Fabrice Olinga facts for kids
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Olinga before a game with Málaga in 2014
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fabrice Olinga Essono | ||
| Date of birth | 12 May 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Douala, Cameroon | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2009 | Samuel Eto'o Academy | ||
| 2009–2011 | Mallorca | ||
| 2011–2013 | Málaga | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Málaga B | 21 | (1) |
| 2012–2014 | Málaga | 10 | (1) |
| 2014–2015 | Apollon Limassol | 1 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Zulte Waregem (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2015 | Sampdoria | 0 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Viitorul Constanța (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2015–2021 | Mouscron | 121 | (6) |
| 2021–2022 | Rio Ave | 6 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Botoșani | 8 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2012–2020 | Cameroon | 20 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 November 2023 | |||
Fabrice Olinga Essono, born on May 12, 1996, is a professional footballer from Cameroon. He is known as Olinga and plays as a forward.
He made history by becoming the youngest player to score a goal in La Liga, Spain's top football league. He achieved this at just 16 years old while playing for Málaga. After leaving Málaga, he played professionally in several countries, including Belgium, Cyprus, Romania, and Portugal.
Olinga also played for his home country, Cameroon, in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Early Football Journey
Olinga was born in Douala, Cameroon. He began learning football at the "Samuel Eto'o Foundation" in his home country. In 2009, he moved to Spain and joined the youth teams of RCD Mallorca.
Two years later, in 2011, Málaga CF's academy director, Manuel Casanova, noticed Olinga's talent. He invited Olinga to join Málaga's youth academy. Olinga played a key role in the Málaga team that reached the final of the Copa del Rey Juvenil de Fútbol in 2012. However, he could not play in the final match against RCD Espanyol because he was suspended.
Club Career Highlights
Making History in La Liga
When Olinga was only 16 years old, he was called up to the first team by manager Manuel Pellegrini. This was for the opening game of the 2012–13 La Liga season against RC Celta de Vigo. He came into the game as a substitute in the 60th minute.
Olinga scored the only goal of the match, making Málaga win. This goal made him the youngest ever goalscorer in La Liga history. He was 16 years and 98 days old, breaking the previous record held by Iker Muniain. His record stood for many years until October 8, 2023, when Lamine Yamal broke it by just 11 days.
Moving to Other European Clubs
Just four days after his record-breaking goal, Olinga started another game. He played for 70 minutes in a 2–0 win against Panathinaikos FC in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League. In January 2014, Olinga left Málaga. He then joined Apollon Limassol FC in Cyprus. From there, he was immediately loaned to S.V. Zulte Waregem in Belgium for five months.
In February 2015, Apollon loaned Olinga to FC Viitorul Constanța in Romania. However, this loan was changed when UC Sampdoria from Italy became involved. In the summer of 2015, Olinga signed a two-year contract with Royal Mouscron-Péruwelz in Belgium. He played many games for Mouscron, scoring his second professional goal in September 2017.
After leaving Mouscron, Olinga played for Rio Ave FC in Portugal and FC Botoșani in Romania.
Playing for Cameroon
International Debut and World Cup
On October 2, 2012, Olinga was called to play for the Cameroon national football team. This was for a qualification match against Cape Verde. He scored a goal in his very first game on October 14, helping Cameroon win 2–1.
In 2014, at the age of 18, Olinga was chosen by coach Volker Finke to be part of Cameroon's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was the youngest player in the entire tournament. Although he did not play in any matches, he was part of the team. Cameroon was eliminated in the group stage of the competition.
International Statistics
| Cameroon | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 20 | 1 |
- Scores and results list Cameroon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Olinga goal.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 14 October 2012 | Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon |  Cape Verde |
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2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
Achievements
Zulte Waregem
- Belgian Cup runner-up: 2013–14
Rio Ave
- Liga Portugal 2: 2021–22
See also
In Spanish: Fabrice Olinga para niños
