Mustapha Bundu

Mustapha Bundu Shong Hames (born 28 February 1997) is a Sierra Leonean professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Plymouth Argyle and the Sierra Leone national team.

Born in Freetown, Bundu started playing youth football for the Craig Bellamy Academy before moving to the United Kingdom to play for Hartpury College. He then went on to appear for lower league sides Newquay and Hereford. In 2016, Bundu signed for Danish Superliga club AGF after a successful trial. After growing out to become an important player for the first team, he transferred to Anderlecht in 2020. He signed with Plymouth Argyle in 2023.

After multiple call-ups for the Sierra Leone national team without making an appearance, Bundu made his international debut as a substitute on 4 September 2019, in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Liberia.

Early career
As a native of Freetown, Sierra Leone, Bundu spent his youth football playing in the now defunct Craig Bellamy Academy, before obtaining a student visa to study at Hartpury College to further pursue his football career.

He graduated from Hartpury College in 2016, scoring 18 goals in six outings in the English Schools' FA Cup.

Hereford
Whilst visiting a friend, he made a single appearance for Newquay on 23 August 2015, in a 2–2 draw against Ivybridge Town in the South West Peninsula League, netting two goals in less than 30 minutes as a substitute. Newquay manager Sash Wheatman acclaimed him as "the best player he's had the privilege of watching at this level of football", adding "it was like bringing on Ronaldo on or Gareth Bale – he was streets ahead".

Bundu spent a season at newly-formed Midland League Premier Division club Hereford, winning three trophies and reaching the 2016 FA Vase final at Wembley Stadium, where he featured as a substitute. Work authorisation restrictions only allowed him to ply his trade at a club no higher than step five of the English non-league pyramid, the ninth tier overall in the English football league system, which forced him to leave Hereford as they had been promoted to step four (tier eight). He returned briefly to spectate one of their games, a 6–0 defeat of Bridgwater Town in the Southern League Division One South & West.

AGF
Bundu went on a trial with Danish Superliga club AGF in early August 2016. After a successful trial, he signed a contract with the club on 31 August 2016.

In an away defeat to Brøndby IF, he made his Superliga debut as a substitute on 23 October 2016. He came on the pitch in the 78th minute, replacing Martin Spelmann. In December 2016, Bundu extended his contract until 2021.

Bundu had his breakout season in 2019–20, scoring eight goals in the first 20 league matches of the season, and being named Superliga Player of the Month for September 2019. He finished the season with 10 goals in 30 total appearances, as he helped AGF finish in third place in the Superliga-table; the club's first top-three finish in 23 years. Bundu's season would, however, be hampered in the last month by contracting COVID-19 which kept him out for the last few games of the season.

Anderlecht
On 7 August 2020, Bundu joined Belgian club Anderlecht on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, believed to be between DKK 25–30 million, making him the most expensive sale in the history of AGF.

Playing only nine games for Anderlecht, Bundu decided to go out on loan and returned to Denmark, signing a loan deal with Copenhagen for the rest of the season with an option to buy. On 1 September 2021, Bundu returned to AGF on loan for the rest of the season.

On 1 September 2022, Bundu joined Segunda División club FC Andorra on a one-year loan deal, making his debut in a 1–1 draw against Mirandés. While at Andorra, he became their first foreign player to receive an international call-up, while also winning the 2022–23 Copa Catalunya.

Plymouth Argyle
On 1 September 2023, deadline day of England's summer transfer window, Bundu returned to England, signing a two-year deal with EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle. His visa application meant he could not enter the UK until 13 September, the day after which he trained for the first time at his new club. He made his debut for the club on 23 September as an 87th-minute substitute in a 6–2 EFL Championship victory over Norwich City, and assisted a 97th-minute goal. He scored his first goal in his first league start for the club on 25 October, a first-half free-kick in a 3–0 win against Sheffield Wednesday.

International career
Bundu received his first international call-up for Sierra Leone in August 2018, being included in a 35-man provisional squad for a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia. However, he did not make the final 23-man squad. He made his debut in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier match against Liberia on 4 September 2019, which ended in a 3–1 defeat. He scored his first goal for his country on 13 November 2020, in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria.

International

 * Sierra Leone score listed first, score column indicates score after each Bundu goal

Honours
Individual
 * Superliga Player of the Month: September 2019