Armel Bella-Kotchap

Armel Bella-Kotchap (born 11 December 2001) is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Southampton and the Germany national team.[3]

Armel Bella-Kotchap
Personal information
Full name Armel Bella-Kotchap[1]
Date of birth (2001-12-11) 11 December 2001
Place of birth Paris, France
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Southampton
Number 37
Youth career
2005–2009 Rot Weiss Ahlen
2009–2012 SC Grimlinghausen
2012–2015 Borussia Mönchengladbach
2015–2016 SG Unterrath
2016–2017 MSV Duisburg
2017–2020 VfL Bochum
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 VfL Bochum 66 (1)
2022– Southampton 24 (0)
International career‡
2018–2019 Germany U18 5 (0)
2020 Germany U20 1 (0)
2021– Germany U21 9 (0)
2022– Germany 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:44, 8 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:55, 16 November 2022 (UTC)

Club career

VfL Bochum

In July 2018, Bella-Kotchap joined VfL Bochum professional team 2018–19 summer training camp.[4] In March 2019, Bella-Kotchap signed his first professional contract with VfL Bochum.[5] He made his professional debut for Bochum in the 2. Bundesliga on 28 April 2019, starting in the away match against Erzgebirge Aue.[6]

Southampton

On 21 June 2022, Bella-Kotchap joined Southampton on a four-year deal.[7][8] Having established himself as a regular starter at centre-back,[9] Bella-Kotchap dislocated his shoulder in a collision during the 1–1 draw with West Ham United on 16 October. As a result, he was expected to be out of action for several weeks.[10] He returned from injury on 6 November in a 1–4 defeat against Newcastle United.[11] On 4 January 2023, Bella-Kotchap tweaked his knee during the first half of a 0–1 defeat against Nottingham Forest and was expected to be injured for a matter of weeks.[12] Bella-Kotchap dislocated his shoulder again during a 3–3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.[13]

International career

Bella-Kotchap began his youth international career with the Germany under-18 team, making his debut on 15 November 2018 in a friendly match against Cyprus, which finished as a 1–0 win.[14]

On 15 September 2022, Bella-Kotchap was included in the German senior squad for the first time.[15] He made his debut as a late substitute on 26 September in a 3–3 draw with England.[16] In November 2022, he was selected in the German squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[17]

Personal life

Bella-Kotchap was born in Paris, France,[5] and is the son of former Cameroon international Cyrille Florent Bella.[18]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 8 May 2023[3]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
VfL Bochum 2018–19 2. Bundesliga 4000–40
2019–20 2. Bundesliga 12020–140
2020–21 2. Bundesliga 28120–301
2021–22 Bundesliga 22040–260
Total 66180–741
Southampton 2022–23[9] Premier League 2401010260
Career total 90190101001
  1. Includes DFB-Pokal, FA Cup

International
As of match played 16 November 2022
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Germany
202220
Total20

Honours

VfL Bochum

References
  1. "2022/23 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  2. "Armel Bella-Kotchap: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  3. "Armel Bella-Kotchap". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  4. "Tag 5 in Weiler: Neue Gesichter" (in German). VfL Bochum. 10 July 2018.
  5. "Profiverträge für Talentwerk-Trio" [Professional contracts for Talentwerk trio] (in German). Bochum: VfL Bochum. 3 March 2019. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  6. "Erzgebirge Aue – VfL Bochum -:- (2. Bundesliga 2018/2019, 31. Round)". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  7. "Bella-Kotchap becomes a Saint". Southampton FC. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  8. "Armel Bella-Kotchap: Southampton sign defender from Bundesliga club Bochum". BBC Sport. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  9. "Games played by Armel Bella-Kotchap in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  10. "Bella-Kotchap injury 'definitely a loss for us'". BBC Sport. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  11. Jurejko, Jonathan (6 November 2022). "Southampton 1–4 Newcastle United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  12. House, Alfie (7 January 2023). "Bella-Kotchap injury severity confirmed + reason for Armstrong absence". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  13. House, Alfie (19 March 2023). "Bella-Kotchap waiting on specialist to learn extent of shoulder injury". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  14. "Cyprus – Germany 0:1 (U18 Friendlies 2018, November)". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  15. "Southampton's Armel Bella-Kotchap earns first Germany call-up | Daily Echo". www.dailyecho.co.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  16. "Bella-Kotchap makes international bow". Southampton F.C. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  17. "Flick beruft Moukoko, Füllkrug und Götze in WM-Kader" (in German). German Football Association. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  18. "Tag 5 in Weiler: Neue Gesichter" [Day 5 in Weiler: New faces] (in German). Weiler-Simmerberg: VfL Bochum. 10 July 2018. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
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