Jonathan Bamba

Bamba's current-season form is down 41% on last season (Season 32→19), 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	17	2	2	6.9	25	27
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 23.8 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 363rd of 481 on scout potential in the Major League Soccer. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (53.1% of available minutes). He brings 0.31 goal contributions per 90 (0.16 goals, 0.16 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Bamba.

Judged on this season alone, Bamba graded 19 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 33rd of 50 of the 50 wingers in the Major League Soccer, on 2 goals and 2 assists in 17 appearances (0.314 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 32 → 19). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 24, 43rd of 50 of the 50 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 2.9 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 potential43rd of 50 wingers · Major League Soccer Current season33rd of 50 wingers · Major League Soccer 33rd-best winger in the Major League Soccer 363rd in the Major League Soccer · potential 43rd-highest potential winger in the Major League Soccer

23.8

Ratingi

43rd of 50 wingers

18.8

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

53.1%

Minutes

rotation minutes

0.31

Goal contrib / 90

modest end product

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

Apps

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.12

Goals / app

2 goals in 17 appearances (0.12 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 53.1% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 23.8, Bamba carries the 43rd-highest potential of the wingers in the Major League Soccer of 50. In the final third he profiles as a work-in-progress on end product (0.31 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 %53.1%

Available fixtures24 of 24

Goals / 900.157

Assists / 900.157

Goal contribution / 900.314

Defensive actions / 902.43

Player flow

Goal involvements4

Shot conversion %18.2

Shot accuracy %45.8

Pass accuracy %82

Dribble success %35.7

Cards / 900.157

Foul involvement / 902.195

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 (~6), then tapers with age. At 30, Bamba sits on 2.9, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Bamba's projected Rating — 23.8 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 target11

Shots24

Passing

Assists2

Chances created21

Passes475

Pass accuracy82%

Possession

Successful dribbles15

Dribble success35.7%

Duels won64

Duels won %44.1%

Fouls won18

Defending

Tackles21

Interceptions7

Blocks3

Fouls committed10

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 17 appearances with 2 goals and 2 assists across 1,148 minutes, averaging a 6.6 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 9W-2D-7L — and his match ratings average 6.93 at home against 6.81 on the road.

Recent matches

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 2, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Charlotte (74 minutes, 6.9 rating)
July 25, 2026: 1-3 loss away at New York City FC (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)
July 22, 2026: 2-3 loss away at Inter Miami (90 minutes, 6.5 rating)
May 13, 2026: 3-1 win away at DC United (62 minutes, 6.2 rating)

J. Bamba's next match is on September 20, 2026, when Chicago Fire face Nashville SC away in the Major League Soccer.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Bamba at 23.8 with a Season form score of 18.8, ranking 363rd of 481 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 396 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