Aaron Boupendza

Aaron Salem Boupendza Pozzi (7 August 1996 – 16 April 2025) was a Gabonese footballer. He played as a forward for teams in Gabon, France, Portugal, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Romania, and China. He notably won the Gabon Championnat National D1 with CF Mounana, the Qatar FA Cup with Al Arabi and the MLS Supporters' Shield with FC Cincinnati, and was also the top goalscorer in the 2020–21 Süper Lig.

He was capped 35 times for Gabon, scoring eight goals. Boupendza scored Gabon's only goal at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, in a 1–0 win against Comoros, and also scored in their penalty shootout loss against Burkina Faso in the round of 16. He also played for Gabon's A team at the 2016 African Nations Championship.

Boupendza died on 16 April 2025, at the age of 28, after falling from the 11th floor of a building in Hangzhou, China. Gabonese president Brice Oligui Nguema paid tribute to him shortly after his death. Chinese police investigations found that the fall was an accident, and ruled out criminal activity.

Career statistics
Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsCF Mounana2015–16Gabon Championnat National D166————66Bordeaux B2016–17CFA 2208————208Pau (loan)2017–18Championnat National211500———2115Pau B (loan)2017–18Championnat National 332————32Gazélec Ajaccio (loan)2018–19Ligue 21000010——110Tours (loan)2018–19Championnat National12311———134Tours B (loan)2018–19Championnat National 310————10Feirense (loan)2019–20Primeira Liga902010——120Hatayspor2020–21Süper Lig362220———3822Al-Arabi2021–22Qatar Stars League1680031—3122102022–23Qatar Stars League1010———20Total1781031—312410Al Shabab2022–23Saudi Pro League171100—00—1711FC Cincinnati2023MLS10510——711862024MLS142——31—173Total24710003171359Rapid București2024–25Liga I9322———115Zhejiang FC2025Chinese Super League6400———64Career total1918993513110221896

International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsGabon201641201760201800201932202030202171202273202351Total358

Scores and results list Gabon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Boupendza goal.

+ List of international goals scored by Aaron BoupendzaNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1  20 January 2016  Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, Rwanda   1–2 1–2  2016 African Nations Championship2  15 October 2019  Stade Ibn Batouta, Tangier, Morocco   1–0 3–2  Friendly3  17 November 2019  Stade de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon   1–0 2–1  2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification4  25 March 2021  Stade de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon   1–0 3–0  2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification5  10 January 2022  Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon   1–0 1–0  2021 Africa Cup of Nations6 17 November 2022 Atilla Vehbi Konuk Tesisleri, Antalya, Turkey  1–0 3–1 Friendly72–18  17 October 2023  Estádio Algarve, Algarve, Portugal   1–0 1–1  Friendly

Honours
CF Mounana
Gabon Championnat National D1: 2015–16

Al-Arabi
Qatar FA Cup: 2022

FC Cincinnati
Supporters' Shield: 2023

Individual
Süper Lig Golden Boot: 2020–21
Süper Lig Team of the Season: 2020–21

References

Other websites




Category:1996 births
Category:2025 deaths
Category:Gabonese footballers
Category:Association football forwards
Category:Accidental deaths from falls