# Raphaël Messi Bouli

Raphaël Éric Messi Bouli (born 23 April 1992) is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as striker for Indian Super League club East Bengal. He made six appearances for the Cameroon national team.

## Club career

Bouli started his career in Cameroon with FAP Yaoundé in 2013. A year later, he signed for Canon Yaoundé where he remained for the 2014 and 2015 Elite One seasons. 2016 saw Bouli join APEJES, with whom he won the 2016 Cameroonian Cup with. In 2017, Bouli scored fourteen goals in twenty-four league fixtures. On 1 March 2018, Bouli joined China League One side Yanbian Funde. He made his debut against Nei Mongol Zhongyou on 1 April, prior to netting in back-to-back matches in May versus Qingdao Huanghai and Zhejiang Greentown respectively. Bouli moved to Iran to play for Foolad of the Persian Gulf Pro League in 2019.
Bouli departed Foolad in June 2019, after scoring one goal (against Esteghlal Khuzestan) in twelve games for the Iranian club. In the months following his departure, Bouli threatened to complain to FIFA, along with then-manager Afshin Ghotbi and former teammate Takafumi Akahoshi, regarding unpaid wages.
On 24 August, Bouli completed a move to India with Super League team Kerala Blasters. He scored eight goals for them, which included a brace over Jamshedpur on 13 December.
September 2020 saw Bouli return to Chinese football as he agreed terms with League One team Heilongjiang Lava Spring.
In April 2021, Bouli joined Nanjing City on loan, he completed a permanent transfer to the club in April 2022. As of the 2023 season, he scored 42 goals and provided 4 assists in 93 appearances for the club.
On 29 February 2024, Bouli joined fellow China League One club Shijiazhuang Gongfu.

## International career

Bouli made his international debut on 10 August 2013, playing in a 2014 African Nations Championship qualifier with Gabon. Years later, he scored his first goal in 2018 African Nations Championship qualifying in a game with São Tomé and Príncipe. In November 2017, Bouli was selected by the national team for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zambia. However, he failed to feature after remaining on the bench for a 2–2 draw. Months later, Bouli was called up to the squad for the 2018 African Nations Championship in Morocco. He featured in matches against Congo, Angola and Burkina Faso as Cameroon were eliminated at the group stages.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 3 November 2024.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| APEJES | 2017 | Elite One | 24 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 14 |
| Yanbian Funde | 2018 | China League One | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 3 |
| Foolad | 2018–19 | Persian Gulf Pro League | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Kerala Blasters | 2019–20 | Indian Super League | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 8 |
| Heilongjiang Lava Spring | 2020 | China League One | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Nanjing City (loan) | 2021 | China League One | 32 | 15 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 32 | 15 |
| Nanjing City | 2022 | China League One | 31 | 17 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 17 |
| Nanjing City | 2023 | China League One | 28 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 11 |
| Nanjing City | Total | Total | 91 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 43 |
| Shijiazhuang Gongfu | 2024 | China League One | 27 | 14 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 14 |
| East Bengal | 2024–25 | Indian Super League | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 197 | 83 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 202 | 73 |
* ↑ Appearances in China League One relegation play-offs

### International

    As of 7 October 2020.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Cameroon | 2013 | 1 | 0 |
| Cameroon | 2017 | 2 | 1 |
| Cameroon | 2018 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 6 | 1 |

### International goals

    As of 14 July 2019. Cameroon score listed first.
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition :
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 19 August 2017 | Limbe Stadium, Limbe, Cameroon | 1 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2018 African Nations Championship qualification |

## Honours

APEJES
* Cameroonian Cup: 2016