Michel-Ange Balikwisha, brought into the world on 10 May 2001, is a Belgian forward who currently plies his trade for Royal Antwerp primarily as a left winger. Standing at a modest 5ft 9in (1.77m tall), and weighing in at 11st (70kg), Balikwisha is a name known amongst those in the Belgian Pro League. He carries the weight of expectation on the back of his jersey, sporting the iconic number 10.
Besides his club football narrative, Balikwisha has represented the Belgium U21 national team, further affirming his potential and standing in Belgian football. As recent as the current market data suggests, Balikwisha is valued at approximately £4.7m (Transfermarkt). His contract with Royal Antwerp is set to run until 30 June 2026, which accounts for another year and three months at the time of writing.
Tracing Balikwisha’s journey back to his formative years, in July 2014 he joined Standard Liege in the Pro League, as a trainee. Following six years of development, his seminal moment came in the 2020 - 2021 season when he marked his first team debut with 26 appearances and seven goals. His impressive form resulted in a switch to Royal Antwerp in 2021 for around £5.4m.
Since joining Royal Antwerp in belgium, Balikwisha has continued to impress. His first Season (2021 - 2022) saw 26 appearances, tallying four goals, while the following year (2022 - 2023) brought about a slightly better return with six goals from 27 appearances. This upward trend continued into the 2023 - 2024 season, despite a reduction in appearances to 23 games, Balikwisha found the back of the net five times. As it stands in the current 2024 - 2025 season, he has made five appearances.
Balikwisha’s exploits have not been confined to the Pro League. His experience in the Champions League for Royal Antwerp during the 2023 - 2024 season was worthy of note, garnering one goal from five starts. More recently, he's turned a few heads in the Pro League Play-Offs 2024 - 2025, scoring once in his two starts.
