Denis Bouanga is having the time of his life. In ten games across MLS and the CONCACAF Champions League, the 28-year-old has scored 11 goals and provided four assists. Even when he was on international duty with Gabon, the country of his father’s birth, he engineered a way to get back to Los Angeles for the weekend to score the winning goal against FC Dallas.
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With Bouanga in a goalscoring groove, The Athletic sat down with him at LAFC’s performance center to find out what makes him tick. From dedicating celebrations to his mother, learning to be unselfish and stealing Gareth Bale’s free-kick technique, we break down how his game has evolved as a professional.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity, and a translator was used.
As a child, who were your biggest inspirations?
In football, it was R9 (Ronaldo Nazário). The way he accelerated, the way he dribbled. That’s what he’s famous for — also the quality of his finishing.
With my family, it was my father, who was a soccer player, and my brother Didier. My dad pushed us to succeed because football is his passion, too. Football is what we played from a young age.
Playing with my father and brother and for (Le Mans FC) with my brother, that’s what gave me the desire to play and pursue a career in football.
You shared a photo on Instagram of you and your mother from a couple of years ago and described her as generous and courageous. What role has she played in your life?
She’s been with me through every step of my career. She raised my little brother and me, so I want to make her proud every time I score. She raised me with a lot of heart. So I want to give thanks to her all the time.
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Do you dedicate your celebration to her after you score?
The first thanks go to God. But of course, I’m thinking about my mum too. I told her that I think about her every time I score, but I believe my career is because of God. I’m here, enjoying my career and having good games because of Him. I’m really thankful and happy to have God in my life.
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Going back to the start of your career, I saw this video on Instagram from 2014. It’s a video of you dribbling through lots of players. You can see how Ronaldo was a big inspiration for you.
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When I was a young player, all I wanted to do was dribble past people. That was my only goal. Here, I was playing with Lorient’s youth team in a tournament. This match was against EA Guingamp. I think I was 18 years old — about four months before I signed a professional contract.
You were a lot slimmer back then too!
(Laughs) Yes. When I joined Lorient — my first professional club — I was really skinny. I had to start working out. Luckily, I bulked up really easily and quickly. It made me much stronger and a much better player. I could dribble past players much easier with my physicality.
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Were you always a forward, then?
I wanted to be a striker when I was younger, but I was a bit too small and skinny. Now, I can play every position. I’ve played right back, on the wing, as the No. 10 and as a No. 9. At my age and with my experience, I feel like I can play any position.
Gabon vs. Angola (AFCON Qualification) – November 17, 2019
So here you are playing for Gabon alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. What was it like to play with him?
I am so proud to play with him. I am always so excited to play alongside him for my country. I hope we are both selected the next time Gabon plays so we can play together.
This was your fifth goal for the national team in a AFCON qualifier. You combined with Aubameyang to score the goal.
He’s really fast, so as soon as he gets the ball, I know I have to run as fast as possible to keep up with him. He also has great quality in the opposition half, so it usually pays off.
I’ve had to learn to add that part of my game. I was very individualistic as a young player, but now I understand that running without the ball creates space for me and other players to score.
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Has Aubameyang been a big influence on you?
From a young age, Gabon always tried hard for me to play for them, so it was an easy decision. It was even easier when Aubameyang sent me a message and spoke about playing together. Watching him in training has improved me a lot, too. After each session, he’d do finishing repetitions, which is important because it can be the difference in a game. That’s something I’ve been trying to do too.
Lorient vs. Lens (Coupe de la Ligue) – August 22, 2017
Let’s go back to club football. What’s the best goal you’ve ever scored?
It was for Lorient against Lens.
I knew you’d say that! It’s incredible. Talk me through it.
It was natural. I didn’t hit the free-kick well, and the ball rebounded back to me, so I had to do something to prevent a counter attack. Taking a shot was the best way to do that. And luckily I scored, which was a nice moment.
Last week you scored a similar goal for LAFC in the 3-0 win over Austin FC. Is striking the ball on the volley something that comes naturally?
That set-piece routine was something we do in training, so it’s something I do regularly. When the ball came out, I thought, ‘Yep, it’s time to do what I learned in training.’
St. Etienne vs PSG – November 28, 2021
Returning to France, the last club you played for was St. Etienne. Here I have this picture on Instagram of you standing next to your former teammate Zaydou Youssouf. You’re both pointing at your skin with the captain #NoRacismo. What prompted you to do this demonstration?
I’m always for combating racism. But this was after receiving some racist messages from fans. I wanted to prove that skin color does not change the way you play, and it does not change the person you are.
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I can imagine that was a hard time for you.
Yeah — it was the day before a game. I was really angry. I really wanted to score so I could prove to those people that I could help the team win, no matter my skin color.
You had a strong year with St. Etienne in your final season — maybe your strongest until this season, scoring nine goals and making six assists in the league — but the club suffered relegation. The club lost 6-2 across the two matches against Paris Saint-Germain that season, but you scored two goals. What was that like?
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As a team, we had some regrets in that game because we could have done some things better, but when you make mistakes around (Kylian) Mbappe, he makes you pay.
Two games, two goals, one with your left and one with your right. Has playing with both feet always been a part of your game?
So when I was really young, I used only my right foot. Later on, I was told to use my left as well because it is helpful to be able to use both feet. I was 10 or 12 years old when I started developing my left, and it’s a big part of my game now.
How is PSG viewed in Ligue 1? Are they the stick used by teams and players to measure themselves against?
It’s not the PSG that once was, in my opinion, but they’re still a strong team. Every player thinks about playing against them and beating them. (Lionel) Messi, Neymar and Mbappe are big stars, but when you play against them, you forget their Ballons d’Or and the World Cup medals.
Who is the best, in your opinion?
It’s Messi because he has seven Ballons d’Or, but it’s really hard to set them apart. They’re all great players.
LAFC vs FC Dallas – March 25, 2023
Talking about the best, you’re in the best form of your career at LAFC. What went into the decision to leave France and join MLS?
The club and the coach really wanted me. I wanted to go somewhere where I really felt wanted. I feel really good in this team. Every time I step on the pitch, my goal is to score, and when you score once, twice, or three times like last weekend, it gives you the confidence to score again the next week.
What was it like to be around your former LAFC teammate Gareth Bale? Did you learn a lot from him?
I spoke a lot with him! He spoke really slowly with me so I could understand him (laughs). He taught me a lot of things I didn’t know. The time spent with him was really valuable, and I took a lot on board that I didn’t have previously. He taught me to close my shot (shoot near post) instead of opening my body to shoot towards the far post. I also learned his free kick technique during drills we had once a week.
Let’s talk through this goal. This came straight after getting off the plane from international duty with Gabon, right?
It was a really long day because I spent the whole day on the plane. I landed in LA, and I went straight to the stadium. The coach just wanted me to watch the game, but I asked him to play. He let me on the field, and I scored. It was perfect — it was meant to be.
It was a cross though, right?
(Laughs) Yes, it was a cross.
(Photo: Christopher Morris-Corbis/Getty Images)