Neeskens Kebano (born 10 March 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or left winger for UAE Pro League club Al-Jazira and the DR Congo national team.
He was given his first name as an homage to the former Dutch international midfielder Johan Neeskens whom his father, Nestor Kebano, admired.
[3][4][5] Kebano was immersed into football at an early age and began his career playing for hometown club ASA Montereau.
He was placed on the club's under-14 team and formed friendships with youth and international teammates Jimmy Kamghain, Alassane Tambe, and Bastien Héry.
Though, he is still eligible to compete at youth level, ahead of the 2010–11 season, Kebano was promoted to the club's Championnat de France amateur team in the fourth division.
He was also placed onto the club's squad for the UEFA Europa League being assigned the number 38 shirt by manager Antoine Kombouaré.
In February 2011, he was called back up to the senior team after being named to the 18-man roster to play amateur club Martigues in the Coupe de France.
[10][11] He scored his first professional goal for the club on 2 March 2011 in a 2–0 win over Le Mans in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France.
[14] On 27 July 2020, in the first leg of the 2020 Championship play-offs semi-final against Cardiff City, Kebano scored directly from a free kick in his third consecutive match,[15] becoming the first player to achieve this feat in the top four English divisions since Wayne Rooney.
[19] On 8 July 2023, Abu Dhabi based club Al Jazira announced the signing of Kebano, following the expiry of his contract with Fulham at the end of the previous month.
[21] Kebano made his youth international debut on 24 March 2009 in the team's first Elite Round group stage match against Belarus.