Simon Banza, born on 13 August 1996 in France, is a forward who mainly plays as a striker for SC Braga. Standing at 6ft 2in (1.89m) tall and weighing 12st 1lb (77kg), Banza dons the number 23 jersey. Aside from his club commitments, he has also represented the DR Congo national team.
According to Transfermarkt, Banza's current market value hovers around £11.5m. His journey through the world of football started in July 2015, when Banza joined Lens in the Ligue 1 in France. He initially made 18 first team appearances and scored one goal in league matches in his debut season of 2015-2016. By 2021, he proved indispensable as he made 34 first team appearances and scored five goals
In January 2017, Banza was loaned to Béziers in the Championnat National in France, only to be recalled by Lens in June of the same year. However, July 2017 saw another loan move, this time to Union Titus Pétange in the Nationaldivisioun in Luxembourg, from which he returned to Lens in June 2018.
By August 2021, Banza was on the move again, this time on loan to Famalicao in the Liga Portugal in Portugal. Here, his performance stood out as he clocked up 29 first team appearances and netted 14 goals in league matches in the 2021-2022 season.
Eventually, in July 2022 he transferred from Lens to SC Braga in Portugal for an approximate fee of £4.5m. His stint at SC Braga witnessed impressive figures, as he made 30 first team appearances and scored 11 goals in the 2022-2023 season. The following season he pushed the envelope further with 28 first team appearances and a hefty 21 goals to his name. Despite his growth, Banza found himself on loan again in September 2024 to Trabzonspor in the Süper Lig in Turkey. He flourished on this stage, making 31 first team appearances and tallying 19 goals in league matches in the 2024-2025 season.
Upon the completion of his loan, Banza returned to SC Braga in Portugal in June 2025. Besides his club football, Banza has also made his mark in tournaments such as the Champions League 2023 - 2024 for SC Braga with four starts and two appearances as a substitute, the World Cup Qualifiers Africa 2024 - 2026 for DR Congo with two starts, and the Europa League 2023 - 2024 for SC Braga, where he pocketed two goals in two starts.
