Brussels Times. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ^ "Antwerp 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 3 - Highlights". BEIN Sports. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
- ^ "Celtic Open Talks to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha". msn.com. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ "Foot-Belgique: Deux léopards sauvent le Standard de Liège". 27 September 2020.
- ^ "Foot-Belgique: deux léopards sauvent le Standard de Liège". 27 September 2020.
- ^ "Royal Antwerp win first Belgian title in 66 years after Toby Alderweireld's stoppage-time equaliser". BBC. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
External links
edit- Michel-Ange Balikwisha at Soccerway
- Michel-Ange Balikwisha at the Royal Belgian Football Association
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