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
 PSV
(on loan from Southampton)
Number 6
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)
2023– → PSV (loan) 3 (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 09:27, 9 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:55, 16 November 2022 (UTC)

Armel Bella-Kotchap (born 11 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Eredivisie club PSV on loan from Southampton. Born in France, he plays for the Germany national team.[3]

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]

PSV (loan)

On 1 September 2023, Bella-Kotchap joined Eredivisie side PSV on a season-long loan.[14] He made his professional debut for the club on 16 September 2023 in a 4–0 victory against NEC.[15] Four days later, Bella-Kotchap made his first Champions League appearance in a 4–0 defeat to Arsenal.[16]

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.[17]

On 15 September 2022, Bella-Kotchap was included in the German senior squad for the first time.[18] He made his debut as a late substitute on 26 September in a 3–3 draw with England.[19] In November 2022, he was selected in the German squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[20]

Personal life

Bella-Kotchap was born in Paris, France,[5] and is the son of former Cameroon international Cyrille Florent Bella.[21]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 8 October 2023[3][22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
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 2401010—260
2023–24[23] Championship 000000—00
Total 2401010—260
PSV (loan) 2023–24 Eredivisie 3000—2[lower-alpha 2]050
Career total 9419010201051

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. 1 2 "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. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  5. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "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. ↑ "Bella-Kotchap joins PSV on loan". Southampton FC. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "PSV 4–0 NEC". ESPN. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  16. ↑ Unwin, Will (20 September 2023). "Arsenal 4–0 PSV". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "Cyprus – Germany 0:1 (U18 Friendlies 2018, November)". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  18. ↑ "Southampton's Armel Bella-Kotchap earns first Germany call-up | Daily Echo". www.dailyecho.co.uk. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "Bella-Kotchap makes international bow". Southampton F.C. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  20. ↑ "Flick beruft Moukoko, Füllkrug und Götze in WM-Kader" (in German). German Football Association. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  21. ↑ "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.
  22. ↑ "Germany - A. Bella-Kotchap - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  23. ↑ "Games played by Armel Bella-Kotchap in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
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