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Ben Cabango
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Benjamin George Cabango (born 30 May 2000) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL Championship club Swansea City, which he captains, and the Wales national team.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Cabango was born in Cardiff to an Angolan father and a Welsh mother. He has a younger brother named Theo who plays rugby union for Cardiff.[2] He attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr, a Welsh language comprehensive school.[3][4]
Club career
[edit]Cabango began his career as a youth player with local amateur side Maindy Corries, where his father Paolo was a coach, before joining the youth academy at Newport County,[5] where he played from under-13 to under-15 levels. He moved to the academy at Swansea City when he is 14,[6] where he captained the under-19 side to win the FAW Welsh Youth Cup in 2018 and helped the under-23 side reach the final of the Premier League Cup.[3][7]
In June 2018, Cabango signed his first professional deal with Swansea City, then signed for reigning Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints on a six-month loan deal.[3][8] He made his senior debut for the side in a 5–0 defeat to Macedonian side KF Shkëndija in the first leg of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.[9] In the return leg, Cabango scored his first senior goal as The New Saints won 4–0 but were eliminated on aggregate.[10]
On 13 August 2019, he made his professional debut for Swansea in a 3–1 victory over Northampton Town in the first round of the League Cup.[11] He made his league debut as a substitute against Huddersfield Town on 26 November 2019.[12] In March 2020, he signed a new deal with Swansea until 2023.[13]
On 8 July 2020, Cabango scored his first goal for Swansea City in a 3-1 win over Birmingham City.[14] Following Joe Rodon's departure, Cabango became a regular starter, starting 34 games across the season including all 3 matches in the EFL Championship play-offs, as Swansea lost to Brentford in the final. In March 2021, he signed a new contract with Swansea until 2025.[15]
In the 2021-22 season, Cabango was given the number 5 shirt.[16] Cabango scored Swansea's second in a 4-0 victory over South Wales rivals and Cabango's hometown team, Cardiff City as Swansea became the first side to win both South Wales Derbies in a league season.[17] Cabango repeated this feat in the following season, scoring a 99th minute winner in a 3-2 victory at the Cardiff City Stadium, marking a fourth consecutive Swansea City win in the derby.[18]
In December 2024, Cabango signed a new contract with Swansea, until 2028.[19] In January 2025, following an accepted bid for Matt Grimes, Cabango was named club captain.[20]
International career
[edit]Cabango made his senior Wales international debut as a second-half substitute during the team's UEFA Nations League League B match against Finland on 3 September 2020, which Wales won 1–0.[21] In May 2021 he was selected for the Wales squad for the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.[22] In November 2022 he was named in the Wales squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[23]
Personal life
[edit]Ben Cabango is the elder brother of professional rugby union player Theo Cabango.[24]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played 8 February 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Swansea City | 2018–19[25] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019–20[26] | Championship | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| 2020–21[27] | Championship | 30 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 35 | 4 | |
| 2021–22[28] | Championship | 37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 39 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23[29] | Championship | 43 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 46 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24[29] | Championship | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25[30] | Championship | 45 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 47 | 2 | ||
| 2025–26[31] | Championship | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 1 | ||
| Total | 241 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 261 | 12 | ||
| The New Saints (loan) | 2018–19[32] | Welsh Premier League | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6[d] | 1 | 25 | 1 |
| Career total | 257 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 286 | 13 | ||
- ^ Includes FA Cup, Welsh Cup
- ^ Includes EFL Cup, Welsh League Cup
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in Championship play-offs
- ^ Two appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
[edit]- As of match played 13 October 2025
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 15 | 0 | |
References
[edit]- ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Wales (WAL)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 32. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ Thomas, Simon (15 November 2019). "Introducing the Cabango brothers, the super-talented siblings excelling in Welsh rugby and at Swansea City". WalesOnline. Media Wales. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ a b c Bloor, Stewart (12 June 2018). "Saints Sign Swansea Starlet". The New Saints. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Annual Report of the Governing Body 2015–16" (PDF). Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ Masrani, Daniel (15 August 2015). "Maindy Boy Selected for Welsh Squad". Maindy Corries F.C. Archived from the original on 13 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Ben Cabango pens new Swansea City contract". Swansea City AFC. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ Edwards, Joe (12 June 2018). "The New Saints sign Swansea youngster". Shropshire Star. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Cabango joins TNS on loan". Swansea City AFC. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ "KF Shkendija 5–0 The New Saints". BBC Sport. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "The New Saints 4–0 KF Shkendija". BBC Sport. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Swansea City 3–1 Northampton Town". BBC Sport. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Huddersfield 1-1 Swansea". BBC. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
- ^ "Ben Cabango: Swansea City defender signs new contract". BBC Sport. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ "First Swansea City goal a "real proud moment" for Ben Cabango | Swansea". www.swanseacity.com. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "B. Cabango | Swansea". www.swanseacity.com. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Swansea City 2021-22 squad numbers revealed | Swansea". www.swanseacity.com. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Cardiff City 0-4 Swansea City: Swans humiliate Cardiff". BBC Sport. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Cardiff City 0-4 Swansea City: Swans humiliate Cardiff". BBC Sport. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "BEN CABANGO COMMITS FUTURE TO SWANSEA CITY WITH NEW CONTRACT UNTIL 2028 | Swansea". www.swanseacity.com. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Ben Cabango to captain Swansea City". www.swanseacity.com. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ Cabango Wales debut
- ^ "Uncapped Colwill in Wales Euro 2020 squad". BBC Sport.
- ^ 2022 Wales World Cup squad
- ^ "Theo Cabango: Brother of Swansea City's Ben bids to seize Cardiff Rugby chance". BBC Sport. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ "Games played by Ben Cabango in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Games played by Ben Cabango in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Games played by Ben Cabango in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
- ^ "Games played by Ben Cabango in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Games played by Ben Cabango in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
- ^ "Games played by Ben Cabango in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
- ^ "Games played by Ben Cabango in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
- ^ "B. Cabango: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
External links
[edit]- Ben Cabango at Soccerway
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Ben Cabango
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Background
Early life
Benjamin George Cabango was born on 30 May 2000 in Cardiff, Wales, to Paulo Cabango, an Angolan immigrant, and his Welsh wife, Alysia.[1][10] His father, originally from south-central Angola as one of 12 children, relocated to the United Kingdom in 1997, initially to London before settling in Cardiff after meeting Alysia.[11] Paulo, a former basketball player in Angola, later became involved in his son's early football activities, fostering a family environment supportive of sports.[12] Cabango grew up in Cardiff's Fairwater area and attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr, a Welsh-medium comprehensive secondary school, where he developed alongside his younger brother Theo, who later pursued rugby union.[10] His early exposure to sports was shaped by his multicultural heritage, with his father's Angolan roots and mother's Welsh background instilling a strong sense of community and discipline.[13] From a young age, Cabango showed a keen interest in football, starting at age five with local amateur club Maindy Corries in Cardiff, where his father stepped in as a coach to support the team.[10] This initial involvement with grassroots football in the city laid the foundation for his development, emphasizing teamwork and perseverance before he progressed to more structured youth setups.[11]Personal life
Cabango maintains a close relationship with his younger brother, Theo Cabango, a professional rugby union winger who plays for Cardiff Rugby. The siblings, who share a strong bond forged through their sporting pursuits, have featured together in a 2021 S4C documentary highlighting their parallel careers in football and rugby. During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Ben temporarily returned to the family home in Cardiff to live with Theo, their parents, and grandfather, adapting to a disrupted routine that included shared cooking and fitness activities.[10][11][14][15] Born to an Angolan father, Paulo Cabango—a former basketball player who relocated to the UK in 1997—and a Welsh mother, Cabango embraces his mixed heritage as a key aspect of his identity as a Welsh international. This background has influenced his sense of belonging and pride in representing Wales, reflecting the diverse roots within the national team. Paulo's journey from Angola, where he was one of 12 siblings, underscores the family's emphasis on resilience and opportunity in the UK.[16][10][17] Since joining Swansea City as a youth player, Cabango has resided in the Swansea area, integrating into the local community. He has actively participated in charitable initiatives through the Swansea City Foundation, including promoting the 2025 Big Sleep Out fundraiser to address homelessness and visiting young patients at Morriston Hospital alongside teammates in recent years. These efforts highlight his dedication to giving back to the region that has supported his career.[15][18][19][20] Outside of football, Cabango enjoys Formula One racing as a personal interest and follows rigorous off-season fitness routines to maintain peak condition. As of 2025, he has not publicly confirmed any long-term partnerships or family beyond his immediate relatives. Upon his appointment as Swansea City captain in January 2025, Cabango expressed pride in leading the club where he developed, viewing the role as an opportunity to honor its community ties and academy legacy.[21][7]Club career
Youth career
Cabango began his youth career at Maindy Corries before joining the Newport County academy at under-13 level in 2013.[12] He spent two years there, progressing through the youth levels as an attacking midfielder before transitioning to defense.[12] While at Newport, Cabango impressed in a match against Swansea City in the FAW Youth Cup, leading to a trial and his move to the Swansea City academy in 2014 at age 14.[13] He continued his development there and signed a two-year scholarship in 2016.[22] He captained Swansea's youth teams at various levels, including the under-18s and under-23s, demonstrating strong leadership and defensive solidity. To gain senior experience, Cabango was loaned to The New Saints of the Welsh Premier League for the first half of the 2018–19 season.[23] During his six-month spell, he made 16 league appearances and featured in European competitions, scoring his first senior goal in a UEFA Champions League qualifying match against Shkëndija that contributed to a 4–0 win, though TNS were eliminated on aggregate.[24] His performances helped The New Saints secure the league title that season.[25] In recognition of his contributions, Cabango was named Swansea City's Academy Player of the Year in 2019 for his consistent defensive displays in under-23 matches.[12]Swansea City
Cabango made his senior debut for Swansea City on 13 August 2019, starting in a 3–1 EFL Cup first-round victory over Northampton Town.[2] His first league appearance followed on 26 November 2019, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 Championship draw away to Huddersfield Town, with his first league start occurring shortly thereafter against Blackburn Rovers.[26] He signed his initial professional contract with the club that year, marking the transition from academy prospect to first-team squad member.[27] Cabango scored his first goal for Swansea on 8 July 2020, heading in the winner in a 2–1 EFL Cup victory over Birmingham City.[28] As of November 2025, he had accumulated 10 goals across 226 appearances in all competitions for the club.[29] The 2020–21 season represented a breakthrough, as Cabango featured in 35 matches and contributed to Swansea's promotion push, culminating in a Championship play-off final appearance after defeating Barnsley in the semi-finals, though they lost 2–0 to Brentford at Wembley.[2] From the 2021–22 campaign onward, he established himself as a consistent starter at centre-back, forming a reliable defensive unit.[27] In March 2021, Cabango extended his contract until 2025, followed by a further renewal in 2022 to secure his long-term future at the club.[30] On 24 December 2024, he signed a new four-year deal running until 2028, reflecting his growing importance to the squad.[8] His defensive partnerships, particularly with right-back Kyle Naughton, proved pivotal; the pair anchored the backline during the 2023–24 season, contributing to several clean sheets in a campaign that saw Swansea comfortably avoid relegation by finishing mid-table. Cabango's leadership qualities led to his appointment as club captain on 30 January 2025, succeeding Matt Grimes following the midfielder's transfer to Coventry City.[31] Under his captaincy, Swansea secured survival in the 2024–25 Championship season, rallying from a precarious position to finish safely.[32] In the early stages of the 2025–26 season, as of November 2025, Cabango had made 15 appearances, receiving 4 yellow cards but no goals, while helping maintain defensive solidity amid the team's promising start.[29]International career
Senior career
Cabango earned his first senior call-up to the Wales national team in August 2020 for the UEFA Nations League matches against Finland and Bulgaria, following a strong run of form at Swansea City.[9] He made his debut on 3 September 2020, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 victory over Finland.[33] Initially, Cabango served as squad depth behind established centre-back Ethan Ampadu during his early international appearances.[34] His first starts came in friendlies during the 2021 World Cup qualifying period, such as the 1–0 win over Mexico on 27 March 2021. As of 18 November 2025, Cabango has accumulated 15 caps for Wales, all as a centre-back, without scoring any goals.[34] Notable appearances include matches during the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League that secured promotion from League B and several outings in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League.[35] Cabango missed opportunities in 2023 due to a hamstring injury sustained in October, which ruled him out of a Euro 2024 qualifier.[36] He returned to the squad in 2024 and has since maintained regular involvement, including in 2025 friendlies. In November 2025, Cabango withdrew from the squad for World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and North Macedonia due to injury.[37]Major tournaments
Cabango was named in the Wales squad for UEFA Euro 2020, where he served as a backup centre-back to Chris Mepham and Joe Rodon during the tournament hosted in 2021. Although he traveled with the team to Baku for the group stage opener against Switzerland, he remained an unused substitute across Wales' four matches, which ended with a round-of-16 exit to Denmark.[38][39] Cabango featured in two 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, primarily from the bench, providing defensive depth during Wales' unbeaten run in the group stage. He was part of the squad for the playoff semi-final win against Ukraine but did not play in the 1–0 victory on 5 June 2022 that secured qualification. Selected for the finals in Qatar, he was an unused substitute in all three group stage games, including the 3–0 loss to England. His first competitive start came later in the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League, in a 0–1 loss to Poland on 25 September 2022.[40][5] Cabango's involvement in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers was limited due to strong competition in defence, with just one start in a 1–0 win over Latvia on 28 March 2023, where he completed 94 minutes as a centre-back. He helped Wales reach the playoffs via a second-place finish but withdrew from the squad ahead of the final against Poland on 26 March 2024, which Wales lost 5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 draw.[40][41][42] During the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, Cabango established himself as a regular starter in League B, Group 4, starting full 90-minute matches in the 1–0 win against Montenegro on 14 October 2024 and the 4–1 victory over Iceland on 19 November 2024. These performances aided Wales in securing enough points to avoid relegation. He was named on the bench for both goalless draws against Turkey, including the September 2024 opener, where his defensive depth proved valuable amid a competitive backline.[40][43][44] Throughout these major tournaments, Cabango has demonstrated reliable defensive solidity, adapting effectively to high-stakes scenarios following his senior debut in 2020. His role has emphasized composure in build-up play and aerial duels, supporting Wales' resilient backline in qualification campaigns.[41][43][45]Career statistics
Club
Ben Cabango has played primarily as a centre-back during his club career.[29] The table below details his club statistics by season, broken down by competition, including appearances, goals, disciplinary records, and minutes played, as of November 18, 2025. Statistics encompass his loan at The New Saints and his professional appearances for Swansea City in the Championship, EFL Cup, and FA Cup (grouped as domestic cups).[29][3]| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | The New Saints (loan) | Welsh Premier League | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2018–19 | The New Saints (loan) | Cups/European | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2019–20 | Swansea City | Championship | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1,769 |
| 2019–20 | Swansea City | Domestic Cups | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 270 |
| 2020–21 | Swansea City | Championship | 30 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2,537 |
| 2020–21 | Swansea City | Domestic Cups | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 180 |
| 2021–22 | Swansea City | Championship | 37 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 3,073 |
| 2021–22 | Swansea City | Domestic Cups | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 135 |
| 2022–23 | Swansea City | Championship | 43 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 3,744 |
| 2022–23 | Swansea City | Domestic Cups | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 255 |
| 2023–24 | Swansea City | Championship | 35 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2,890 |
| 2023–24 | Swansea City | Domestic Cups | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 |
| 2024–25 | Swansea City | Championship | 45 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 4,032 |
| 2024–25 | Swansea City | Domestic Cups | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 123 |
| 2025–26 | Swansea City | Championship | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1,334 |
| 2025–26 | Swansea City | Domestic Cups | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Total | All Clubs | All Competitions | 266 | 12 | 46 | 1 | 20,461 (Swansea only) |
International
Ben Cabango has represented the Wales senior national team since 2020, accumulating 15 caps with no goals scored as of November 18, 2025.[40] He has primarily featured as a centre-back, starting 12 of those matches.[34] His disciplinary record remains minimal, including just one yellow card in qualifiers and no red cards.[40] In the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, Cabango earned three additional caps without contributing goals or assists.[43] The following table summarizes his senior international appearances and goals by competition:| Competition | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| UEFA Nations League | 5 | 0 |
| Qualifiers | 4 | 0 |
| Friendlies | 6 | 0 |
| Major Tournaments | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 0 |