# Meschak Elia

Meschak Elia Lina (born 6 August 1997) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as a forward for French Ligue 1 club Nantes on loan from the Swiss Super League club Young Boys, and the DR Congo national team. He received the best player award after him and his team's win in the 2016 African Nations Championship.

## Club career

In July 2019 it was announced that Elia would sign for Belgian First Division A club Anderlecht. He, however, disappeared and allegedly falsified his year of birth, which resulted in a 12-month ban by the Congolese Association Football Federation. In February 2020, FIFA "provisionally cleared" Elia to play again and he signed for Swiss Super League side BSC Young Boys.
On 3 February 2025, Elia joined Nantes in France on loan with an option to buy.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 15 February 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| TP Mazembe | 2015–16 | Linafoot | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| TP Mazembe | 2016–17 | Linafoot | — | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| TP Mazembe | 2017–18 | Linafoot | — | — | — | — | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| TP Mazembe | 2018–19 | Linafoot | — | — | — | — | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 |
| TP Mazembe | Total | Total | 93 | 21 | — | — | 34 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 130 | 29 |
| Young Boys | 2019–20 | Swiss Super League | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 2 |
| Young Boys | 2020–21 | Swiss Super League | 25 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | — | — | 37 | 7 |
| Young Boys | 2021–22 | Swiss Super League | 30 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 | — | — | 43 | 10 |
| Young Boys | 2022–23 | Swiss Super League | 31 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 41 | 12 |
| Young Boys | 2023–24 | Swiss Super League | 32 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | — | — | 44 | 11 |
| Young Boys | 2024–25 | Swiss Super League | 15 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 1 |
| Young Boys | Total | Total | 145 | 32 | 11 | 4 | 46 | 7 | — | — | 202 | 43 |
| Nantes (loan) | 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 240 | 53 | 11 | 4 | 77 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 331 | 72 |
* ↑ Includes Swiss Cup
* ↑ Two appearances in CAF Champions League, one appearances in CAF Confederation Cup
* 1 2 3 Appearances in CAF Super Cup
* ↑ Nine appearances and one goal in CAF Confederation Cup, two appearances in CAF Champions League
* 1 2 Appearances in CAF Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
* ↑ Eight appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League

### International

    As of match played 15 October 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| DR Congo | 2016 | 9 | 5 |
| DR Congo | 2017 | 2 | 0 |
| DR Congo | 2018 | 4 | 1 |
| DR Congo | 2019 | 7 | 0 |
| DR Congo | 2022 | 5 | 1 |
| DR Congo | 2023 | 9 | 0 |
| DR Congo | 2024 | 14 | 4 |
| Total | Total | 50 | 11 |
    Scores and results list DR Congo's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Elia goal.
List of international goals scored by Meschak Elia :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 17 January 2016 | Stade Huye, Butare, Rwanda | Ethiopia | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2016 African Nations Championship |
| 2 | 21 January 2016 | Stade Huye, Butare, Rwanda | Angola | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2016 African Nations Championship |
| 3 | 7 February 2016 | Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, Rwanda | Mali | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2016 African Nations Championship |
| 4 | 7 February 2016 | Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, Rwanda | Mali | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2016 African Nations Championship |
| 5 | 26 March 2016 | Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo | Angola | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 6 | 9 September 2018 | Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Monrovia, Liberia | Liberia | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 7 | 27 September 2022 | Stade Père Jégo, Casablanca, Morocco | Sierra Leone | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 8 | 28 January 2024 | Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro, Ivory Coast | Egypt | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 9 | 9 June 2024 | Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo | Togo | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 15 October 2024 | Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Tanzania | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 11 | 15 October 2024 | Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Tanzania | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |

## Honours

TP Mazembe
* Linafoot: 2015–16, 2016-17
* CAF Confederation Cup: 2016, 2017
* CAF Super Cup: 2016
Young Boys
* Swiss Super League: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2023–24
* Swiss Cup: 2019–20, 2022–23
DR Congo
* African Nations Championship: 2016