Jonathan Bamba

Bamba's current-season form is down 47% on last season (Season 32→17), while his Rating eased 28→24. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 48).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Chicago Fire · 8th	19	2	2	6.85	24	20
2025/26	Chicago Fire · 8th	36	6	5	7.01	28	32
2024/25	Celta Vigo · 7th	16	0	1	6.78	50	5
2023/24	Celta Vigo · 13th	30	3	2	6.97	63	21
2022/23	Lille · 5th	34	6	7	6.79	77	43

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 8 earlier seasons and 4 youth-team spells in the full career.

Côte d'Ivoire · international

Side	Apps	G
Ivory Coast	9	1

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthWinger

J. Bamba is a 30-year-old winger at Chicago Fire, rated 23.6 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 372nd of 491 on scout potential in the Major League Soccer. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (51.7% of available minutes). He brings 0.29 goal contributions per 90 (0.14 goals, 0.14 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Bamba.

Judged on this season alone, Bamba graded 17 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 32nd of 53 of the 53 wingers in the Major League Soccer, on 2 goals and 2 assists in 19 appearances (0.287 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 32 → 17). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 24, 46th of 53 of the 53 wingers in the Major League Soccer. At 30 Bamba is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 2.7 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2020/21 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2020/21Trending upBreakout: 2025/26

Current potential46th of 53 wingers · Major League Soccer Current season32nd of 53 wingers · Major League Soccer 32nd-best winger in the Major League Soccer 372nd in the Major League Soccer · potential 46th-highest potential winger in the Major League Soccer

23.6

Ratingi

46th of 53 wingers

17.1

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

51.7%

Minutes

rotation minutes

0.29

Goal contrib / 90

modest end product

Output in context · Chicago Fire finished 8th of 15 · a mid-table side

Apps

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.11

Goals / app

2 goals in 19 appearances (0.11 per game) — light end product the role wants to see climb. Add 2 assists for 4 goal contributions in all.

Watch points

Game time. Only 51.7% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Output. 0.29 contributions per 90 is light for an attacking role — end product needs to climb.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 23.6, Bamba carries the 46th-highest potential of the wingers in the Major League Soccer of 53. In the final third he profiles as a work-in-progress on end product (0.29 goal contributions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1× now → 0.7× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %51.7%

Available fixtures27 of 27

Goals / 900.143

Assists / 900.143

Goal contribution / 900.287

Defensive actions / 902.58

Player flow

Goal involvements4

Shot conversion %15.4

Shot accuracy %41.9

Pass accuracy %83

Dribble success %34.1

Cards / 900.143

Foul involvement / 902.221

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~5), then tapers with age. At 30, Bamba sits on 2.7, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Bamba's projected Rating — 23.6 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among wingers in the Major League Soccer with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals2

Shots on target13

Shots31

Passing

Assists2

Chances created21

Passes524

Pass accuracy83%

Possession

Successful dribbles15

Dribble success34.1%

Duels won68

Duels won %43.9%

Fouls won20

Defending

Tackles22

Interceptions7

Blocks7

Fouls committed11

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

Chicago FireJan 2025 – now

Celta VigoJul 2023 – Jan 2025Free

LilleJul 2018 – Jul 2023Free

Saint Etienne(back from loan)Jul 2017 – Jul 2018

Angers(on loan)Jan 2017 – Jul 2017

Saint Etienne(back from loan)Jan 2017 – Jan 2017

St. Truiden(on loan)Aug 2016 – Jan 2017

Saint EtienneJun 2016 – Aug 2016

Paris FCuntil Jun 2016

About J. Bamba

Jonathan Fousseni Bamba is a 30-year-old winger who plays for Chicago Fire, born on March 26, 1996 in Alfortville, standing 175 cm tall. He is from Côte d'Ivoire. Chicago Fire currently sit 8th of 15 in the Major League Soccer.

This season

In the current season, J. Bamba has made 19 appearances with 2 goals and 2 assists across 1,256 minutes, averaging a 6.71 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 2 yellow cards. Though primarily a winger, he has also lined up in midfield this season.

When J. Bamba plays, Chicago Fire's record this season is 12W-2D-8L — and his match ratings average 6.95 at home against 6.74 on the road.

Recent matches

October 7, 2026: 3-1 win at home vs Vancouver Whitecaps (76 minutes, 1 goal, 7.55 rating)
September 26, 2026: 1-0 win away at Charlotte (80 minutes, 6.22 rating)
September 20, 2026: 0-3 loss away at Nashville SC (28 minutes, 6.7 rating)
September 13, 2026: 1-2 loss at home vs New England Revolution (35 minutes, 6.56 rating)
August 29, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Seattle Sounders (17 minutes, 6.9 rating)
August 26, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Monterrey (12 minutes, 6.5 rating)
August 19, 2026: 2-1 win away at Orlando City SC (61 minutes, 6.9 rating)
August 16, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Portland Timbers (35 minutes, 6.9 rating)
August 10, 2026: 3-1 win at home vs Santos Laguna (45 minutes, 6.3 rating)
August 7, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Necaxa (32 minutes, 6.6 rating)

J. Bamba's next match is on October 10, 2026, when Chicago Fire face New York City FC at home in the Major League Soccer.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Bamba at 23.6 with a Season form score of 17.1, ranking 372nd of 491 wingers in the Major League Soccer. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 6 career titles — among them the CAF Africa Cup of Nations and the Trophée des Champions. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 14 recorded seasons, J. Bamba has totalled 398 club appearances with 64 goals and 46 assists for 9 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2018/19, with 38 appearances for Lille.

J. Bamba's career has also included time at Celta Vigo, Lille, Saint Etienne, Angers, St. Truiden and Paris FC.

On the international stage, J. Bamba has represented Ivory Coast — 9 caps and 1 goal in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Chicago Fire finished 8th of 15 · a mid-table side

Watch points