Chancel Mbemba
A commanding centre-back who joined Marseille on a free transfer in 2022 and scored in his third game for the club.
Chancel Mbemba is a Congolese professional footballer who played as a centre-back for Olympique de Marseille. He signed a three-year contract with Marseille on 15 July 2022 on a free transfer, having previously played for Porto. He made his debut on 7 August as the Ligue 1 season began with a 4–1 home win over Reims, and scored his first goal in his third game on 20 August to open a 2–1 win over Nantes at the Stade Vélodrome. In August 2024, Mbemba was left out of the Marseille squad by newly appointed head coach Roberto De Zerbi. He didn’t play a single match during the 2024–25 season. His contract with Marseille expired on 30 June 2025.
- Nationality
- DR Congo
- Position
- Centre-Back
- OM Tenure
- 2022–2025
- Status
- Former Player
- International Role
- DR Congo Captain
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Mbemba arrived at Marseille in July 2022 after four years at Porto, where he won the Primeira Liga and Taça de Portugal double in 2020 and 2022. He made an immediate impact in Ligue 1, scoring his first goal for the club in just his third appearance — a 2–1 win over Nantes on 20 August 2022. On 7 September 2022, he was sent off in a 2–0 Champions League loss at Tottenham Hotspur for a professional foul on Son Heung-min. His time at Marseille took a sharp turn in August 2024 when newly appointed head coach Roberto De Zerbi left him out of the squad entirely. Mbemba did not play a single match during the 2024–25 season, and his contract expired on 30 June 2025.
In Their Own Story
The Stade Vélodrome roared as Mbemba rose to meet a corner on 20 August 2022, his header opening the scoring in a 2–1 win over Nantes. Just weeks earlier, he had made his debut in a 4–1 victory against Reims. But the highs of that first season gave way to silence. By August 2024, Roberto De Zerbi had left him out of the squad. Mbemba never played another minute for Marseille, his contract running down until it expired on 30 June 2025.
Reader's Guide
Chancel Mbemba joined Olympique de Marseille on 15 July 2022, signing a three-year contract on a free transfer from Porto. He made his debut on 7 August 2022 in a 4–1 home win over Reims. His first goal came on 20 August 2022, opening the scoring in a 2–1 win over Nantes at the Stade Vélodrome. On 7 September 2022, he was sent off in a 2–0 Champions League loss at Tottenham Hotspur for a professional foul on Son Heung-min. In August 2024, newly appointed head coach Roberto De Zerbi left Mbemba out of the squad. He did not play a single match during the 2024–25 season. His contract with Marseille expired on 30 June 2025.
Did You Know?
- Mbemba signed for Marseille on a free transfer on 15 July 2022.
- He scored his first Marseille goal in his third appearance, a 2–1 win over Nantes on 20 August 2022.
- He was sent off in a 2–0 Champions League loss at Tottenham Hotspur on 7 September 2022 for a professional foul on Son Heung-min.
- In August 2024, newly appointed head coach Roberto De Zerbi left Mbemba out of the Marseille squad.
- Mbemba did not play a single match during the 2024–25 season, and his contract expired on 30 June 2025.