Michel-Ange Balikwisha

Personal information
Full name	Michel-Ange Sumai Balikwisha
Date of birth	10 May 2001 (age 24)
Place of birth	Ghent, Belgium
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Celtic
Number	10
Youth career
0000–2014	Anderlecht
2014–2020	Standard Liège
Senior career*
Years	Team
2020–2021	Standard Liège
2021–2025	Antwerp
2025–	Celtic
International career‡
2017	Belgium U16
2018	Belgium U17
2019	Belgium U18
2019	Belgium U19
2021–2023	Belgium U21
	* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:07, 5 October 2025 (UTC); ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:48, 25 June 2023 (UTC)
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Michel-Ange Sumai Balikwisha (born 10 May 2001) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Scottish Premiership side Celtic.^[2]

Club career

Balikwisha made his professional debut for Standard Liège on 20 September 2020 in a Belgian First Division A game against KV Kortrijk.^[3]

Royal Antwerp

On 4 July 2021, Balikwisha joined Royal Antwerp on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee.^[4]

He was part of the squad that won a domestic double during the 2022–23 season, including the club's first league title in 66 years.^[5]

On 23 July 2023, Balikwisha scored a goal in the Belgian Super Cup against Mechelen. Antwerp would win on penalties to claim the trophy for the first time in their history.^[6]

On 30 August 2023, he helped the club secure a spot in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever, by scoring a goal in the second leg of their 3–1 aggregate victory over AEK Athens in the play-off round.^[7] He scored in Antwerp's first home match in the Champions League proper on 4 October, putting his side 2–0 up against Shakhtar Donetsk, but would squander the lead and fall to a 2–3 defeat.^[8]

Celtic

In July 2024, Scottish club Celtic approached Royal Antwerp to sign Balikwisha.^[9] Celtic made a second attempt to sign him on 20 August 2025 and, although the player agreed personal terms, it was reported that internal issues at his club were preventing the move from happening.^{[citation needed]}

Celtic finally completed the signing of Balikwisha on 28 August 2025, on a five-year contract.^[10] Balikwisha made his debut for the club three days later against Old Firm rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

International career

Born in Belgium, Balikwisha is of Congolese descent. He is a youth international for Belgium.^[11]

Personal life

Balikwisha is the brother of the footballer William Balikwisha.^[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of matches played 5 October 2025^[2]

Club statistics
Club	Season	League			National cup^[a]		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Standard Liège	2020–21	Belgian Pro League	32	9	2	0	6^[b]	0	—		40	9
Antwerp	2021–22	Belgian Pro League	32	4	1	0	5^[b]	1	—		38	5
	2022–23	Belgian Pro League	33	7	5	2	4^[c]	1	—		42	10
	2023–24	Belgian Pro League	33	7	3	0	7^[d]	2	1^[e]	1	44	10
	2024–25	Belgian Pro League	16	4	1	0	—		—		17	4
	2025–26	Belgian Pro League	4	1	—		—		—		4	1
	Total		118	23	10	2	16	4	1	1	145	30
Celtic	2025–26	Scottish Premiership	4	0	0	0	1^[b]	0	1^[f]	0	6	0
Career total			154	32	12	2	23	4	2	1	191	39

^ Includes Belgian Cup
^ ^a ^b ^c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
^ Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League
^ Appearances in the UEFA Champions League
^ Appearance in the Belgian Super Cup
^ Appearance in Scottish League Cup

Honours

Royal Antwerp

References

^ "Aspire Academy Tri-Series Season 2016–17" (PDF). Aspire Academy. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
^ ^a ^b Michel-Ange Balikwisha at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ "Résultat Standard de Liège - KV Courtrai, Championnat de Belgique, 6e journée, Dimanche 20 Septembre 2020". L'Équipe (in French). 20 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
^ "Nu ook officieel: Michel-Ange Balikwisha krijgt zijn zin en ruilt Standard voor Antwerp" (in Dutch). nieuwsblad.be. 4 July 2021.
^ "Alderweireld earns Royal Antwerp first Belgian league title in 66 years". The Guardian. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Antwerp wint nu ook de Supercup! KV Mechelen plooit pas na strafschoppen" (in Dutch). Sporza. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
^ "Antwerp make history after qualifying for Champions League group stages for first time". Brussels Times. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
^ "Antwerp 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 3 - Highlights". BEIN Sports. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
^ "Celtic Open Talks to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha". msn.com. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
^ FC, Celtic (28 August 2025). "Celtic delighted to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha". Celtic FC. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
^ ^a ^b "Michel-Ange Balikwisha makes his choice between Belgium and DR Congo". Foot Africa.
^ "Royal Antwerp win first Belgian title in 66 years after Toby Alderweireld's stoppage-time equaliser". BBC. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.

External links

This biographical article related to association football in Belgium, about a forward, is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[12] Includes Belgian Cup

[UEL-13] Appearances in UEFA Europa League

[14] Appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League

[15] Appearances in the UEFA Champions League

[16] Appearance in the Belgian Super Cup

[17] Appearance in Scottish League Cup

[1] "Aspire Academy Tri-Series Season 2016–17" (PDF). Aspire Academy. Retrieved 8 March 2025.

[sw-2] Michel-Ange Balikwisha at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

[3] "Résultat Standard de Liège - KV Courtrai, Championnat de Belgique, 6e journée, Dimanche 20 Septembre 2020". L'Équipe (in French). 20 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.

[4] "Nu ook officieel: Michel-Ange Balikwisha krijgt zijn zin en ruilt Standard voor Antwerp" (in Dutch). nieuwsblad.be. 4 July 2021.

[5] "Alderweireld earns Royal Antwerp first Belgian league title in 66 years". The Guardian. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

[BSCwin-6] "Antwerp wint nu ook de Supercup! KV Mechelen plooit pas na strafschoppen" (in Dutch). Sporza. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.

[7] "Antwerp make history after qualifying for Champions League group stages for first time". Brussels Times. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

[8] "Antwerp 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 3 - Highlights". BEIN Sports. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.

[9] "Celtic Open Talks to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha". msn.com. Retrieved 27 July 2024.

[10] FC, Celtic (28 August 2025). "Celtic delighted to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha". Celtic FC. Retrieved 28 August 2025.

[footafrica-11] "Michel-Ange Balikwisha makes his choice between Belgium and DR Congo". Foot Africa.

[BbcRAB-18] "Royal Antwerp win first Belgian title in 66 years after Toby Alderweireld's stoppage-time equaliser". BBC. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.

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Michel-Ange Balikwisha

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Personal information

Full name	Michel-Ange Sumai Balikwisha^[1]
Date of birth	(2001-05-10) 10 May 2001 (age 24)
Place of birth	Ghent, Belgium
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Celtic
Number	10
Youth career
–2014	Anderlecht
2014–2020	Standard Liège
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2021	Standard Liège	32	(9)
2021–2025	Antwerp	118	(23)
2025–	Celtic	4	(0)
International career^‡
2017	Belgium U16	4	(1)
2018	Belgium U17	5	(1)
2019	Belgium U18	1	(0)
2019	Belgium U19	3	(0)
2021–2023	Belgium U21	10	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:07, 5 October 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:48, 25 June 2023 (UTC)