Updated February 1, 2025
IGNATIUS GANAGO AT A GLANCE:
MLS CAREER (2025): Acquired on loan from FC Nantes (FRA) for the 2025 MLS season with a purchase option on Jan. 7, 2025.
CLUB CAREER OUTSIDE OF MLS: Owns nearly 200 professional appearances in the French Ligue 1 over parts of eight seasons, with 35 goals and 10 assists… Developed at Ecole de Football Brasseries du Cameroun Academy…Signed his first professional contract with Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, appearing in 62 matches across all competitions over parts of three seasons…Made professional debut on Sept. 9, 2017, where he scored his first professional goal as a second-half substitute…Transferred to RC Lens on July 10, 2020, where he recorded 13 goals and four assists across 57 appearances…Registered six goals and five assists across 57 appearances with FC Nantes from 2022-25.
FC Nantes (FRA): Signed a four-year deal with Ligue 1 side FC Nantes on Sept. 1, 2022…Recorded six goals and five assists across 57 appearances with the club…In 2022-23, made 28 league appearances and also played in five Coupe de France matches…Made club debut on Sept. 3, 2022, logging 23 minutes against Paris SG…Recorded a goal-and-assist performance in his second match with the club on Sept. 11, 2022, starting and playing 90 minutes at FC Lorient…In 2023-24, made six league appearances before suffering an ACL injury…Suited up for one Coupe de France match and made 11 Ligue 1 appearances in 2024-25 prior to departing the club.
RC Lens (FRA): Tallied 13 goals across 57 appearances with RC Lens, including one Coupe de France match…In 2020-21, recorded seven goals and three assists over 24 Ligue 1 appearances in first year with the club…Marked first goal-and-assist performance with the club on Sept. 19. 2020 in a 2-1 win over FC Girondins de Bordeaux…On Dec. 19, 2021, notched one goal and posted a 72-minute shift at Stade Poitevin in a Coupe de France match…In 2021-22, saw action in 28 league games, registering five goals and one assist…Added four Ligue one appearances during the 2022-23 campaign, before playing his last match with the club on Aug. 27, 2022.
OGC Nice (FRA): Signed first professional contract with Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, appearing in 62 matches across all competitions over parts of three seasons…Made professional debut on Sept. 9, 2017 where he scored his first professional goal as a second-half substitute against AS Monaco…In 2017-18, made 11 appearances across all competitions, including six Ligue 1 matches… Tallied two goals across 20 appearances in 2018-19 Ligue 1campaign… Also appeared once in both Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue contests…In final season with OGC Nice, recorded three goals and one assist over 26 games played…Added one goal across two appearances in the 2019-20 Coupe de France tournament.
NATIONAL TEAM (Cameroon): Capped 14 times by the Cameroon National Team, including two appearances at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations Tournament... Made his senior debut for Cameroon on Oct. 12, 2019 in an international friendly at Tunisia, starting and playing 87 minutes… Member of Cameroon’s squad for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, helping to advance to the knockout rounds with two appearances…Also appeared for Cameroon’s Under-23 squad for the 2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, after scoring the goal to clinch a berth in the tournament.
PERSONAL: Full name Ignatius Ganago Kpene…Born and raised in Douala, Cameroon…Developed at Ecole de Football Brasseries du Cameroun Academy before joining Nice in France…Four-year-old daughter, Chloe, passed away on Feb. 13, 2023 following an illness.
