Orel Mangala

Orel Johnson Mangala (born 18 March 1998) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Ligue 1 club Lyon and the Belgium national team.

Orel Mangala

Mangala playing for VfB Stuttgart in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Orel Johnson Mangala[1]
Date of birth	(1998-03-18) 18 March 1998 (age 27)[2]
Place of birth	Brussels, Belgium[3]
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position	Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Lyon
Number	5
Youth career
0000–2017	Anderlecht
2016–2017	→ Borussia Dortmund (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2022	VfB Stuttgart	101	(3)
2018	VfB Stuttgart II	1	(0)
2018–2019	→ Hamburger SV (loan)	29	(0)
2022–2024	Nottingham Forest	47	(2)
2024	→ Lyon (loan)	8	(2)
2024–	Lyon	2	(0)
2024–2025	→ Everton (loan)	19	(1)
International career‡
2013	Belgium U15	2	(0)
2013–2014	Belgium U16	13	(1)
2014–2015	Belgium U17	19	(2)
2016	Belgium U18	1	(0)
2016–2017	Belgium U19	12	(1)
2017–2020	Belgium U21	14	(0)
2022–	Belgium	23	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:41, 30 November 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:33, 17 November 2024 (UTC)

Club career

On 9 June 2017, Mangala signed a four-year contract with VfB Stuttgart.^[4] On 8 August 2018, Mangala was loaned out to Hamburger SV without a purchase option until the end of the season.^[5]

On 9 April 2021, Mangala extended his contract with VfB Stuttgart until June 2024.^[6]

On 31 July 2022, it was announced that Mangala had joined Premier League side Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee, which was reported to be £12.7m.^[7] Mangala made his debut for Forest as a substitute in the team's opening game of the 2022–23 Premier League season, a 2–0 loss at Newcastle United on 6 August.^[8] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat to Leeds United on 4 April 2023.^[9] He scored his second goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on 5 November 2023.

On 1 February 2024, Mangala joined Ligue 1 side Lyon on loan: it was reported the loan fee was €11.7m (£10m). That summer, the move was made permanent after Lyon exercised their permanent purchase option for €17.5m (£15m), with an additional €3.5M (£2m) available in potential bonuses.^[10] The move was officially announced as permanent on 2 July 2024.^[11]

On 30 August 2024, Mangala signed on loan for Everton on deadline day.^[12]

International career

Mangala was called up to the senior Belgium squad in March 2021.^[13] He made his international debut in a 2–2 friendly draw with the Republic of Ireland on 26 March 2022.^[14]

Personal life

Mangala is of Congolese descent.^[15]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 November 2025^[16]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		League cup[b]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
VfB Stuttgart II	2017–18	Regionalliga Südwest	1	0	—		—		1	0
VfB Stuttgart	2017–18	Bundesliga	20	0	1	0	—		21	0
	2018–19	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2019–20	2. Bundesliga	29	1	3	0	—		32	1
	2020–21	Bundesliga	24	1	3	0	—		27	1
	2021–22	Bundesliga	28	1	1	0	—		29	1
	Total		101	3	8	0	—		109	3
Hamburger SV (loan)	2018–19	2. Bundesliga	29	0	5	1	—		34	1
Nottingham Forest	2022–23	Premier League	27	1	0	0	4	0	31	1
	2023–24	Premier League	20	1	2	0	0	0	22	1
	Total		47	2	2	0	4	0	53	2
Lyon (loan)	2023–24	Ligue 1	8	2	4	0	—		12	2
Lyon	2024–25	Ligue 1	1	0	—		—		1	0
	2025–26	Ligue 1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Everton (loan)	2024–25	Premier League	19	1	1	0	1	0	21	1
Career total			207	8	20	1	5	0	232	9

1. Includes DFB-Pokal, FA Cup, Coupe de France
2. Includes EFL Cup

International

As of match played 17 November 2024^[17]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Belgium	2022	2	0
	2023	10	0
	2024	11	0
Total		23	0

Honours

Lyon

• Coupe de France runner-up: 2023–24^[18]

Belgium U17

• FIFA U-17 World Cup third place: 2015^[19][20]