Mario Stroeykens

Mario Stroeykens
Stroeykens with Anderlecht in 2025
Personal information
Full name Mario Margriet Stroeykens Koho Pungu[1]
Birth name Mario Sven Margriet Stroeykens[2]
Date of birth (2004-09-29) 29 September 2004
Place of birth Zellik, Belgium
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[3]
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
Anderlecht
Number 29
Youth career
–2020 Anderlecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Anderlecht 115 (14)
International career
2019 Belgium U15 1 (0)
2019 Belgium U16 1 (0)
2021–2023 Belgium U19 13 (5)
2022 Belgium U20 2 (1)
2023–2024 Belgium U21 12 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 7 December 2025

Mario Margriet Stroeykens Koho Pungu (born 29 September 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Belgian First Division A club Anderlecht. Born in Belgium, he plays for the DR Congo national team.

Club career

On 15 January 2021, at 16 years, 3 months and 17 days, Stroeykens made his professional debut for RSC Anderlecht, in a 2–0 away loss to Eupen, under then manager Vincent Kompany.

On 9 October 2022, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 away win against K.V. Mechelen. Under different managers Stroeykens never really broke through, often being a substitute or playing for Anderlecht’s U23 side, the RSCA Futures.

It was under manager Brian Riemer, after signing a contract extension until 2026 in the 2023-2024 season that he really broke through, playing 40 games in all competitions, scoring 6 goals and providing 6 assists.[4]

He was very important for Anderlecht’s challenge for the title that season, only losing first and second spot on the last 2 Matchdays of the Belgian Pro League Champions’ play-offs after a 0–1 home loss to rivals Club Brugge and a 3–1 away loss to Royal Antwerp FC. He had some notable performances in important moments for Paars-Wit, and he demonstrated his talent on 7 December 2023, by scoring a stunning goal from outside the box in the Belgian Clasico against Standard Liège in the Belgian Cup, leading his side to a 2–0 home win.[5]

International career

Born in Belgium, to Belgian father and Congolese-French mother, Stroeykens holds both Congolese and French nationalities from his parents,[6] Stroeykens was a former youth international for Belgium.

On 1 November 2025, Stroeykens was called up for the first time to play for the DR Congo national team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying play-offs against Cameroon.[7] 13 days later, his request to switch international allegiance to the DR Congo was approved by FIFA.[1]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 December 2025[8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Belgian Cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Anderlecht 2020–21 Belgian Pro League 3 0 1 0 4 0
2021–22 7 0 0 0 1[a] 0 8 0
2022–23 26 4 2 1 13[a] 0 41 5
2023–24 38 5 2 1 40 6
2024–25 27 4 3 0 9[b] 1 39 5
2025–26 14 1 2 0 5[c] 0 21 1
Career total 115 14 10 2 28 1 153 17
  1. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Europa League, three appearances in UEFA Conference League

References

  1. ^ a b "FIFA Change of Association Platform". knowledge.fifa.com. 13 November 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  2. ^ "Aspire Academy Tri-Series Season 2016–17" (PDF). Aspire Academy. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Mario Stroeykens". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Mario Stroeykens extends his contract". rsca.be. 29 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Mario Stroeykens trapt Anderlecht met heerlijke knal op voorsprong" [Mario Stroeykens puts Anderlecht in front with a stunning goal]. Sporza.be (in Dutch). 7 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Mario Stroeykens porte les espoirs d'Anderlecht !". Leopard Leader Foot. 25 September 2021. Archived from the original on 9 November 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Leopards name their squad for World Cup playoffs". cafonline.com. 1 November 2025. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  8. ^ "K. Sardella: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 25 February 2020.