François M'Pelé
Republic of the Congo footballer
Congo
Forward
François M'Pelé: profile
François M'Pelé (born 13 July 1947 in Brazzaville, Congo) is a former Congolese footballer who played as a forward.
M'Pelé made the step into senior football with Standard de Brazzaville in 1966. He played for 5 clubs in 2 countries between 1966 and 1982. His most appearances came at Paris Saint-Germain FC (1973–1979), where he made 217 appearances and scored 97 goals. Across all recorded club spells he totals 465 appearances and 200 goals.
At international level, M'Pelé represented Congo (1971–1978), earning 29 caps and scoring 12 goals. Our match database lists 3 of his international goals; the first came against Sudan on 29 February 1972 (Africa Cup of Nations).
Brazzaville has produced 66 footballers in our database, including Silvère Ganvoula, Férébory Doré and Lucien Aubey.
Key facts
- Senior international debut
- 1971 (aged about 24)
- First international goal
- 1972 – aged 24 (match)
- Club career
- 1966–1982 (17 seasons)
- Countries played in
- 2: Congo and France
- Club goals per game
- 0.43 (200 in 465)
- Height
- 178 cm — taller than 25% of Congolese internationals on record
- Shares a birthday with
- Lamine Yamal, Jonathan Mensah and Abdallah El Said (more)
Club career
| Years | Club | League | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966–1968 | Standard de Brazzaville |
– | – | |
| 1968–1973 |  A.C. Ajaccio |
Ligue 2 | 149 | 71 |
| 1973–1979 | Paris Saint-Germain FC |
Ligue 1 | 217 | 97 |
| 1979–1981 | R.C. Lens |
Ligue 1 | 65 | 16 |
| 1981–1982 | Stade Rennais F.C. |
Ligue 1 | 34 | 16 |
| Total | 465 | 200 |
Appearances and goals are league figures where recorded on Wikidata; “–” means not recorded.
International career
| Years | Team | Level | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–1978 | Congo |
Senior | 29 | 12 |
International goals (3)
| # | Date | Match | Min | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 Feb 1972 | Congo 4–2 Sudan | 32 | Africa Cup of Nations |
| 2 | 5 Mar 1972 | Congo 3–2 Mali | 63 | Africa Cup of Nations |
| 3 | 9 Mar 1974 | Congo 2–4 Zambia | 76 | Africa Cup of Nations |
*Goals listed are those present in our match-by-match goal database, which is most complete for tournament matches.
Frequently asked questions
How old is François M'Pelé?
François M'Pelé was born on 13 July 1947, which makes him 79 years old.
Where was François M'Pelé born?
François M'Pelé was born in Brazzaville, Congo.
Which national team does François M'Pelé play for?
François M'Pelé played international football for Congo. He has 29 caps and 12 goals on record.
Which clubs has François M'Pelé played for?
François M'Pelé's recorded clubs are Standard de Brazzaville, A.C. Ajaccio, Paris Saint-Germain FC, R.C. Lens and Stade Rennais F.C..
How tall is François M'Pelé?
François M'Pelé is 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) tall.
What position does François M'Pelé play?
François M'Pelé played as a forward.
