Vincent Aboubakar
Who was Vincent Aboubakar?
Cameroonian striker who captained his country to victory at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. He was the tournament's top scorer and won the Golden Boot at the event.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Vincent Aboubakar (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Vincent Paté Aboubakar was born on January 22, 1992, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He started his professional football career with Coton Sport, one of Cameroon's top clubs, before moving to European football in 2010. His move to France marked the start of a successful international career, making him one of Africa's most prolific strikers.
Aboubakar began his European journey in Ligue 1, playing for Valenciennes and Lorient. While in France's top division, he made 109 appearances and scored 26 goals, proving himself as a reliable striker capable of competing at the highest levels of European football. His performances in France caught the eye of larger clubs, leading to his transfer to Portuguese giants Porto in 2015.
At Porto, Aboubakar achieved new levels in his club career, scoring 58 goals in 125 appearances and helping the team win a Primeira Liga title. His success in Portugal was further underscored by loan spells at Turkish club Beşiktaş, where he won the Süper Lig twice, in 2017 and 2021. These achievements across multiple European leagues showed his adaptability and steady goal-scoring ability.
Aboubakar's international career has been just as impressive. Since debuting for Cameroon in May 2010, he has earned over 110 caps and become the second-highest scorer in the national team's history, just behind Samuel Eto'o. He has represented Cameroon at three FIFA World Cups (2010, 2014, and 2022) and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments (2015, 2017, 2021, and 2023). His most memorable international moment came in 2017 when he scored the winning goal in the Africa Cup of Nations final and was named the tournament's top scorer, earning the Golden Boot. He repeated his goal-scoring excellence at the 2021 edition, once again finishing as the competition's leading scorer.
Before Fame
Growing up in Yaoundé, Cameroon's capital, Aboubakar honed his football skills in a country known for its strong football tradition. Cameroon had already made a name for itself in African football by becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup quarterfinal in 1990. The success of players like Samuel Eto'o, who became a global superstar, inspired young Cameroonian footballers.
Aboubakar's early career with Coton Sport put him in Cameroon's most successful domestic club system. Based in Garoua in northern Cameroon, the club was known for developing talent and competing well in African competitions. This environment gave Aboubakar the foundation to move to European football, following in the footsteps of many successful African players who used strong domestic performances as springboards to international careers.
Key Achievements
- Captain and leading scorer of Cameroon's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations winning team
- Two-time Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot winner (2017, 2021)
- Won league titles in Portugal (Primeira Liga with Porto) and Turkey (Süper Lig with Beşiktaş)
- Second-highest scorer in Cameroon national team history with over 110 caps
- Represented Cameroon at three FIFA World Cups (2010, 2014, 2022)
Did You Know?
- 01.He scored the winning goal in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final against Egypt, securing Cameroon's fifth continental title
- 02.Aboubakar was the top scorer at both the 2017 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, making him one of only a few players to achieve this feat twice
- 03.He currently plays for Neftçi in the Azerbaijani Premier League, representing one of the more unique destinations in his international club career
- 04.Despite being born in 1992, he made his international debut for Cameroon in 2010 at just 18 years old
- 05.He has scored goals in four different European leagues: French Ligue 1, Portuguese Primeira Liga, Turkish Süper Lig, and Azerbaijani Premier League