Axel Ngando

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Axel Ngando

| fullname = Axel Thomas Ngando Elessa{{cite web |url=https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?pageId=30&kisiId=2017560 |title=Axel Thomas Ngando Elessa |publisher=Turkish Football Federation |accessdate=3 December 2019 |language=Turkish}}

| image = Axel Ngando.jpg

| upright = 0.8

| caption = Ngando with France U19 in July 2012

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|7|13|df=y}}{{cite web|title=A. N'GANDO|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/axel-ngando/175299/|work=Soccerway|accessdate=10 February 2013}}

| birth_place = Asnières-sur-Seine, France

| height = 1.77 m

| currentclub = Araz-Naxçıvan

| clubnumber = 19

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 2000–2002

| youthclubs1 = A.S. Courdimanche

| youthyears2 = 2002–2004

| youthclubs2 = U.S. Méry-sur-Oise

| youthyears3 = 2004–2005

| youthclubs3 = A.S. Saint-Ouen l' Aumone

| youthyears4 = 2005–2007

| youthclubs4 = Paris Saint-Germain

| youthyears5 = 2007–2012

| youthclubs5 = Rennes

| years1 = 2011–2013

| clubs1 = Rennes B

| caps1 = 23

| goals1 = 3

| years2 = 2012–2015

| clubs2 = Rennes

| caps2 = 4

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2013

| clubs3 = → Auxerre B (loan)

| caps3 = 1

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2013–2014

| clubs4 = → Auxerre (loan)

| caps4 = 25

| goals4 = 3

| years5 = 2015

| clubs5 = → Angers (loan)

| caps5 = 19

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 2015–2016

| clubs6 = Bastia B

| caps6 = 3

| goals6 = 1

| nationalyears1 = 2011

| nationalteam1 = France U18

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2011–2012

| nationalteam2 = France U19

| nationalcaps2 = 15

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| nationalyears3 = 2012–2013

| nationalteam3 = France U20

| nationalcaps3 = 13

| nationalgoals3 = 2

| nationalyears4 = 2013–2014

| nationalteam4 = France U21

| nationalcaps4 = 4

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| club-update = 4 April 2024

| caps7 = 42

| years7 = 2015–2017

| clubs7 = Bastia

| goals8 = 3

| caps8 = 30

| years8 = 2017–2019

| clubs8 = Göztepe

| goals9 = 7

| caps9 = 45

| years9 = 2019–2021

| clubs9 = Auxerre

| goals10 = 0

| caps10 = 23

| years10 = 2021–2023

| clubs10 = Grenoble

| goals7 = 2

| caps11 = 15

| goals11 = 0

| years11 = 2023–

| clubs11 = Araz-Naxçıvan

| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{FRA}}}}

}}

Axel Thomas Ngando Elessa (born 13 July 1993) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Azerbaijan Premier League club Araz-Naxçıvan PFK. At international level, he has represented France at various youth levels.

Club career

= Early career and loans =

Ngando started his career playing for the "B" team of Rennes, who played in the Championnat de France Amateur. He scored his first goal for the "B" team on 21 May 2011 against Poiré-sur-Vie, in which he scored in the 47th minute to help his team to a 3–2 victory.{{cite web|title=STADE RENNES II VS. LE POIRÉ-SUR-VIE 3 - 2|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2011/05/21/france/cfa/stade-rennais-fc-ii/jeanne-d-arc-le-poire-sur-vie-football/986083/|work=Soccerway|accessdate=10 February 2013}} His second goal for Rennes's reserves came on 4 November 2012 against La Chapelle-des-Marais, in which he scored in the 82nd minute to provide his team a 2–0 victory.{{cite web|title=STADE RENNES II VS. CHAPELLE-DES-MARAIS 2 - 0|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2012/11/04/france/cfa-2/stade-rennais-fc-ii/fc-de-la-chapelle-marais/1342104/|work=Soccerway|accessdate=10 February 2013}}

After several impressive matches for the Rennes "B" team, Ngando made his debut for the first-team in a Ligue 1 game on 2 February 2013 against Lorient, in which he came on as a 90th-minute substitute for Romain Alessandrini and scored a goal, just one minute into his debut in the 91st minute to equalize for Rennes and finish the match at a score of 2–2.{{cite web|last=Ali|first=Mohammed|title=Ligue 1 Round 23 Results: Barton sees red as Marseille and Lyon hand PSG title advantage|url=http://www.goal.com/en-ie/match/81611/fc-lorient-vs-rennes/report|work=Goal.com|accessdate=10 February 2013}}

Rennes loaned Ngando to Auxerre on 4 September 2013, to continue his progress.{{Cite web |last=France |first=Centre |date=2013-09-04 |title=Axel Ngando, dernière recrue prêtée par Rennes, a pris ses marques hier |url=https://www.lyonne.fr/auxerre-89000/football/axel-ngando-derniere-recrue-pretee-par-rennes-a-pris-ses-marques-hier_1677714/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=www.lyonne.fr}} Three days later, he made his first start with Auxerre B against Feurs.{{Cite web |last=France |first=Centre |date=2013-09-07 |title=L'AJ Auxerre B reçoit Feurs, ce samedi, à 18 heures |url=https://www.lyonne.fr/auxerre-89000/football/l-aj-auxerre-b-recoit-feurs-ce-samedi-a-18-heures_1681715/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=www.lyonne.fr}}

On 12 January 2015, Ngando was loaned to Angers for the remainder of the 2014–15 season.{{Cite web |date=2015-01-12 |title=Rennes loan out Ngando - Get French Football News |url=https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2015/rennes-loan-out-ngando/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |language=en-US}}

= Later career =

On 31 August 2015, Ngando joined Bastia on a three-year deal.{{cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/26098/9973566/bastia-sign-rennes-midfielder-axel-ngando|title= Bastia sign Rennes star Axel Ngando|work=skysports.com|date= 31 August 2015|accessdate= 31 August 2015}}

In 2017, he joined Süper Lig side Göztepe S.K.[http://www.90min.com/tr/posts/5221708-goztepe-selcuk-sahin-ve-axel-ngando-ile-prensipte-anlasildigini-duyurdu Göztepe, Selçuk Şahin Ve Axel Ngando İle Prensipte Anlaşıldığını Duyurdu]‚ 90min.com, 3 July 2017

Ngando returned to France on 1 August 2019, rejoining Auxerre permanently.{{Cite web |date=2019-08-01 |title=Axel Ngando de retour en terrain connu |url=https://www.aja.fr/axel-ngando-de-retour-en-terrain-connu/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=AJA |language=fr-FR}}

On 30 December 2021, he signed for Ligue 2 side Grenoble.{{Cite web|date=30 December 2021|title=AXEL NGANDO est Grenoblois !|trans-title=AXEL NGANDO is Grenoblois!|url=https://www.gf38.fr/axel-ngando-est-grenoblois/|url-status=live|publisher=Grenoble Foot 38|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230150302/https://www.gf38.fr/axel-ngando-est-grenoblois/ |archive-date=30 December 2021 }}

On 18 September 2023, Ngando joined Azerbaijani club Araz-Naxçıvan PFK, on a one-year deal.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-19 |title=Xoş gəldin, Aksel Nqando! |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CxUrqQwIlcb/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=www.instagram.com |language=az}}

International career

Ngando is a France youth international, having represented his country at under-18 through under-21 levels, including winning the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, in which he scored in the penalty shoot-out in the final.{{cite web|title=France triumph after shootout drama|url=https://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/matches/round=259225/match=300232810/match-report.html#nosticky|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924205523/http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/matches/round=259225/match=300232810/match-report.html#nosticky|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2015|publisher=FIFA|accessdate=5 August 2015|date=13 July 2013}}

Personal life

He is the nephew of former Cameroon international Patrick Mboma, and is eligible to represent either Cameroon or France at senior level.

Career statistics

= Club =

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" \|National Cup ! colspan="2" \|League Cup ! colspan="2" \|Total
Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals
rowspan="4" \|Rennes B \|2010–11 \|National 2 \|6 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|6 \|1
2012–13 \|National 3 \|17 \|2 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|17 \|2
2014–15 \|National 3 \|7 \|4 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|7 \|4
colspan="2" \|Total !30 !7 !0 !0 !0 !0 !30 !7
Rennes \|2012–13 \|Ligue 1 \|4 \|1 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|4 \|1
Auxerre B (loan) \|2013–14 \|National 3 \|1 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|1 \|1
Auxerre (loan) \|2013–14 \|Ligue 2 \|25 \|3 \|4 \|1 \|2 \|0 \|31 \|4
Angers (loan) \|2014–15 \|Ligue 2 \|19 \|1 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|19 \|1
rowspan="3" \|Bastia B \|2015–16 \|National 3 \|1 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|1 \|1
2016–17 \|National 3 \|2 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \| colspan="2" \|— \|2 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !3 !1 !0 !0 !0 !0 !3 !1
rowspan="3" \|Bastia \|2015–16 \|Ligue 1 \|22 \|2 \|2 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|25 \|2
2016–17 \|Ligue 1 \|20 \|0 \|1 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|21 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !42 !2 !3 !0 !1 !0 !46 !2
rowspan="3" \|Göztepe \|2017–18 \|Süper Lig \|16 \|2 \|1 \|1 \| colspan="2" \|— \|17 \|3
2018–19 \|Süper Lig \|14 \|1 \|4 \|3 \| colspan="2" \|— \|18 \|4
colspan="2" \|Total !30 !3 !5 !4 !0 !0 !35 !7
rowspan="3" \|Auxerre \|2019–20 \|Ligue 2 \|16 \|5 \|2 \|1 \|1 \|0 \|19 \|6
2020–21 \|Ligue 2 \|29 \|2 \|2 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|31 \|2
colspan="2" \|Total !45 !7 !4 !1 !1 !0 !50 !8
rowspan="3" \|Grenoble \|2021–22 \|Ligue 2 \|4 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|4 \|0
2022–23 \|Ligue 2 \|19 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|19 \|0
colspan="2" \|Total !23 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !23 !0
Araz-Naxçıvan \|2023–24 \|Azerbaijan Premier League \|2 \|0 \|0 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \|2 \|0
colspan="3" \|Career total !228 !26 !16 !6 !4 !0 !248 !32

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" |National Cup

! colspan="2" |League Cup

! colspan="2" |Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps