Breel Embolo: From Cameroonian Roots to Swiss Football Star

For many football fans, Breel Embolo is seen as a rebellious yet intelligent Swiss striker with a charitable heart. He’s made his mark at the FIFA World Cup (Qatar 2022) and has brought pride to European football. Growing up with his brother in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, young Breel was known for his charming outlook, which he attributes to the care of his beloved mother, Germaine. She faced the challenge of a broken marriage and was forced to raise Breel on her own.

In the early 2000s, the marriage between Germaine and Moise Kegni (Breel’s dad) fell apart, prompting her to leave Cameroon in search of a better life for her children. She moved to France, where she met and fell in love with a Swiss citizen. This man would later become Breel Embolo’s stepfather and played a pivotal role in relocating the family from France to Switzerland. He provided Breel with Swiss citizenship and the opportunity to play for the country.

This article delves deep into Breel Embolo’s history, exploring his football journey from childhood to his rise as a notable player on the international stage.

Our Breel Embolo Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents (Germaine, Moise Kegni), Family, Wife (Naomi) and Daughter (Naliya). More so, Breel’s Lifestyle, Personal Life, Net Worth, etc.

Breel Embolo’s Bio begins with the events of his boyhood days at Yaoundé, Cameroon (West-Central Africa). We then proceed to when he became famous in the greatest game of humanity.

To whet your autobiography taste on the engaging nature of his Biography, we’ve deemed it fit to present you his Early Life and Rise Gallery. Behold the amazing summary of his Breel Embolo’s Life Journey.

Yes, everyone knows it takes both talent and will to make it to the top. No wonder the rise of the Swiss footballer in European soccer is meteoric.

Despite the accolades to his name, only a few soccer fans have read a concise piece of Breel Embolo’s Biography. We have prepared it for you – because we care about your search intent, and we love the game. Now, without further ado, let me tell you his story.

Breel Embolo Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, the Swiss bear the nickname – Donald. Breel Embolo was born on Saint Valentine’s day, the 14th day of February 1997, to his mother, Germaine Embolo, and father, Moise Kegni – in the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The Swiss footballer joins the likes of notable stars whose parents gave birth to them on Saint Valentine’s day.

These persons include names like; Edinson Cavani, Kevin Keegan, Angel Di Maria, Philippe Senderos, and the great Dane – Christian Eriksen.

Early Life and Growing-Up Years:

Embolo spent his early years alongside his brother in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde. Pictured below, he was this sort of kid; very friendly, easy to like – and with a charming babyhood personality.

Breel was the type whose parents always ensured he appeared good-looking. His most happy days are when he wears his little Timberland – pictured above. Probably, a neighbour’s birthday party is about to go down.

Breel Embolo Family Background:

Sadly but true, the Swiss professional footballer comes from a broken home. Breel Embolo’s parents, Germaine and Moise Kegni did not live together for most years as husband and wife.

Pictured below, they were once lovebirds who loved each other got married, and had a family together in the late 1990s.

Unfortunately, the world of Germaine and Moise fell apart in the early 2000s. This sad development led to the end of their marriage.

Breel Embolo’s parents separated when he was still a toddler  – less than the age of five. With that decision, Germaine and Moise went their separate way and never lived together as husband and wife.

Before their marital issues, Breel’s Dad and Mum operated a middle-class household in Cameroon, West/Central Africa.

After the end of their marriage, Germaine took custody of her children while her ex-husband provided support from a distance.

Breel Embolo Family Origin:

Judging by his birth, his nationality is Cameroon. However, Breel can boast of France (partly) and Switzerland (fully) as part of his identity. First, let’s give you a brief about Cameroon, the country of Breel Embolo’s ancestors.

Yaoundé, where the bulk of his relatives live, is Cameroon’s second-largest city (behind Douala), with over 2.8 million people. This is the country’s administrative city and home to civil and diplomatic services. It is also the ancestral home to Swede star Anthony Elanga.

Germaine’s (Embolo’s Mum) decision to leave Cameroon for France:

Following his parents’ separation, a new idea came to the mind of his mother. Germaine conceived a plan to take her kids abroad. That became her biggest priority – as she lost hope of raising both Breel and his brother in Cameroon.

At the age of five, Breel Embolo’s Mum moved what is left of her family to start a new life in France. One major reason for the relocation was to complete her education as well as to find a life partner.

Breel Embolo Biography – Football Story:

Truly, the idea of playing in the Swiss national team would never have become possible if his Mum hadn’t met a new lover in France. Luckily, this man – that is – Germaine’s new husband, is a Swiss citizen.

He became Breel Embolo’s Stepdad and the reason why his Mum, himself, and brother left France to stay in Basel, Switzerland.

Breel Embolo’s family moved to their new home – just a year after his mum Germaine began dating her new lover.

Education:

Breel Embolo and his brother had their first taste of schooling in France. Back then during classes, he was a kid who was incredibly level-headed and very down-to-earth.

Unlike his brother, Breel wanted to become a professional footballer. He once shared the tough experience of his schooling in the words;

As a child, I made it clear to my mum that I wanted to concentrate fully on football.

Speaking about his ambition, Breel Embolo’s Mum advised he should always have a second way or an alternative in mind.

For Germaine, that backup option was no other than advising him to concentrate in school in case his football career doesn’t work out;

Actually, I was a good student but it was hard to have good grades in school. I couldn’t reconcile both.

These were Breel Embolo’s words. Despite being an average student, Super-Mum Germaine insisted he should maintain his average grades and try to go under par.

Breel Embolo Biography – Early Career Life:

Back in the day, performing well on a football field wasn’t a big issue because the boy was just so good.

However, the only challenge remains the fact that Embolo preferred to kick the ball on the street only with his friends and not do it in a recognized soccer academy.

Put simply, the youngster started academy football late. He never fancied joining a professional team until the year 2006.

That year (2006), Breel got invited for a soccer trial with Nordstern, a football team whose senior boys play in Switzerland’s 8th division.

Surprisingly, in his first training section, Embolo voluntarily agreed to become a goalkeeper – just for the fun of it. The decision to become a goalkeeper came because he was very reserved by nature. In his words,

I thought that as a goalie, one can keep to himself. So I was in goal for the first few matches.

As time went on, my coach changed my position.

the coach set me up in the front and banned me from goalkeeping. I’ve been playing at the front since then.

Bonding with the Boys:

As observed above, Breel Embolo was the only kid of African extraction who passed the Nordstern trials.

Again, Donald (his middle and nickname) was one of the smallest in a team made up of many boys who were older than him.

There is a saying that some friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. While at FC Nordstern Basel, young Breel experienced the greatest gift of life.

With his best friend, he never felt lonely. Also, our boy had a great sense of belonging and purpose.

Looking up to Football Greats:

While Embolo envisaged becoming a superstar, he motivated himself with posters of his heroes in his room. They comprise two footballers, FC Barcelona Legends – Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o, who have a similar family origins with him.

On the flip side, there was a 50 Cent poster in his room. This is because Embolo loved rap music – away from football. The American rapper was his favourite.

Despite honouring these two legends, Breel had this powerful belief that he had seen no footballer who possessed his own style of play.

In our Bio of Erling Haaland, you’ll realize the Norwegian had a similar mindset to Breel during his childhood days.

In fact, Breel Embolo never had a particular role model in his own position. The Cameroonian Swiss was everything about self-belief.

Breel Embolo Biography – Road to Fame Story:

After four years of hard work, the rising star left Nordstern to Old Boys. This is another Swiss sports club based in Basel.

While there, Breel became this sort of super kid who could do all things with the ball. Behold the goal that brought him fame.

Missing Old Friends and the Mentality Change:

As he became a teenager, Breel began to have that feeling that he would go far in his footballing aspiration. During that time (2010), one of the biggest clubs in Switzerland, FC Basel, gained his signature.

Surprisingly, Embolo never liked the idea of starting life with Basel. This was because he still missed his old friends at his former club. These friends were a set of boys – back in the days – who made him play football for fun.

Speaking about the experience, Embolo once said,

I didn’t like Basel because of me.

Truly, I wanted to play football to be with my friends at my old club. So I went back there.

Understanding his desires and also the need to treat him well, Massimo Ceccaroni, the head of FC Basel, allowed Embolo to go play football with his old friends. Even at that, he still remained their player.

At the age of 13, Embolo made the decision to let go of street football with his friends. With that, he permanently joined his new family – FC Basel.

The Effect of Family Relocation:

Two years later (age 15), Breel Embolo’s family witnessed a relocation. His mother, step Dad, and brother moved away from Basel City to Porrentruy, (a town in Switzerland) where she started a new job.

Germaine’s absence posed a challenge to her son, who once said;

When my family moved, I took the train for an hour and a half, back and forth, from Basel to Porrentruy.

Because of frustration with distance, it became up to me whether or not I would go with the club or not.

FC Basel then offered me a place in their dormitory, which I accepted with thanks.

Growing in Maturity:

By staying alone without family, Breel became more mature. However, in the beginning, he felt homesick.

Over time, it was like being in a big family. Breel wasn’t alone as many of his previous teammates (those old friends) joined the club’s accommodation. In his words,

The club took very good care of us, cooked for us, and in return, we excelled at tournaments.

You can compare this to the mood in a school camp.

The Second Option:

Just before he graduated from FC Basel’s academy, Breel Embolo’s parents advised him to take an office apprenticeship training. The experience gained and knowledge learned from it became his backup plan just in case a professional football career didn’t work out.

Thankfully, Embolo did a football-related apprenticeship at the Northwestern Switzerland Football Association. It was good for Breel because he learned things closely connected to what he loved to do on the football field.

Becoming a Pro:

Despite multitasking, he remained excellent on the pitch. In fact, just three weeks after his 16th birthday, FC Basel forced through his academy graduation – projecting him for senior football. Embolo became a professional, even as an apprenticeship student.

During that time, Breel had one year remaining to graduate from learning his second job, which he described as fun. In his words,

I JUST had one more year to complete, and I had fun with it.

Surprisingly, I graduated with a 4.7. That’s not bad, is it?

Although my teacher said I could have been better.

Breel Embolo Bio – Success, Injury and Bigger Success:

While most footballers begin their life at 18, the case was different for him. At age 16, Breel Embolo was already the most promising footballer in the entire world.

Aside from individual accolades, he helped FC Basel win the Swiss Championship title. It is important to note that during that time, the club was barren of titles.

The coming of Breel Embolo to the senior team made them win the Swiss Super League not just once but for three consecutive seasons.

Making his Swiss senior international debut on 31 March 2015, Embolo became one of Europe’s youngest and hottest prospects. Just that year, he won the prize for the Swiss Footballer of the Year award.

Thanks to his newly gained fame, the then-18-year-old represented by the brother of Stoke’s Xherdan Shaqiri, got extensively scouted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Among those are Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

Initially, Breel Embolo was more interested in joining FC Barcelona – his dream club. This is because of his idol of similar family origin, who is no other than the great Samuel Eto’o.

The German Move:

However, on the 26th of June 2016, Bundesliga side Schalke 04 confirmed the signing of Embolo by FC Basel. At the club, things didn’t move quickly as poor Breel suffered a fractured fibula followed by an ankle injury, bone edema, and another foot fracture.

Rising to Fame:

After being sidelined for 604 days, Embolo came back stronger, better, and ready for Euro 2016. Breel became the youngest player in the Switzerland squad at the tournament. He even earned praise from Paul Pogba in the draw with France.

Up next came the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, where Breel displayed lots of speed, physicality, and all-around technique – similar to Ngolo Kante. In fact, his goals helped his country to qualify for the big tournament in Russia.

After the global competition, his overall performance earned him a move to the Bundesliga underdogs – Borussia Mönchengladbach. This is a German team that has groomed great players like Matthias Ginter and Marcus Thuram. While at Mönchengladbach, young Breel displayed to the world that he is, indeed, a complete footballer. Here is the evidence.

The Breel Embolo Song:

Swiss fans love Noah Okafor and Manuel Akanji, who are stars of African extraction. We notice they love Breel Embolo more. Since his rise in the national team, the entire nation of Switzerland has placed their hope on him.

As a way of showing love for their favourite footballer, Swiss fans made the Breel Embolo song.

This song is a chant dedicated to the striker. It says… ‘Oh Embolo! Oh Embolo!‘ In fact, they sang it to remix the tune of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight‘.

The Embolo song is the most popular chant among Swiss fans during Switzerland’s games. Watch it here;

As at the time of writing Breel Embolo’s Bio, it comes as no surprise that he still remains one of the most important footballers for his country.

With the coming of his Mönchengladbach teammate, Denis Zakaria, and the formidable partnership with fellow forward Haris Seferovic, Swiss football has grown by leaps and bounds.

Following a successful Euro 2020 campaign, the Borussia Mönchengladbach star has proved to the world that the success attained so far in his career IS NOT FINAL. He, alongside Yann Sommer were among the biggest stars for his country in Euro 2020.

Without a doubt, more of Embolo will be unleashed in the future, especially in the 2024 UEFA Euro Championship. The rest, as we say, of Embolo’s biography is history.

Breel Embolo Naomi Love Story:

Behind every successful footballer, there is always a glamorous woman – helping them emotionally. For Breel, there is Naomi, who happens to be the love of his life, mother and his child, and his dear wife.

For Breel, age is just a number, and maturity is indeed a choice. In case you are not aware, Breel is three years younger than Naomi. The Swiss footballer loves it that way.

Embolo and Naomi welcomed their daughter, Naliya, on June 28, 2018, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup. Interestingly, this was around the same time that English footballer Fabian Delph’s wife also gave birth.

For Breel, the birthday of his first child, Naliya Embolo, was indeed the happiest day of his life. In short, it was the best opportunity for him to witness the meaning of the word – MIRACLE. Breel and Naomi had prepared a bracelet for Naliya even before she was born.

After meeting his daughter (Naliya) for the first time, Breel told the world;

Life has already enriched me with many gifts. By far the most beautiful thing, however, was to witness the birth of my little angel. Our daughter, Naliya, was born healthy.

YES, It goes without a shred of doubt, that daughters have a better relationship with their fathers more than their mothers. Below is proof of this statement.

Breel uses many sweet words to describe Naliya. They include;

sHE IS most special girl in this world, my firstborn, my bestie for life, my silly, crazy girl, the dancing queen, the most careful sister, all I ever dreamed of.

Dear Embolo fans, have you noticed something? The fact that Naliya has a similar cute smile – just like her father!!!

Breel Embolo Personal Life:

When it comes to his character, Breel is uniquely one in a million. One thing is confirmed but not yet told. As a child, Embolo was known to be strange.

Embolo’s weirdness can be traced back as far as his boyhood days at FC Nordstern, where the youngster came close to being kicked out of the academy. Here is the story;

Once upon a time, during a training session, Breel Embolo dropped his shorts and showed his buttocks to fans. Karl Müller, his academy coach at the time, said this about his reaction to the incident;

I was no longer interested in having him in my team. He got suspended for three weeks and I almost kicked him out completely.

Breel Embolo Personal Life – EXPLAINED.

Again, off the pitch, Embolo made the news in January 2021. This happened at the time the German authorities enforced Covid-19 restrictions. Breel Embolo was caught in an illegal party at night – just after a match.

When questioned, he denied that he was not among the 23 people caught partying without a facemask. Embolo claimed he was watching basketball with two of his friends in a nearby Pub.

After a final investigation, they revealed that the Swiss footballer did flee across the roof of the building to a nearby house. In fact, he hid in a bathtub to avoid being caught.

At last, they fined Breel €8,400, which he did not appeal against – possibly because of his guilty conscience. Read the British tabloid, theSun for more about his story.

Breel Embolo Lifestyle:

In this section, we’ll tell you how he spends his time and money. First things first: Breel is someone who enjoys being at home. He has a unique taste for how his sitting room should be – of course, with plenty of sofas.

Breel is not just a fan of indoors or staying at home. On several occasions, we have spotted him with his wife Naomi, enjoying life at the seaside.

Breel Embolo Car:

Among all range of choices, the Swiss stick with the G-Class SUV. This is probably because of its galvanized steel body and luxurious nature. This car, whose price starts at $157,500 is just enough for Breel and his family.

Breel Embolo Bike:

Asides from owning a Mercedes G-Class SUV, the Forward is also a fan of performance-oriented motorcycles. Find here, a photo of Breel and Naliya having a feel of his Kymco MXU 450i quad bike.

Breel Embolo Family Life:

The strength of a man is not just a factor of his character. Indeed, a strong man is a great man who understands that his top priority is to his family. In this section, we’ll tell you more about his household, starting with his parents.

About Breel Embolo Father:

Despite the split between his parents, the Swiss forward appears very close to his Dad – whom he didn’t spend much of his youth with.

From what we can tell, Moise Kegni is a traditionalist, a man who takes the Ghanaian culture to the Switzerland fan base. Here is proof of that.

Once upon a time, Embolo told his fans that having his first game in front of his beloved Dad was one of the most special moments. It appears Moise Kegni remarried after his marriage with Germaine ended. Could this be his wife?

About Breel Embolo Mother:

Germaine is more than a Mum, but a noble person and best friend to her son. Thanks to the iron lady’s motivation, Breel got the willpower to succeed in life.

Breel Embolo’s Mum, Germaine is based in Switzerland, and she helps run his son’s NGO – the Embolo charity foundation. We appreciate her for approving her son to bond with her ex-husband (Moise Kegni) despite their divorce.

The Embolo Foundation, which Germaine manages, Provides support for refugee children in Switzerland. Through Breel Embolo relatives, the foundation also extends its function to support the disadvantaged children in Cameroon and Peru.

About Breel Embolo Grandparents:

Grandfathers are just antique little boys, and a perfect example of one is this man. I pictured him enjoying the best moment of his life, all thanks to his grandson’s success.

Breel Embolo’s Granddad is super friendly. He is the type who would get his grandchildren spoilt simply by offering them lots of candy and letting them get away with so much trouble than their parents would.

Breel Embolo Relatives:

Not all footballers of African heritage identify with extended family members. Breel Embolo is one man who never forgets his Cameroonian roots. He bonds with his relatives – among those are his uncles and aunties.

Breel Embolo Facts:

Having followed us to journey through his Bio, we’ll use this concluding section to unveil more truths about the Cameroonian-born forward. Without further ado, let’s begin.

Why he wears 36 for Borussia Mönchengladbach:

Embolo wore this shirt number with he arrived at the club – for a reason, one which connects his history. As a child, the route of the bus he travelled with for training inspired the number 36 shirt number. This was during his days with FC Nordstern academy.

The Cristiano Ronaldo Cause:

While most footballers like Serio Ramos and Zlatan Ibrahimovic experiment with tattoos and piercings, Embolo doesn’t. He adheres to the CR7 tattooless lifestyle. Who knows? Embolo could be a blood donor.

The Special Ritual:

Since the age of 15, Breel Embolo has formed the habit of drinking at most, two bottles of water the night before he goes into a match. In an interview with Basler Zeitung, a Swiss-German newspaper, he Forward said;

If I don’t do that then I would sleep really poorly.

The whole thing began when one of my head coaches told me to drink enough water before my match. Ever since then, it’s just what I do.

Where he comes from, the average Swiss citizen earns approximately CHF 60,800 annually. By implication, it would take them 62 years to make Breel Embolo’s annual salary with Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Football Profile:

Embolo strikes the ball very much like Cyle Larin and Mario Balotelli – the latter, who is one of his inspirations. Thanks to his speed and physical prowess, he is able to lurk between defenders. Breel is someone who is worth your investment in the FIFA career mode. He, like Ruben Vargas, enjoys great Sprint Speed.

Breel Embolo Religion:

The Forward bears a name that is popular in the Christianity religion. Also, he was born in a country which has 70% of their population as Christians. Very likely, Breel Embolo is a Christian, the type who does not display his faith publicly.

Conclusion:

Being football smart and wise is always a beautiful thing. Put simply, Breel Embolo was genetically born with a football brain. The Swiss superstar won many accolades as a child and his consistency became the hallmark of his continuous success.

The end of the marriage between Breel Embolo’s parents (Germaine and Moise Kegni) could have dented a physiological blow on him while growing up. Thankfully, that was averted as his Mum took decisive steps to repair her life.

For Germaine, the idea of meeting and getting married to a second husband – a Swiss citizen (who lived in France) paved the way for Breel Embolo’s football destiny to manifest. As I conclude his Bio, we consider him as the mainstay of the Swiss national team.

Thank you for staying with us so far – in digesting this impressive memoir about the versatile footballer. Truly, we dedicate our mental resources to bringing you stories about Switzerland footballers.

Kindly contact us if you find something that doesn’t look right in this Biography on Breel Embolo. Otherwise, do it well to tell us your views via the comment section about the Footballer.