From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 09/2026
Carlos Baleba
Personal information
Full name
Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba
Date of birth
3 January 2004
Place of birth
Douala, Cameroon
Height
1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position
Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Manchester United
Number
20
Youth career
Futur Soccer FC
EF Brasseries du Cameroun
2017-2022
Senior career*
Lille B
2022-2023
13x apps 1x goal
Lille
2022-2023
21x apps 0x goal
Brighton & Hove Albion
2023-2026
92x apps 3x goals
Manchester United
2026-
0x apps 0x goal
International career‡
Cameroon
2024-
16x apps 0x goal
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:22, 24 May 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:50, 9 January 2026 (UTC)
Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a central or defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the Cameroon national team.
Baleba joined the French club Lille in January 2022. He made 23 first-team appearances for the club, before joining Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2023.
He made 112 appearances for Brighton across three seasons, winning the club's Young Player of the Season award in 2024–25. He signed for Manchester United in August 2026.
Baleba made his senior international debut for Cameroon in June 2024. He represented Cameroon at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Early life
Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba was born on 3 January 2004 in Douala, Cameroon to Cameroonian-French parents. Baleba holds both Cameroonian and French citizenship from his parents.
His father is a former professional footballer who played in South Africa and Cameroon.
He grew up in the Akwa neighbourhood and is of Bassa descent.
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.
Club career
Lille
Baleba was transferred to Ligue 1 side Lille in January 2022, having already attracted the scouts of several other European clubs.
Having arrived along with another youngster, Joffrey Bazié; the two Africans first joined Lille's reserve team, that played in Championnat National 3 that season.
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 season where he would break into the first team of newly appointed manager Paulo Fonseca.
Baleba made his professional debut for Lille on 7 August 2022, replacing Angel Gomes during a 4:1 Ligue 1 win against Auxerre.
Brighton and Hove Albion
On 29 August 2023, Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion announced the signing of Baleba on a five-year contract.
Baleba made his debut for Brighton in a 3:1 home victory against Bournemouth on 24 September, coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute for Mahmoud Dahoud.
On 8 October, Baleba made his first start for Brighton in a 2;2 draw against Liverpool.
On 18 September 2024, Baleba scored his first goal in Brighton colours in a 3:2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the third round of the EFL Cup.
Just over a week later on 28 September, Baleba scored his first league goal for the Seagulls in a 4:2 loss to Chelsea.
On 26 April 2025, Baleba scored an injury-time winner with a powerful shot outside the box in a 3:2 victory against West Ham United, which was later voted the Premier League Goal of the Month.
Manchester United
On 25 August 2026, Baleba signed for Manchester United on a five-year contract. The transfer fee was reportedly £70m including add-ons.
International career
Baleba made his debut for the Cameroon national team on 8 June 2024, in a 4:1 victory against Cape Verde in a World Cup qualifier at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium. He started the game and played 80 minutes.
Baleba was included in the list of Cameroonian players selected by coach David Pagou to participate in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Style of play
Known for his stamina, dribbling and passing range, Baleba is a 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.
Baleba is also noted for his physicality, ball-winning ability and willingness to press opponents.
His tenacity and strength allow him to regain possession and force turnovers, including through pressing high up the pitch.
In possession, he often drops deep to receive passes from the goalkeeper or centre-backs and looks to progress the ball forward, either through left-footed passes into wide areas or by carrying it through midfield himself.
His combination of pace and power enables him to drive past opponents with the ball.