Lalaïna Rafanomezantsoa

Lalaïna Rafanomezantsoa
Personal information
Full name Nomena Lalaïna Cliver Rafanomezantsoa
Date of birth (1998-03-10) 10 March 1998
Place of birth Ambohidrapeto, Madagascar
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
Paradou AC
(on loan from ASSM Elgeco Plus)
Number 25
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2024 CFF Andoharanofotsy
2024– ASSM Elgeco Plus
2025–Paradou AC (loan) 7 (0)
International career
2022– Madagascar 37 (5)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:05, 6 December 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 20:26, 8 November 2025 (UTC)

Nomena Lalaïna Cliver Rafanomezantsoa (born 10 March 1998) is a Malagasy professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 club Paradou AC on loan from Malagasy Pro League club ASSM Elgeco Plus and the Madagascar national team.

Club career

CFF Andoharanofotsy

Lalaïna Rafanomezantoa began his club career at Malagasy Pro League club CFF Andoharanofotsy, joining the club in 2019 at the age of 21.[1] He won the 2021–22 Malagasy Pro League with CFF Andoharanofotsy.[2]

He has previously participated in the qualifying rounds for both the 2021–22 CAF Confederation Cup and the 2022–23 CAF Champions League with CFF Andoharanofotsy.[3]

ASSM Elgeco Plus

Rafanomezantsoa joined Malagasy Pro League club ASSM Elgeco Plus in June 2024 and he participated in the 2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup with the club.[4]

On 20 July 2025, he won the 2025 Coupe de Madagascar with ASSM Elgeco Plus.[5]

Loan to Paradou AC

Ahead of the 2025–26 season, Rafanomezantaoa joined Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 club Paradou AC.[1][6] He joined the club on loan on 31 August 2025[7] and debuted during the 3–1 loss against MC Oran on 27 September 2025.

International career

Rafanomezantsoa made his debut for Madagascar on 12 July 2022 during a 2–0 defeat to Namibia during the COSAFA Cup quarter-finals.[8] He scored his first goal for Madagascar during a 3–0 win against Sudan during the 2022 African Nations Championship on 23 January 2023.[9]

He started the final of the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games where Madagascar won 1–0 against Réunion.[10]

He was included in the squad for the 2024 African Nations Championship,[11] and he scored the winning goal against Burkina Faso on 17 August 2025 to ensure Madagascar has qualified to the knockout stage.[12]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 4 September 2025[1]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Madagascar 2022 4 0
2023 15 1
2024 5 0
2025 13 4
Total 37 5
As of match played 4 September 2025
Madagascar score listed first, score column indicates score after each Rafanomezantsoa goal
List of international goals scored by Lalaïna Rafanomezantsoa
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 23 January 2023 Chahid Hamlaoui Stadium, Constantine, Algeria 6  Sudan 3–0 3–0 2022 African Nations Championship
2 19 March 2025 Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca, Morocco 25  Central African Republic 4–1 4–1 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 9 June 2025 Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa 27  Eswatini 1–0 1–1 2025 COSAFA Cup
4 13 August 2025 Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 30  Central African Republic 2–0 2–0 2024 African Nations Championship
5 17 August 2025 Amaan Stadium, Zanzibar City, Zanzibar, Tanzania 31  Burkina Faso 2–1 2–1

Honours

CFF Andoharanofotsy

ASSM Elgeco Plus

Madagascar

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Lalaina Rafanomezantsoa". National Football Teams.
  2. ^ RSSSF competition history
  3. ^ "MAN OF THE MATCH". Times of Eswatini. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  4. ^ Football Interclubs
  5. ^ "Madagascar 2024/25". RSSSF.
  6. ^ "FOOTBALL – Lalaina Rafanomezantsoa s'envole pour l'Algérie afin de rejoindre le Paradou AC". 2424 Madagascar. 1 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  7. ^ Taddele, Omna (3 September 2025). "CHAN star Lalaina Rafanomezantsoa signs with Algerian side Paradou". Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Namibia and Zambia book semifinal berths in Durban". COSAFA. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  9. ^ Akawor, Izuchukwu (24 January 2023). "CHAN Video: How Madagascar thrashed Sudan to topple Ghana in Group C". Pulse Sports. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  10. ^ "REPLAY. Jeux des îles 2023 : Madagascar remporte la finale de football face à La Réunion (1-0) après une fin de match chaotique". franceinfo. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  11. ^ "Madagascar » Appearances CHAN 2025 sorted by goals". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Burkina Faso 2–1 Madagascar". CAF Online. 17 August 2025. Retrieved 17 August 2025.