Player Details

Name

Olivier Mbaizo

Pronunciation

O-LIV-ee-ay BYE-zoh

Height

5' 11"

Weight

154 lbs

Date of Birth

8.15.1997 (27)

Birthplace

Douala, Cameroon

Position

Defender

Footedness

Right

Roster Category

Senior
Career Summary

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2024 (Philadelphia): In 2024, Olivier Mbaizo appeared in 21 games (12 starts) for the Union, registering two assists. He completed the season with a career-high pass accuracy of 82.1%, successfully completing 340 of 414 passes. On June 19, 2024, Mbaizo registered his 12th career MLS assist and made his 100th MLS appearance against FC Cincinnati, becoming the 18th player in club history to reach the century mark. During this year’s Leagues Cup campaign, Mbaizo played in all but one match, helping the team advance to the semifinals.

2023 (Philadelphia): Mbaizo made 24 appearances (21 starts) for the Union in 2023, registering one assist…Registered his 11th career assist of the season against COL (5/13).

2022 (Philadelphia): Mbaizo made 19 appearances (14 starts) in 2022, totaling three assists...Registered a brace of assists against Houston Dynamo FC (7/30)...Mbaizo is the first active Philadelphia Union player to be named to a World Cup roster while with the club.

2021 (Philadelphia): Mbaizo made 36 appearances (34 starts) in 2021 across all competitions, totaling three assists...Contributed to the Union's road shutout at Columbus (Apr. 18)...Helped provide another clean sheet for the Union during the team's 3-0 first leg Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal win against Atlanta United FC (Apr. 27)...Recorded an assist to Santos during the 85' of the Union's 1-1 away draw at NYRB (Jul. 8)...Assisted Przybylko's goal during the Union's 2-1 loss at Orlando City SC (Jul. 22)...Was named to the 2021 MLS Team of the Week presented by Audi (Week 12)...Picked up his third assist of the season against FC Cincinnati (Oct. 31)...Recorded an assist on Decision Day against NYCFC (Nov. 11)...Made his first ever postseason start against New York City FC in the Eastern Conference Finals of the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs (Dec.5).

2020 (Philadelphia): Mbaizo made 14 appearances (12 starts) ...logged a secondary assist on the fourth goal of a 4-1 home win over D.C. United (August 29)...returned to the Starting XI against New York Red Bulls (September 6) and helped the club to a clean sheet...played a large role in back to back clean sheets for the Union in a draw at FC Cincinnati (September 23) and in a 3-0 win against Inter Miami CF (September 27).

2019 (Philadelphia/Bethlehem): Mbaizo made three appearances (two starts) for the Union this season, with two at right back and one at right midfield, totaling one assist ... came on as a substitute at right midfield for his 2019 debut, helping close out the win vs. Columbus (March 23) ... made his first start of the season at Vancouver (April 27) at rightback ... in his second consecutive start, vs. Cincinnati (May 1), registered his first career MLS assist with the game-winning helper on Kacper Przybylko's goal ... missed the stretch of matches from at New England (June 26) through at Montreal (July 27) with a left knee meniscus/LCL sprain and resulting meniscectomy recovery ... was called up by the Cameroon U-23s ahead of the Third Round of qualifying for the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, with the first match at Cameroon (September 6) and the second at Tunisia (September 10); he started both matches, providing the game-winning assist in the first, as Cameroon won the tie and qualified for the tournament ... made one appearance in the Open Cup, starting the Fourth Round match at D.C. United (June 12) ... for Bethlehem, Mbaizo has made nine appearances (nine starts), with eight appearances at rightback and one at centerback, scoring one goal ... scored from the spot vs. Birmingham (August 25).

2018 (Philadelphia/Bethlehem): Mbaizo made one appearance (one start) at right back for Philadelphia, making his club and league debut with a start in a clean sheet win over Sporting KC (September 23). For Bethlehem Steel FC, he made 22 regular-season appearances (22 starts) at rightback, totaling two assists, both as part of a 3-0 road shutout win at Richmond (August 4) for which he was named to the USL Team of the Week (Week 21) for his efforts. He helped keep a clean sheet in the postseason-clinching win over Tampa Bay (October 14) and started Steel FC's postseason matches at Pittsburgh (October 20) and at Louisville (October 27).

2017 (Rainbow FC): Mbaizo played with Rainbow FC in 2017, making 10 appearances with the Cameroonian club, collecting four assists.

2016 (Union Douala): As a member of Union Douala, he started in two matches in 2016 CAF Champions League, where the club fell on aggregate to Egyptian Premier League side Zamalek SC. Mbaizo helped the club to 12 shutouts during the 34-match regular season and guided them to a fourth-place finish in the table.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mbaizo has earned 14 senior international caps for Cameroon. In 2016, he made his debut for the Indomitable Lions with a substitute appearance in a friendly vs. Gabon (9/6). In 2020, Mbaizo earned his first start for Cameroon in a 4-1 win over Mozambique (11/12).

With the Union, he received his first call-up after the 2018 season, joining the Cameroon U-23s for qualification matches ahead of the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations. The team played Chad in a two-legged aggregate series in which Mbaizo started both contests, first at Cameroon (11/16) and then at Chad (11/21), advancing 4-1 on aggregate to next face Sierra Leone.

In 2019, he was again called up ahead of 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifying, this time in the Third Round, with the first match at Cameroon (9/6) and the second at Tunisia (9/10). He started both matches, providing the game-winning assist in the first, as Cameroon won the tie and qualified for the tournament.

In 2021, Mbaizo earned his first call-up of the season ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where he appeared in the match against Cape Verde (3/26). His second, third, and fourth call-ups came ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, where he appeared in four out of six matches of the group stage, helping the team provide three clean sheets.

In 2022, Mbaizo became the first player to be named to a World Cup roster while with the club.

In 2023, Mbaizo registered three appearances, including a 3-0 victory over Burundi in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

ACQUIRED: Philadelphia Union signs defender Olivier Mbaizo on April 17, 2018. He will occupy an international roster spot for Philadelphia.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter: @Mbaizo15
Instagram: @mbaizoolivier