After arriving at first of the season at Simba SC from USM Alger, Léonel Ateba didn’t take lengthy to win over the supporters of the Tanzanian membership.
The Cameroonian striker is having a blast on the continental scene, in addition to on the native stage, with statistics which are flattering to say the least.
His document within the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup is three targets and one help in eight outings, whereas within the league, he has eight targets and two assists in 13 video games performed, together with 11 as a starter.
He is without doubt one of the parts on which the Dar es Salaam crew intends to rely to go and get the African trophy that has thus far eluded them.
Moreover, the expertise gleaned final season within the competitors with the USMA by reaching the semi-finals ought to assist the crew within the quest for this continental glory.
As the knockout levels of African competitions are quick approaching, the participant hopes to proceed to shine, understanding that good statistics on the finish of the season may reopen the doorways of the Cameroonian nationwide crew, within the run-up to the subsequent TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026 in Morocco.
The prestigious African competitors wouldn’t be a brand new for the participant who was already current in Rigobert Song’s squad over the past version in Côte d’Ivoire, a variety that obtained following his outstanding performances within the Cameroonian league with the Dynamo Club of Douala.
In an interview with CAFOnline, Léonel Ateba seems again on his performances and talks about his targets each with Simba and on a private stage.
CAFOnline: What is life like in Dar es Salaam?Léonel Atéba: Life in Dar es Salaam goes fairly effectively, other than the local weather, which is a bit totally different, right here it’s a little hotter. I believe all the things goes fairly effectively, I’ve tailored to the town, I’m fairly joyful.
Having solely arrived at first of the season, you didn’t take lengthy to impose your self due to outstanding performances. What made it simpler so that you can combine into this crew?The integration occurred in a short time as a result of I needed to bounce again shortly after leaving Algeria. There can also be the coach (Fadlu Davids) who helped me rather a lot and my teammates, and that made issues straightforward for me. Today, I’m like a fish in water, that’s to say like somebody who has lived right here for a very long time.
Tell us about your first impressions once you arrived in Simba. How have been you acquired? The membership’s ambitions, the environment within the stadiums, did it shock you?My first impressions have been good, I used to be capable of see how a lot soccer here’s a beloved sport, the environment within the stadiums, the love of the followers for the membership already and for soccer. I wasn’t very stunned as a result of I come from such a legendary membership, USMA Algiers, which is a membership that could be very supported within the stadiums and outdoors, it was only a continuity for me.
Did the presence of your compatriot Che Malone, who arrived a season earlier, make issues simpler for you? Has he been/is he information for you? I believe his presence helped me as a result of he helped me combine simply. As quickly as I arrived, we talked, he tried to speak to me and it was actually simpler for me. And then, too, I’m knowledgeable participant, I’ve to have this skill to adapt in keeping with what is available in entrance of me.
On the pitch, he typically seems for you with lengthy balls, as he did lately through the match towards CS Sfaxien once you acquired the ball on the sting of the field to supply the objective go to Jean Charles Ahoua. Is this relationship the identical outdoors the Stadium?Yes, he is a really sociable individual, we get alongside effectively, whether or not it is on or off the pitch. In addition, in Cameroon, we performed collectively, so he is aware of the way in which I play, whether or not it is on the balls in depth, he is aware of how I transfer on the pitch, he is aware of when he can search for me and discover me on the pitch. So, this complicity is far simpler as a result of we all know one another earlier than right here and it is even simpler on and off the stadium. So, this complicity shouldn’t be new, we’re simply in continuity. When you realize your teammate, it is simpler.
With two targets and an help within the final three matches within the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, you’ve gotten had a blast on this competitors in latest weeks. How do you reside this expertise?You know, a contest just like the Confederation Cup, it is a very massive competitors the place you must give all the things. It’s a brand new expertise for me however I additionally assume it is nonetheless a continuity as a result of I’ve recognized the competitors elsewhere, it is my fourth time to take part on this match and I’m nonetheless joyful to have the ability to carry out with the very massive membership that’s Simba. Last 12 months, with USMA, we reached the semi-finals even supposing we didn’t play towards Renaissance de Berkane. For me, it is simply this consistency that I’m persevering with as a result of I additionally had excellent performances on the Algerian aspect on this competitors and in the present day, I’m joyful to have the ability to proceed to assist my crew.
Does the truth that you performed on this competitors final 12 months with USM Alger make your job simpler?Obviously, the truth that I performed on this competitors with USMA made my job simpler as a result of you realize, USMA is a membership the place there may be a number of stress, the matches are all the time very full of life, we reached the semi-finals. I believe it is a plus that I’m bringing again right here for my crew and so, on the pitch, I attempt to be as relaxed as doable and do what I’ve to do and so long as the crew wins, I’m very joyful.
What are your private targets this season with the membership and the way do you propose to attain them?When I arrived right here, the membership instructed me the aims for the season, I set myself private targets that are to do my finest to complete at the least within the prime three of the scorers this season and likewise to go for at the least one title as a result of we’re concerned in three competitions: the CAF Cup, the Tanzanian championship and the Tanzania Cup. It’s a query for me to take at the least one title amongst these and already end this season in excellent circumstances with excellent statistics that can permit me to proceed the journey subsequent 12 months or to search out higher. Otherwise, I really feel excellent right here, I really like what I do and I believe that can nonetheless require work and self-discipline. That’s what’s going to permit me to attain this objective.
You have been within the Indomitable Lions group on the final TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire. Even if you did not have the possibility to play matches, how did you expertise the competitors?The AFCON, I used to be capable of reside these feelings, it was a terrific expertise that marked my life as a result of it was a terrific likelihood for me to be there. I wish to be glad about that as a result of as you realize, the AFCON is the largest competitors in Africa and to take part in it’s so pricey to me for somebody who was popping out of the Cameroonian league. Maybe the truth that I did not play a match, it additionally taught me rather a lot since you do not solely be taught by being on the pitch, but additionally off it. I’ve had time to reside, to really feel all this and it is taught me rather a lot and I even assume that is what makes me in the present day, the participant I’m, I hope I can nonetheless take part at some point however I keep centered on my work and I let issues occur.
Since your return from this competitors, you haven’t been referred to as up. Is taking part within the subsequent TotalEnergies CAF AFCON a part of your ambitions?Yes, after all, taking part on this AFCON is a part of my ambitions however as I mentioned above, I additionally choose to concentrate on my work right here in Simba, enhancing my statistics, being wholesome, giving the perfect of myself on the pitch. I believe that from there, it will probably permit me to take part on this AFCON. It’s considered one of my targets that I set for myself however afterwards, I let issues occur and I proceed to do issues to the perfect of my skill.
What does a contest just like the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON imply to you?I believe {that a} competitors just like the AFCON is the perfect for any African footballer. I do know so many who’ve performed at a really excessive stage in Europe and in all places however who haven’t been capable of take part in an Africa Cup of Nations finals. Today, I really feel slightly blessed to have been capable of expertise this competitors and I believe that these are reminiscences that can mark me for all times and as I say, it has helped me evolve in the present day, I hope in any case, that at some point, I can play this competitors once more. That’s all I want for myself.
Cameroon will play in Pool F with Ivory Coast, Gabon and Mozambique. What do you assume your nation’s chances are high?I believe that Cameroon is a soccer nation, a really revered nation. I believe that when Cameroon participates in an African Cup already, it has each likelihood, everybody is aware of the historical past of Cameroon within the African Cup, it’s a nation that has confirmed itself, in the present day, we’re counted among the many finest in Africa and out of the blue, by going there, the nation has each likelihood of profitable this competitors. Again, we must go and present all the nice that folks consider this nation, I believe that Cameroon is effectively on its approach to profitable this AFCON, that is in any case, what I want for my nation.
Simba and Yanga are shaking up Tanzanian soccer, inform us concerning the rivalry between the 2 golf equipment and inform us about your first derby.I believe that in the present day, it is now not hidden, Simba and Yanga, they’re two nice African golf equipment in the present day who’re within the prime 10. This rivalry right here in Tanzania, I believe it is what places this championship on the prime as a result of it is a terrific rivalry, once you see the love, once you see the tenacity that the followers put into it, it makes you dream. My first derby, I believe it was one other nice expertise, it is true that I needed to play a terrific derby in Algeria between Mouloudia and USM Alger, a derby that was very important for my profession, I noticed how a lot soccer was cherished in Algeria and once I arrived right here, I wasn’t too stunned however I additionally understood that in Tanzania, Football is a really beloved sport, the followers love soccer rather a lot and this was confirmed by their presence on the pitch that day. Despite the truth that we misplaced, it was a terrific match, a terrific match and I simply loved it. Once once more, I benefited from it, I believe it is top-of-the-line derbies in Africa.