Player Analysis: M'Bala Nzola

It has been a remarkable debut Serie A season so far for Spezia in 2020/21 and the club from the Liguria region in northern Italy looks likely to secure its spot in the Italian top flight for the following campaign. With a squad consisting of youngsters, football journeymen, and unknowns, Aquilotti coach Vincenzo Italiano has created a team that is competitive as well as aesthetically pleasing.

One of the stalwarts of his squad is 24-year-old Angolan international M’Bala Nzola, a striker that he knew from his time coaching Sicilian club Trapani. Nzola is a player that has not had it easy during his career and he has incredibly worked his way to the top of the football pyramid.

Born in Buco-Zau in Angola, he emigrated to France at a young age and he started his youth career at French club Troyes. Kebba Cissé, a scout from Sport Management Conseil, noticed Nzola at the age of 15. He then sent the striker on trials and also held discussions with English clubs Crystal Palace as well as other French clubs but nothing eventuated. Despite reportedly performing well at a tournament with Italian club Cremonese, not even the Grigiorossi signed him, but the Angolan’s time in Italy would still come.

Nzola then went to Portugal, where he joined the youth team of Académica from Coimbra in 2014, and he managed to earn a place in the senior squad, featuring in two games throughout the 2014/15 Taça da Liga. His senior debut was in a 4-1 defeat against Porto but he did score his team’s only goal soon after coming off the bench. For the 2015/16 campaign, he moved to third-division club Sertanense, where he scored seven goals in 25 league matches.