| Carlos Baleba | |
| Full Name: | Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba |
| Birth Date: | 3 January 2004 |
| Birth Place: | Douala, Cameroon |
| Height: | 1.79 m |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Clubnumber: | 20 |
| Youthclubs1: | Futur Soccer FC |
| Youthyears2: | 2017–2022 |
| Youthclubs2: | EF Brasseries du Cameroun |
| Years1: | 2022–2023 |
| Clubs1: | Lille B |
| Caps1: | 13 |
| Goals1: | 1 |
| Years2: | 2022–2023 |
| Clubs2: | Lille |
| Caps2: | 21 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2023– |
| Clubs3: | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Caps3: | 27 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2024– |
| Nationalteam1: | Cameroon |
| Nationalcaps1: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 23:42, 19 May 2024 (UTC) |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 11 June 2024 |
Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba (born 3 January 2004) is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a central or defensive midfielder for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Cameroon national team.
Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba was born on 4 January 2004 in Douala, Cameroon.[1] His father is a former professional footballer who played in South Africa and Cameroon.[2] He grew up in the neighbourhood of Akwa and is of Bassa descent.[2] Baleba started playing football at Futur Soccer FC in Douala and then joined École de Football des Brasseries du Cameroun academy centre at the age of 13.[2]
Baleba was transferred to French team Lille in January 2022,[3] [4] having already attracted the scouts of several other European clubs.[5] [6] Having arrived in the Nord along with another youngster Joffrey Bazié; the two Africans first joined Lille's reserve team, that played in National 3 that season.[7]
Despite being in the matchday squad multiple times towards the end of the 2021–22 Ligue 1 season, Baleba's professional debut had to wait until the 2022–23 Ligue 1 season where he would break into the first team of newly appointed manager, Paulo Fonseca.[8] [9] [10]
He made his professional debut for Lille on 7 August 2022, replacing Angel Gomes during a 4–1 Ligue 1 win against Auxerre.[11] [12] [13]
On 29 August 2023, Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion announced the signing of Baleba on a five-year contract.[14] According to various reports, the financial details of the transfer include an initial and base fee of €27 million, a maximum of €3 million add-ons depending on sporting conditions and a 15% sell-on clause.[15] [16] [17] [18] Baleba made his debut for the Albion in a 3–1 home victory against AFC Bournemouth on 24 September, coming on as a 73rd minute substitute for Mahmoud Dahoud.[19] On 8 October, Baleba made his first start for the Albion in a 2–2 draw against Liverpool.[20]
Baleba made his debut for the Cameroon national team on 8 June 2024 in a World Cup qualifier 4–1 victory against Cape Verde at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium. He started the game and played 80 minutes.[21]
Known for his stamina, dribbling and passing range, Baleba is a complete and powerful central midfielder who can play in a box-to-box role or as a holding midfielder. He grew up idolising Paul Pogba, Kevin De Bruyne, Thiago Alcântara as well as former Lille players Nicolas Pépé and Idrissa Gueye, a collection of unrelated players either theirs roles, positions, and skills.[2]
| Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Lille B | 2021–22 | Championnat National 3 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Championnat National 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||||||
| Lille | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | |||||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2023–24 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
| Career total | 61 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 73 | 1 | |||