J.C. Ngando
{{Short description|Cameroonian football player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = J.C. Ngando
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Jean-Claude Ngando Mbende
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|11|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = Douala, Cameroon
| height = 1.76m
| position = Attacking midfielder
| currentclub = Vancouver Whitecaps FC
| clubnumber = 26
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Amiens
| collegeyears1 = 2021–2022
| college1 = UNC Greensboro Spartans
| collegecaps1 = 38
| collegegoals1 = 9
| years1 = 2017–2020
| clubs1 = Amiens II
| caps1 = 36
| goals1 = 3
| years2 = 2020
| clubs2 = Paris FC II
| caps2 = 1
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2022
| clubs3 = South Georgia Tormenta 2
| caps3 = 11
| goals3 = 5
| years4 = 2023–
| clubs4 = Vancouver Whitecaps
| caps4 = 22
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2023–
| clubs5 = Whitecaps FC 2
| caps5 = 13
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2024
| clubs6 = → Las Vegas Lights (loan)
| caps6 = 33
| goals6 = 2
| years7 = 2025–
| clubs7 =
| caps7 =
| goals7 =
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| club-update = 11:20, 16 November 2024 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Jean-Claude "J.C." Ngando Mbende (born 20 November 1999) is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Early life
Born in Douala, Cameroon, Ngando moved to France at the age of seven where he would go on to play second team football for Paris FC and Amiens SC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.actufoot.com/jean-claude-ngando-les-etats-unis-une-terre-dopportunites|title=Jean-Claude Ngando "The United States the land of opportunities"|website=Actuafoot.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/whitecaps-fc-select-four-players-in-2023-mls-superdraft-presented-by-adidas/n-5908820|title= Whitecaps FC Select Four Players in 2023 MLS SuperDraft Presented by Adidas|website=Oursportscentral.com|date= 21 December 2022}} With football in Europe suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic and no professional contract he evaluated his options and decided to look for a new opportunity which he later called “the best decision of my life”.{{Cite web|url=https://lastwordonsports.com/soccer/2022/12/23/vancouver-whitecaps-2023-superdraft/|title= The Vancouver Whitecaps 2023 SuperDraft Review|website=Lastwordonsports.com|date= 24 December 2022}} He then attended University of North Carolina Greensboro after being assisted into a scholarship by the FFFUSA programme.{{Cite web|url=https://www.actufoot.com/avec-fffusa-basile-marc-et-jean-claude-ngando-vivent-leur-american-dream|title=With FFFUSA, Basile-Marc and Jean-Claude Ngando live their "American Dream"|website=Actuafoot.com}} He was named the 2021 South Conference Freshman of the Year, and in 2022 was the South Conference Player of the Year, and he was chosen for both the NCAA Division I All American First Team and All-South Region First Team. In 2021 he had scored 5 goals in 15 appearances, and in 2022 in 23 matches Ngando scored 4 goals and was credited with 14 assists.{{Cite web|url=https://www.area51sportsnet.com/2022/12/21/whitecaps-trade-up-to-5th-pick-to-secure-ngando-in-mls-superdraft/|title=Whitecaps trade up to 5th pick to acquire Ngando in MLS draft|website=Area51sportsnet.com|date=22 December 2022 |last1=Durec |first1=Nathan }}
Career
At the 2023 MLS SuperDraft Vancouver traded with Houston Dynamo the No. 13 pick as well as $225,000 in General Allocation Money ($125,000 in 2023, $100,000 in 2024) in order to get the No. 5 pick with which they chose Ngando.{{Cite web|url= https://www.mlssoccer.com/superdraft/news/vancouver-whitecaps-select-j-c-ngando-after-mls-superdraft-trade-with-houston-dy|title= Vancouver Whitecaps select J.C. Ngando after MLS SuperDraft trade with Houston Dynamo|website=MLSSoccer.com}} He was given a Generation Adidas contract and had the honour of being the highest ever drafted player from the UNCG programme.{{Cite web|url=https://greensborosports.com/2022/12/22/uncgs-ngando-and-conley-drafted-in-2023-mls-superdraft/|title=UNCG's Ngando and Conley drafted in 2023 MLS SuperDraft|website=Greensborosports.com|date=23 December 2022 }}
Ngando made his Vancouver debut against Real C.D. España, in a 2023 CONCACAF Champions League home round-of-16 tie which Vancouver won 5-0 on March 9, 2023.{{Cite web|title=Vancouver Whitecaps trounce Real CD Espana 5-0 in CONCACAF Champions League play|first=Gemma|last=Karstens-Smith|work=The Canadian Press|date=March 9, 2023|url=https://www.thestar.com/amp/sports/soccer/2023/03/09/vancouver-whitecaps-trounce-real-cd-espana-5-0-in-concacaf-champions-league-play.html}} He made his MLS debut appearing as a substitute away at Minnesota United in a 1–1 draw with Vancouver on March 25, 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/03/26/united-states/mls/nsc-minnesota-stars/vancouver-whitecaps-fc/4004568|title= MINNESOTA UNITED VS. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS 1-1|website=Soccerway|date=March 26, 2023|accessdate=March 26, 2023}}
On 6 March 2024, Ngando joined USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights on loan for their 2024 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lasvegaslightsfc.com/news/2024/03/05/las-vegas-lights-fc-adds-four-players-to-2024-roster/|title=Las Vegas Lights FC Adds Four Players to 2024 Roster}}
After a loan spell at USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights, Ngando returned to the Vancouver Whitecaps for the MLS 2025 season. He re-signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps for the 2025 season, with club options for 2026 and 2027.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Soccerway|548175}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Vancouver Whitecaps FC squad}}
{{WhitecapsFirstPick}}
{{2023 MLS SuperDraft}}
{{2022 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer First-Team All-America}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ngando, J.C.}}
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Vancouver Whitecaps FC draft picks
Category:Vancouver Whitecaps FC players
Category:Cameroonian men's footballers
Category:Cameroonian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Footballers from Douala
Category:UNC Greensboro Spartans men's soccer players
Category:USL League Two players
Category:Las Vegas Lights FC players