Bongo Christ
Encyclopedia
Christ Bongo-Zanoni is a former Congolese
football player. He has played for SV Wilhelmshaven
, Hannover 96
, Gazélec Ajaccio
, FC Aarau
, FC Schaffhausen
, FC Solothurn
, FC Thun
and FC 105 Libreville
.
, Zaire
, but has represented the Republic of the Congo
internationally. His first European club was SV Wilhelmshaven of the Regionalliga Nord
, the third tier of German football. In his single season at the club he made 26 league appearances, scoring six goals. Wilhelmshaven were involved in a struggle against relegation, but Bongo's goals, including a late winner against SV Lurup
, helped the club to finish a single place above the relegation zone. During the 1997 close season Bongo joined another Regionalliga Nord side, Hannover 96, signing a three year contract. His Hannover debut did not come until November, when he played in a 4–0 victory against Sportfreunde Ricklingen.
He continued his nomadic career in France and Switzerland with Gazélec Ajaccio and FC Aarau, before signing for FC Schaffhausen on a one year contract in 2000. From there he moved to FC Solothurn, where he was top scorer, and scored the winner in a local derby against FC Grenchen
. This proved to be his last goal for the club before moving on loan to FC Thun until the winter break.
In 2004, having returned to Africa with Gabonese club FC 105 Libreville, he scored against Cameroon's Bamboutos FC
in the final of the Coupe de l'Uniffac
, a competition contested by clubs from Central African countries, but finished on the losing side. Bongo's late equalising goal sent the match into extra time, but his team were defeated 6–5 in a penalty shootout.
Bongo signed 2006 in Angola
for Sporting Cabinda
and retired in 2008.
His name has featured in many lists of footballer's unusual names.
qualifier against Tunisia
, and was one of only three Congolese players to score in the qualifying tournament. The other were Edson Dico Minga and Walter Bakouma
; in addition a Malagasy opponent scored an own goal
.
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
football player. He has played for SV Wilhelmshaven
SV Wilhelmshaven
SV Wilhelmshaven is a German association football club from Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony.-History:Predecessor side SpVgg Wilhelmshaven was formed as FC Comet in 1905 and was quickly re-named FC Deutschland Wilhelmshaven...
, Hannover 96
Hannover 96
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96, Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony.-Foundation to WWII:...
, Gazélec Ajaccio
Gazélec Ajaccio
Gazélec Football Club Olympique Ajaccio was founded in 1910. The club is based in Ajaccio, Corsica.- Honours :* French Amateur Champions: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968.* Corsican Champions: 1937, 1938, 1956, 1957, 1961.-Current squad:...
, FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
, FC Schaffhausen
FC Schaffhausen
FC Schaffhausen is a Swiss football team from the town of Schaffhausen. The club plays in the Challenge League, the second tier of the Swiss football pyramid.-Honours:*Swiss Cup: Final game*Challenge League: 1st*Swiss Super League: rank 8...
, FC Solothurn
FC Solothurn
FC Solothurn is a Swiss football club based in Solothurn. The club has played in Nationalliga B , and currently plays at 1. Liga .-History:...
, FC Thun
FC Thun
FC Thun 1898 is a Swiss football team from the Bernese Oberland town of Thun. The club currently plays in the Swiss Super League after being promoted in the 2009/10 season. The club plays at the Arena Thun which accommodates a total of 10,300 supporters, both seated and standing...
and FC 105 Libreville
FC 105 Libreville
Football Canon 105 de Libreville is a Gabonese football club based in Libreville. It was founded in 1975 as is the club of the army and the police...
.
Club career
Bongo was born in KinshasaKinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
, Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
, but has represented the Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
internationally. His first European club was SV Wilhelmshaven of the Regionalliga Nord
Regionalliga Nord
The Regionalliga Nord is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the northern and eastern part of Germany. It covers ten of the sixteen states of Germany...
, the third tier of German football. In his single season at the club he made 26 league appearances, scoring six goals. Wilhelmshaven were involved in a struggle against relegation, but Bongo's goals, including a late winner against SV Lurup
SV Lurup
SV Lurup is a German association football club from the city of Hamburg in the federal state of the same name.-History:The club was founded in 1923 as Turn- und Sportverein Lurup in the former town Lurup and later that same year merged with FSV 1920 Schenefeld to form TSV Lurup-Schenefeld in a...
, helped the club to finish a single place above the relegation zone. During the 1997 close season Bongo joined another Regionalliga Nord side, Hannover 96, signing a three year contract. His Hannover debut did not come until November, when he played in a 4–0 victory against Sportfreunde Ricklingen.
He continued his nomadic career in France and Switzerland with Gazélec Ajaccio and FC Aarau, before signing for FC Schaffhausen on a one year contract in 2000. From there he moved to FC Solothurn, where he was top scorer, and scored the winner in a local derby against FC Grenchen
FC Grenchen
FC Grenchen is a Swiss football club, based in Grenchen. They currently play in the 1. Liga, and play their matches at the Brühl Stadium.-History:FC Grenchen was founded in 1906...
. This proved to be his last goal for the club before moving on loan to FC Thun until the winter break.
In 2004, having returned to Africa with Gabonese club FC 105 Libreville, he scored against Cameroon's Bamboutos FC
Bamboutos FC
Bamboutos FC is a Cameroonian football club based in Mbouda and founded in 1966. They are a member of Fédération Camerounaise de Football. Their home stadium is Stade de Mbouda.-Match-fixing Scandal:...
in the final of the Coupe de l'Uniffac
Unifac Clubs Cup
The UNIFFAC Clubs Cup is an international club association football competition run by the Central African Football Federations' Union known by its French acronym UNIFFAC, for clubs from Central African countries of Cameroon, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.- Winners :...
, a competition contested by clubs from Central African countries, but finished on the losing side. Bongo's late equalising goal sent the match into extra time, but his team were defeated 6–5 in a penalty shootout.
Bongo signed 2006 in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
for Sporting Cabinda
Sporting Clube Petróleos de Cabinda
Sporting Clube Petróleos de Cabinda is an Angolan football club based in Cabinda. They play their home games at the Estádio do Tafe....
and retired in 2008.
His name has featured in many lists of footballer's unusual names.
International career
Bongo has been capped at international level by the Republic of the Congo national football team. In January 2001 he scored in a World CupFIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualifier against Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
, and was one of only three Congolese players to score in the qualifying tournament. The other were Edson Dico Minga and Walter Bakouma
Walter Bakouma
Walter Silva Bakouma Sitou, known as Walter Bakouma is a Congolese professional football player. Currently, he plays in the Championnat de France amateur for Les Herbiers VF....
; in addition a Malagasy opponent scored an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
.