Christopher Samba
Encyclopedia
Veijeany Christopher Samba (born 28 March 1984), more commonly known as Christopher Samba, is a Congolese
footballer who plays as a defender
for Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League.
, Val-de-Marne
, Samba started his career with FC Rouen before spells at CS Sedan (he played 26 games for the reserve and four games for the first team).
to undertake a five-day trial at Blackburn Rovers
. In total for the German club in his three years there he made approximately 28 appearances in all competitions, and he also was involved in eight Euro cup matches.
in the FA Cup
Fourth Round, as a 69th minute sub for Ryan Nelsen
and his Premiership debut on 31 January against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
in a 3–0 defeat. On 17 March, Samba scored his first goal for Blackburn against West Ham United
, with a header in the 47th minute, in the 2–1 defeat at Ewood Park
. He then scored his second goal for Blackburn in a 3–1 victory over Watford
at Ewood Park on 18 April, playing the full 90 minutes with Ryan Nelsen. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he made 19 appearances, scoring two goals in 14 Premier League games.
season. On 4 April 2009, with Blackburn losing 1–0 against Tottenham Hotspur
, he started the second half up front. Blackburn went on to win 2–1, with manager Sam Allardyce
claiming Samba's impact as "key to victory". During the next league match against Liverpool
at Anfield
on 11 April, Samba again started as a lone striker, with Benni McCarthy
being left on the bench. He continued to play as a striker in the next match against Wigan Athletic
in the 2–0 win for Blackburn. By the end of the season, he had made 39 appearances, including 35 Premier League starts and four cup games and scored three goals in all competitions.
at Ewood Park and netted his third league goal of the 2009–10 season on 13 March against in a 3–1 defeat to at White Hart Lane
. On 3 May 2010, Samba scored the winning goal as Rovers beat Arsenal
2–1 at Ewood Park. He was also picked as captain for the game, despite club captain Ryan Nelsen
and vice-captain David Dunn
both starting. Throughout the season, he made a total of 33 starts and scored four goals in 30 Premier League games.
on 26 December after announcing his desire to leave Blackburn. Samba signed a new four-and-a-half year deal on 2 February 2011. On 14 May 2011, he started the game against Manchester United at Ewood Park
in the 1-1 draw. Samba captained Rovers in their 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux
in the last Premier League match of the campaign and headed everything that came his way and was shown with all the fans on the pitch at the final whistle. At the end of the campaign he made 36 appearances and scored four goals in all competitions as Blackburn finished in 15th place in the Premier League table.
and made his debut as a twenty-year old in 2004.
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...
footballer who plays as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League.
Sedan
Born in CréteilCréteil
-Health:As of 1 January 2006, 27 pharmacies, about 60 dentists, about 60 general practitioners, 10 pediatricians, and a half-dozen ophthalmologists and dermatologists constitute the general medical staff of the city.Health facilities include:...
, Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne is a French department, named after the Marne River, located in the Île-de-France region. The department is situated to the southeast of the city of Paris.- Geography :...
, Samba started his career with FC Rouen before spells at CS Sedan (he played 26 games for the reserve and four games for the first team).
Hertha BSC
Samba only made 20 appearances during his time in Germany and desired a move elsewhere. Struggling to break into the Hertha BSC first team he was invited by Mark HughesMark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
to undertake a five-day trial at Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. In total for the German club in his three years there he made approximately 28 appearances in all competitions, and he also was involved in eight Euro cup matches.
2006–07 season
Samba completed a transfer from Hertha BSC to Blackburn Rovers of the Premier League signing a three-and-a-half year deal for £450,000 on 25 January 2007 and took the number 21 shirt. He made his Rovers debut against Luton TownLuton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
in the FA Cup
FA Cup 2006-07
The FA Cup 2006–07 was the 126th staging of the world's oldest football knockout competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup...
Fourth Round, as a 69th minute sub for Ryan Nelsen
Ryan Nelsen
Ryan William Nelsen, ONZM is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender, and is captain of Premier League club Blackburn Rovers. Nelsen captains the New Zealand national team, the All Whites. He joined Blackburn back in 2005 on a free transfer from D.C. United...
and his Premiership debut on 31 January against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
in a 3–0 defeat. On 17 March, Samba scored his first goal for Blackburn against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, with a header in the 47th minute, in the 2–1 defeat at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
. He then scored his second goal for Blackburn in a 3–1 victory over Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
at Ewood Park on 18 April, playing the full 90 minutes with Ryan Nelsen. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he made 19 appearances, scoring two goals in 14 Premier League games.
2007–08 season
Following Samba's performances in his debut season, he established himself as a starter in the 2007–08 season and was given number 4. On 22 October 2007, Blackburn announced Samba had signed a new long-term contract keeping him at the club until the summer of 2012. He made a total of 40 appearances during the season, scoring three goals in all competitions.2008–09 season
Although being a defender, Samba made several appearances as a striker in the latter stages of the 2008–09Premier League 2008–09
The 2008–09 Premier League season was the seventeenth since its establishment in 1992. Manchester United became champions for the eleventh time on the penultimate weekend of the season, defending their crown after winning their tenth Premier League title on the final day of the previous season...
season. On 4 April 2009, with Blackburn losing 1–0 against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, he started the second half up front. Blackburn went on to win 2–1, with manager Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce
Samuel "Sam" Allardyce , nicknamed "Big Sam", is an English football manager and former professional player. In June 2011 he was appointed as manager of West Ham United....
claiming Samba's impact as "key to victory". During the next league match against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
on 11 April, Samba again started as a lone striker, with Benni McCarthy
Benni McCarthy
Benedict Saul "Benni" McCarthy is a South African footballer who is currently contracted to Orlando Pirates in South Africa.McCarthy holds the record of international goals for a South African...
being left on the bench. He continued to play as a striker in the next match against Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
in the 2–0 win for Blackburn. By the end of the season, he had made 39 appearances, including 35 Premier League starts and four cup games and scored three goals in all competitions.
2009–10 season
He scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season against on 26 September 2009. In November, Samba signed a new five-year contract with the club. He scored on his 100th Premier League start in a 2–0 victory over FulhamFulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
at Ewood Park and netted his third league goal of the 2009–10 season on 13 March against in a 3–1 defeat to at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
. On 3 May 2010, Samba scored the winning goal as Rovers beat Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
2–1 at Ewood Park. He was also picked as captain for the game, despite club captain Ryan Nelsen
Ryan Nelsen
Ryan William Nelsen, ONZM is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender, and is captain of Premier League club Blackburn Rovers. Nelsen captains the New Zealand national team, the All Whites. He joined Blackburn back in 2005 on a free transfer from D.C. United...
and vice-captain David Dunn
David Dunn
David John Ian Dunn is an English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Blackburn Rovers.-Blackburn Rovers:...
both starting. Throughout the season, he made a total of 33 starts and scored four goals in 30 Premier League games.
2010–11 season
Samba was appointed club captain for the 2010–11 season with Nelsen moving to vice-captain, but he was stripped of the captaincy by new manager Steve KeanSteve Kean
Stephen "Steve" Kean is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is the current manager of Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League.-Playing career:...
on 26 December after announcing his desire to leave Blackburn. Samba signed a new four-and-a-half year deal on 2 February 2011. On 14 May 2011, he started the game against Manchester United at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
in the 1-1 draw. Samba captained Rovers in their 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux
Molineux
Molineux may refer to:*William Molineux, American, participant in the Boston Tea Party*Molineux Stadium, in Wolverhampton, England**by metonymy, Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., the team that plays there...
in the last Premier League match of the campaign and headed everything that came his way and was shown with all the fans on the pitch at the final whistle. At the end of the campaign he made 36 appearances and scored four goals in all competitions as Blackburn finished in 15th place in the Premier League table.
International career
He represents CongoCongo national football team
The Congo national football team, nicknamed the Diables Rouges , is the national team of the Republic of the Congo and is controlled by the Fédération Congolaise de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup, but did win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1972...
and made his debut as a twenty-year old in 2004.
Club career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Hertha Berlin | 2005–06 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | |
| Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
2006–07 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 2 |
| 2007–08 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | 35 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2009–10 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career totals | 150 | 14 | 6 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 172 | 16 | 6 | |
External links
- Christopher Samba profile at the Blackburn Rovers profile
- Premier League profile