Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting


Jean-Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the Cameroon national team.
Choupo-Moting began his career with Hamburger SV, making his Bundesliga debut in August 2007. He spent the 2009–10 season on loan at 1. FC Nürnberg and in August 2011 he joined 1. FSV Mainz 05. After three seasons with Mainz he moved on to Schalke 04 in August 2014. He became a regular for the Gelsenkirchen club, and made over 100 appearances, before joining Premier League side Stoke City in August 2017.
In August 2018, he joined Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.

Club career

Early career

Choupo-Moting was born in Hamburg to a German mother and a Cameroonian father and began playing football at an early age. He played in the youth teams at Teutonia 05, Altona 93 and FC St. Pauli before joining Hamburger SV in 2004. He played semi-professional football with Hamburger SV II in the Regionalliga Nord before breaking into the first team in August 2007.

Hamburger SV

Choupo-Moting made his first appearance as a Hamburger SV player in a Bundesliga match on 11 August 2007, being sent on as a substitute in the 69th minute against Hannover 96. Choupo-Moting struggled to establish himself in Martin Jol's side and he spent the 2009–10 season on loan at 1. FC Nürnberg with whom he scored six goals in 27 appearances helping Nürnberg retain their Bundesliga status. On his return to Hamburg, Choupo-Moting struggled to make much impact in 2010–11 and after scoring just two goals by January he was set for another loan move this time to 1. FC Köln, however the move fell through after registration documents were faxed to the German Football Association too late. After his botched transfer he spent the second half of the campaign with the reserves.

Mainz 05

On 18 May 2011, Choupo-Moting signed a three-year contract with Bundesliga side 1. FSV Mainz 05 on a free transfer from Hamburg. Choupo-Moting enjoyed a successful 2011–12 season with the club, scoring ten times in the Bundesliga. However, he missed most of the 2012–13 season with a knee injury and was therefore unable to make an impact. He returned to form in 2013–14, scoring ten goals in 32 appearances helping Mainz secure seventh position and qualification to the UEFA Europa League, however at the end of the campaign he decided not to renew his contract with the club.

Schalke 04

On 5 July 2014, after Choupo-Moting's contract expired at Mainz, FC Schalke 04 confirmed he had signed a three-year professional contract with them until 30 June 2017. The transfer was reported as a free transfer by Schalke's sport and communications manager Horst Heldt. Choupo-Moting was assigned the squad number 13.
On 6 December 2014, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 home win over VfB Stuttgart.

Stoke City

On 7 August 2017, Choupo-Moting joined Premier League side Stoke City on a three-year contract. He made his debut for Stoke on 12 August 2017 against Everton. Choupo-Moting scored both goals in a 2–2 draw against Manchester United on 9 September 2017 and was named man of the match by BBC Sport. Against Everton, he came on as a substitute, scored within five minutes of his arrival, but injured himself in the process and Stoke lost 2–1. Choupo-Moting played 32 times in 2017–18, scoring five goals as Stoke suffered relegation to the EFL Championship.

Paris Saint-Germain

On 31 August 2018, Choupo-Moting joined Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. He made his debut for the club on 18 September 2018 in the 3–2 Champions League away defeat against Liverpool before scoring on his Ligue 1 debut against Rennes five days later. On 7 April 2019, Choupo-Moting made a mistake in the Ligue 1 home match against Strasbourg; when a shot from teammate Christopher Nkunku was about to cross the goal line, Choupo-Moting attempted to touch the ball with his left foot across the goal line but instead unintentionally diverted the ball onto the near post and prevented a certain goal. The BBC described it as "one of the worst misses in the history of football".
On 25 August 2019, Choupo-Moting came off the bench to replace the injured Edinson Cavani in the 16th minute and scored twice in the second half in the Ligue 1 4–0 home win over Toulouse; his first goal was a superb solo goal scored after he beat four Toulouse defenders in the penalty area.

International career

Germany

Choupo-Moting has a German passport and represented his country of birth and his mother's country Germany at the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification for the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship and at the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Cameroon

On 11 May 2010, Choupo-Moting earned his first call-up for the Cameroon national team and represented Cameroon at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was also called up for Cameroon's World Cup squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. On 3 January 2017, he announced that he would not play in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

Cameroon eligibility investigation

The Tunisian Football Federation, which governs the Tunisia national team, had questioned FIFA on whether Choupo-Moting fulfilled nationality criteria to play for Cameroon. "With regards to the protest lodged by the Tunisian Football Federation in relation to the eligibility of Choupo-Moting representing Cameroon, FIFA had communicated to the Tunisia Football Federation that no breach of the FIFA regulations has been committed by the Cameroonian Football Federation," a FIFA spokesman told BBC Sport. Choupo-Moting played for both the Germany national youth football teams and the Germany national under-21 team, including being born in Germany and growing up in Germany with German parentage, but had his switch of national allegiance approved by FIFA before representing Cameroon. The Tunisian Football Federation's complaint came during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round despite Choupo-Moting playing at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Personal life

Choupo-Moting was born in Altona, Hamburg, and he attended Gymnasium Altona. He was born to a German mother and Cameroonian father.
Choupo-Moting has a German wife named Nevin. They have one son, Liam, who was born on 17 October 2013.

Style of play

Choupo-Moting is often stationed as a striker or on the left wing. He is a composed finisher and possesses purposeful and powerful dribbling ability, comfortable on either left or right flanks or through the middle of the pitch. Choupo-Moting is known for high work rate, long stride and powerful, direct dribbling ability.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
15 June 2010Partizan Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia23–43–4Friendly
24 September 2010Stade Anjalay, Belle Vue, Mauritius63–13–12012 African Cup of Nations qualification
33 September 2011Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon115–05–02012 African Cup of Nations qualification
47 October 2011Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo123–23–22012 African Cup of Nations qualification
529 February 2012Estádio Lino Correia, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau141–01–02013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
626 May 2012Stade Armand Micheletti, Amanvillers, France151–02–1Friendly
726 May 2012Stade Armand Micheletti, Amanvillers, France152–12–1Friendly
82 June 2012Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon161–01–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
910 June 2012Stade Taïeb Mhiri, Sfax, Tunisia171–11–22014 FIFA World Cup qualification
1026 May 2014Kufstein-Arena, Kufstein, Austria242–02–0Friendly
1129 May 2014Kufstein-Arena, Kufstein, Austria251–21–2Friendly
121 June 2014Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany262–22–2Friendly
1330 May 2016Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France422–22–3Friendly
1412 October 2018Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon471–01–02019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
1523 March 2019Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon501–03–0
2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Club

Paris Saint-Germain