Carlos Baleba
Active- Current or last club
- Manchester United
- Country (nationality)
- Cameroon
- League or competition
- Premier League
- Position
- Midfielder
- How is the religion known?
- Stated publicly by the player
- Last checked
- 7 October 2026
Baleba often shares messages acknowledging his beliefs on social media
We list a player’s religion only where they have spoken about it publicly or it has been reliably reported, and we link our sources. If something is wrong, or a player’s views have changed, please tell us and we will review it.
Table of Contents
What religion is Carlos Baleba?
Carlos Baleba is a Cameroonian professional footballer who practices Christianity. He frequently posts messages attributing his success and career journey to God on his official Instagram account. Baleba was born and raised in Douala, a major city in Cameroon where Christianity is widely practiced.
Baleba plays as a central or defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the Cameroon national team. Previously, he played for Lille and Brighton & Hove Albion, winning the Young Player of the Season award in the latter. In August 2026, Baleba signed for Manchester United for a transfer worth £70 million.
Internationally, 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, Eugene Baleba and Yaka Lydie Rose. He holds dual Cameroonian and French citizenship and is of Bassa ethnic descent. His father is a former professional footballer who played competitively in both South Africa and Cameroon.
Baleba began his youth career at Futur Soccer FC in Douala, where he initially played as a winger. At age 13, he entered the École de Football des Brasseries du Cameroun academy, a highly regarded institution in Cameroonian football, where his tactical positioning gradually shifted toward central midfield.
Club career
In January 2022, Baleba signed his first professional contract with French Ligue 1 club Lille OSC, arriving from the École de Football des Brasseries du Cameroun following successful trials. He was initially assigned to the club’s development setup, making 13 appearances for Lille’s reserve side in the Championnat National 3 during the remainder of the 2021–22 campaign. Baleba quickly progressed into the first-team squad under manager Paulo Fonseca, making his senior Ligue 1 debut on 7 August 2022. He appeared as a late substitute during a 4–1 home victory over AJ Auxerre on the opening day of the 2022–23 season.
Brighton & Hove Albion
On 29 August 2023, Brighton & Hove Albion signed Baleba from Lille OSC for a reported transfer fee of €27 million (£23.2 million), with the midfielder executing a five-year contract running until June 2028. He made his Premier League debut on 24 September 2023, appearing as a 72nd-minute substitute during a 3–1 home victory over AFC Bournemouth. Baleba scored his first competitive goal for the club on 18 September 2024, netting the opening strike during a 3–2 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the EFL Cup third round.
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. His excellent form also earned him Brighton’s Young Player of the Season award for the 2024–25 campaign.
Manchester United
On 25 August 2026, Manchester United completed the signing of Baleba from Brighton on a five-year contract with the option of a further year, for a fee reported at £70 million. The move made him the third midfielder signed by United that summer, following Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans.
Baleba spent his opening weeks at the club’s Carrington training ground recovering from an ankle injury before being expected to make his debut after the October 2026 international break.
International career
Baleba made his senior international debut for Cameroon in June 2024. He made his senior international debut on 8 June 2024, starting as a defensive midfielder in Cameroon’s 4–1 victory over Cape Verde during a World Cup qualifier. He was named in Cameroon’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Sources
- Instagram Post (opens in a new tab) Carlos Baleba
Sources are linked so you can check each claim yourself. Beliefs and public statements can change, so please check the source for the latest.
