Samuel Essende, Congolese neo-international, starter in the DRC’s last two qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup, is coming off a full season in Portugal and has just signed for Augsburg for 5 million euros. At 26 years old, this fan of Zlatan Ibrahimovic is experiencing the best period of his career, after having lost himself a little.
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Congolese Silas Katompa will feel less alone in the Bundesliga. Because the Leopard, excellent with Stuttgart at the end of last season, will find another member of the den on German grounds next season, in the person of Samuel Essende. The Congolese striker, born in Montfermeil, found the thread of his career in Portugal, in the Vizela club in the north of the country, after having long seen himself as a talent in decline.
Promised for a great future, this pure Parisian titi studied at Paris SG. The striker is even a very promising scorer in the youth teams. Alongside a certain Jonathan Ikoné, another Franco-Congolese who will choose France, Essendé panics the scorers and his goals go around the networks. Like this day of the semi-final of the under-19 championship, against Saint-Etienne in 2016, where he mark of a pigeon’s wing. Zlatan in the young man, also a black belt in taekwondo.
“Football is not just about glitter”
But after a first professional contract at PSG, the striker lost his way a little. A failed stint in Belgium at KAS Eupen, then towards the French third division (Avranches), Ligue 2 then with Pau and Caen and finally Portugal. In the small town of Vizela, not far from Braga, with which he regained his health by scoring 15 goals in 30 matches. Not enough to avoid relegation, but enough to be called up to the DR Congo national team by Sébastien Desabre.
Preferred over Fiston Mayélé, Samuel Essendé made his first two selections and his first two starts against Senegal (1-1) and the Togo (1-0). No goal, but certainly a source of pride for someone who could not imagine such a destiny barely a year ago. “ I went through very delicate periods, without ever getting discouragedhe declared to Le Parisien last May. From a mental point of view, it did me good to know a little about the bottom and to know that football is not all about the glitter. I did violence to myself, I sacrificed a lot of things in my life. The only truth is that of work. I applied strict discipline to myself. She continues to support me successfully “.
It is now up to him to confirm in Augsburg in Germany after finally launching his career at the age of 26.
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