Karl Louis-Brillant Toko Ekambi (born 14 September 1992) is a professional footballer who plays for Al-Arabi as a forward.
Toko Ekambi began his career with Paris FC in the Championnat National and Sochaux in Ligue 2 before joining Angers in Ligue 1. After 18 months at Villarreal in Spain's La Liga, he returned to France's top flight with Lyon.
Born and raised in France, Toko Ekambi played for Cameroon internationally, making his senior debut in 2015. He represented the nation at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023, winning the 2017 tournament. He also played at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Born in Paris, Toko Ekambi began his career at Paris FC in the third-tier Championnat National. In June 2014, having been third-top scorer with 13 goals, he transferred to Sochaux. He made his Ligue 2 debut on the opening day of the 2014âÂÂ15 season against Orléans, as a 57th-minute substitute for Thomas Guerbert in a 1âÂÂ0 home loss. He ended his first season as joint-fourth top scorer with 14 goals.
In June 2016, Toko Ekambi joined Angers for â¬1 million, on a four-year deal. He scored seven times in his first Ligue 1 season, including two in a 3âÂÂ0 home win over Bastia on 26 February.
In August 2017, Brighton & Hove Albion, newly promoted to the Premier League, reportedly made a bid for him, offering â¬8 million plus â¬1 million in possible bonuses to Angers. He began that season in good form, scoring nine goals in 18 Ligue 1 appearances in the first half of the season, attracting interest from England for his services in the January transfer window.
In January 2018 Brighton were again reported to have made a bid for him, which was rejected by Angers. On 24 February, Toko Ekambi scored two-second-half goals, including the winner in the 89th minute, to help Angers move out of the relegation zone in a 2âÂÂ1 away win over fellow strugglers Lille. He finished the 2017âÂÂ18 Ligue 1 season with 17 goals, ninth in the league's top scorers. He won the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé for best African in the league. He was the first Cameroonian to win the award named after Marc-Vivien Foé, who died playing for the country in 2003.
On 25 April 2017, late substitute Toko Ekambi scored in a 2âÂÂ0 home win over Guingamp in the Coupe de France semi-final. In Angers' first final since 1957 on 27 May, he played the entirety of a 1âÂÂ0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
In June 2018, Toko Ekambi signed with Villarreal in Spain's La Liga, for an estimated â¬20 million. He was signed to replace Cédric Bakambu, who had left for the Chinese Super League in January. He scored ten goals in his first league season, including two in a 3âÂÂ1 home win over Rayo Vallecano on 17 March.
With five goals each, Toko Ekambi and Getafe's ÃÂngel were top scorers of the 2018âÂÂ19 Copa del Rey. This included four in an 8âÂÂ0 (11âÂÂ3 aggregate) home win over AlmerÃÂa in the last 32 second leg, followed by a goal in the next stage against Espanyol, who eliminated his team.
Toko Ekambi was the La Liga Player of the Month for October 2019, with three goals including two in a 4âÂÂ1 win over Alavés on 25 October.
On 20 January 2020, Toko Ekambi went back to Ligue 1, on loan to Lyon for the remainder of the season. On 2 June, he moved on a permanent transfer with a four-year contract, for a fee of â¬11.5 million. He played in the 2020 Coupe de la Ligue Final on 31 July, the last game in the competition's history. On as an 80th-minute substitute for Memphis Depay, he scored in the penalty shootout after a goalless draw, but his team lost to PSG.
With 14 goals in 2020âÂÂ21, Toko Ekambi was once again joint ninth top scorer in Ligue 1. The following season, he finished joint tenth with 12 goals.
On 26 January 2023, fellow Ligue 1 club Rennes announced the signing of Toko Ekambi on loan from Lyon for the remainder of the season. The fee was â¬1.5 million, with a further â¬1 million depending on performances. He scored his first goal for the club on 19 March to open a 2âÂÂ0 win at PSG, ending a 35-game unbeaten home run for the hosts dating back nearly two years.
On 24 August 2023, Toko Ekambi joined Saudi Pro League club Abha on a two-year deal.
On 30 January 2024, Toko Ekambi joined fellow Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq on a one-and-a-half-year contract.
Toko Ekambi made his debut for Cameroon on 6 June 2015 in a 3âÂÂ2 friendly win over Burkina Faso in Colombes, France, as a 66th-minute substitute for Justin Mengolo. He scored his first goal on 3 September the following year in a 2âÂÂ0 home win over the Gambia in 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. Manager Hugo Broos called him up for the final tournament in Gabon, which the team won.
On 28 March 2017, Toko Ekambi scored and was sent off in a 2âÂÂ1 friendly loss to Guinea in Brussels. In June, Broos selected him for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia. He also went to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
At the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil at the start of the following year, Toko Ekambi scored twice in a 4âÂÂ1 group win over Ethiopia, and the opening goal of a 2âÂÂ1 win against Comoros in the last 16. On 29 January, he scored both goals against the Gambia in the quarter-finals.
On 29 March 2022, Toko Ekambi scored a goal in the fourth minute of time added on at the end of extra time against Algeria to send Cameroon to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. At the finals in Qatar, he started the first two games and was a substitute in the 1âÂÂ0 win over Brazil, as the team exited in the group stage.
At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, Toko Ekambi was dropped by manager Rigobert Song in the second group game against Senegal; fellow striker Vincent Aboubakar was injured and the team lost 3âÂÂ1. He returned and scored the opening goal of a 3âÂÂ2 win against the Gambia that put Cameroon into the last 16 at their opponents' expense. On February 2, 2024, he announced his retirement from international duty after the tournament.
Lyon
Cameroon
Individual