Yeni Ngbakoto

Yeni Atito Ngbakoto (born 23 January 1992) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays for Greek club Panathinaikos and the DR Congo national team. He primarily plays as a winger, but is capable of playing as a striker.

A former France youth international having earned caps at under-17 and under-18 level, he represents the DR Congo national team at senior international level.

He is known for his speed, technical ability, and strength, which compensates for his small stature.

Club Career

Metz

Born in Croix, Ngbakoto began his football career at SC Clemenceau in the commune of Besancon. He excelled in the club's youth academy and eventually secured a move to the youth academy of professional club FC Metz. While at the academy, he developed gracefully becoming one of the club's most sought after products. During his time at the academy, he drew interest from English clubs Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur and Spanish club Barcelona. Ngbakoto's play with the club's under-16 team saw him earn a call up to the France under-17 team by coach Philippe Bergeroo. On 25 June 2009, he agreed to his first professional contract signing a five-year deal until June 2014. Following the agreement, he was promoted to the senior team and assigned the number 15 shirt in preparation for the 2009–10 season.

Ngbakoto began the season playing on the club's amateur team in the Championnat de France amateur 2, the fifth level of French football, scoring on his debut in the team's opening match against CA Pontarlier on 15 August 2009. He consistently appeared in the amateur team for the next four months, adding another goal in a 1–0 victory over Thionville, before earning a call up to the senior team by manager Yvon Pouliquen for the club's Coupe de la Ligue match against Lyon on 13 January 2010. Ngbakoto made his professional debut in the match appearing as a substitute in the 83rd minute for Julien Cardy. Metz lost the match 3–0. He was relegated back to the amateur division short