ISL 2024-25: East Bengal signs Cameroon forward Messi Bouli until end of season
ISL 2024-25: East Bengal signs Cameroon forward Messi Bouli until end of season
East Bengal FC announced the signing of Cameroon national team forward Raphael Messi Bouli until the end of the current season.
Messi Bouli joins the Red and Gold Brigade from Chinese League One club Shijiazhuang Gongfu on a free transfer.
“I am excited to join a popular club like East Bengal. I want to make a significant impact for East Bengal in the last phase of the ISL and the AFC Challenge League. I can’t wait to return to India and meet the passionate fans of East Bengal,” said Messi Bouli after signing with the Kolkata giant.
Messi Bouli returns to Indian football after five seasons, having netted eight goals for Kerala Blasters FC in the 2019-20 edition of the ISL. Besides his impressive record in the ISL, Messi Bouli has plied his trade across Cameroon (FAP Yaounde, Canon Yaounde and APEJES), the Persian Gulf Pro League (Foolad FC) and China (Yanbian Funde, Heilongjiang Ice City, Liaoning Tieren FC, Nanjing City and Shijiazhuang Gongfu), scoring 69 goals in 173 club matches in the process.
Messi Bouli registered 14 goals and five assists in 28 games for Shijiazhuang Gongfu in the previous season. He last played for the Chinese club in November 2024.
The forward also represented the Cameroon national team on six occasions between 2013 and 2018.
“Raphael joins us at a very crucial juncture of the season. He has played for Kerala Blasters in the past, so he is a familiar face in Indian football. He brings with him a winning mentality. His physical presence, scoring ability and dedication will make him a valuable asset to the team,” said East Bengal head coach Oscar Bruzon on his latest acquisition.
