Darryl Bakola

Darryl Bakola
Personal information
Date of birth (2007-11-30) 30 November 2007 (age 17)
Place of birth Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Marseille
Number 50
Youth career
2014–2019 Asnières FC
2019–2020 Racing CF
2020–2022 Red Star
2022–2024 Marseille
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024– Marseille 1 (0)
International career‡
2024– France U17 7 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 January 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 January 2025

Darryl Bakola (born 30 November 2007) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Marseille.

Club career

Born in Clichy, Île-de-France, Bakola is a youth product of Racing, Red Star and Marseille.[1][2] With the latter, he was central in their winning the 2024 Coupe Gambardella, their first title in the junior cup since 1979.[3][4][5] During this victorious campaign, they knocked out the likes of Senny Mayulu and Ethan Mbappé's Paris[6] or Mathis Lambourde and Aboubakar Nagida's Rennes,[7] amongst others.[1][8]

He also started featuring in the first team squad under Gennaro Gattuso during the 2023–24 season.[2]

In September 2024, after reported negotiation that started in 2023,[9] he signed his first professional contract with Marseille, soon after his friend Enzo Sternal signed his.[10][11]

After making several bench appearances in 2024, without playing, as youngster struggled to find game time under De Zerbi,[4][12] Bakola made his professional debut with Marseille in a 5–1 Ligue 1 win over Le Havre AC on 5 January 2025.[13][14]

International career

Born in France, Bakola also has Republic of the Congo origins.[15] He is a youth international for France, having played for the under-17.[1][2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Mamou, Shaï (1 September 2024). "L'OM verrouille un jeune crack !". Sports.fr (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Labrousse, Benjamin (1 March 2024). "Révolution a l'OM, les 3 futurs cracks à connaître !". Le10Sport (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b Grégoire, Mathieu. "Darryl Bakola (OM) va signer pro". L'Équipe (in French). Marseille. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b Rapaud, Tristan (15 October 2024). "OM. Bakola, Lafont, Sternal... quel minot peut avoir sa chance avec De Zerbi ?". La Provence (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  5. ^ Ghalaza-Boudra, Youcef (3 September 2024). "OM : l'espoir Darryl Bakola signe son premier contrat pro (off)". Foot National (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  6. ^ "Fin de parcours en Gambardella pour les Titis". PSG (in French). 4 February 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  7. ^ Frand, Arthur (31 March 2024). "Coupe Gambardella. Fin de parcours pour le Stade Rennais, battu par l'OM dans le temps additionnel". Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  8. ^ Alvarez, Bruno (25 May 2024). "Coupe Gambardella. « On veut devenir une vraie référence » : la formation de l'OM en plein renouveau". Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  9. ^ Barbaud, Maxime (9 August 2024). "L'épineux cas Darryl Bakola met l'OM dans l'embarras". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  10. ^ Rapaud, Tristan (2 September 2024). "OM. Surprise dans le dossier Darryl Bakola, qui va signer son premier contrat pro à Marseille". La Provence (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  11. ^ "Mercato, l'OM blinde son principal espoir (Officiel)". Goal (in French). 3 September 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  12. ^ Halloua, Olivier (11 December 2024). "OM : La critique franche de Medhi Benatia pour Enzo Sternal, Darryl Bakola et Gaël Lafont". 90min.com (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  13. ^ "OM-Le Havre: Marseille s'offre un festival et démarre parfaitement l'année 2025". RMC Sport (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  14. ^ Rapaud, Tristan (5 January 2025). "VIDÉO OM - Le Havre (5-1) : Maupay proche du triplé, Merlin double passeur... les notes des Olympiens". La Provence (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  15. ^ Pastoré, Cafil (15 October 2024). "L’OM veut prêter Darryl Bakola". AfricaFoot (in French). Retrieved 28 January 2025.