M'Bala Nzola (born 18 August 1996) is an Angolan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Sassuolo, on loan from Fiorentina, and the Angola national team.
On 28 January 2015, Nzola made his professional debut with Académica de Coimbra in a 2014âÂÂ15 Taça da Liga match against Porto, coming on as a substitute in the 4âÂÂ1 away loss.
On 7 August 2016, he joined Lega Pro club Virtus Francavilla.
On 7 August 2017, after helping Virtus Francavilla reach the Lega Pro promotion play-offs, Nzola signed a four-year deal with Carpi.
On 16 August 2018, he joined Serie C club Trapani on a season-long loan. Trapani held the obligation to purchase him from Carpi at the end of the loan term in case of Trapani's promotion to Serie B. On 15 June he scored the first goal for the Trapani victory over Piacenza, and after that Trapani was promoted in Serie B after two years of Serie C.
On 13 January 2020, he joined Serie B club Spezia on loan with an option to purchase.
On 7 October 2020, Nzola signed with Spezia a three-year contract. On 10 August 2023, he joined fellow Italian side Fiorentina.
On 7 August 2025, Nzola was loaned by Pisa, with an option to buy. On 31 January 2026, he moved on a new loan to Sassuolo, also with an option to buy.
Being born in Angola, but raised in France, Nzola was eligible for either country at international level.
In March 2021, some months after he expressed his desire to represent Angola, he received his first call-up to the national team. Some days after, on 25 March 2021, he made his debut for the Palancas Negras against Gambia, in a qualifying match for the Africa Cup of Nations.
In December 2023, he was included in the list of the twenty-seven Angolan players selected by Pedro Gonçalves to compete in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but Nzola declined the call-up. He was later included among the players selected to take part in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Born in Cabinda, an Angolan exclave, Nzola emigrated to France as a child.