Jean‐Ricner Bellegarde

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ʁiknɛʁ bɛlɡaʁd]; born 27 June 1998) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.^[1][2] A versatile player, Bellegarde can be deployed as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or winger.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde

Bellegarde playing for Lens B in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth	(1998-06-27) 27 June 1998 (age 27)
Place of birth	Colombes, France
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Wolverhampton Wanderers
Number	27
Youth career
2009–2012	Villetaneuse CS
2012–2013	Le Mans
2013–2016	Lens
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2019	Lens B	38	(10)
2016–2019	Lens	55	(5)
2019–2023	Strasbourg	128	(7)
2023–	Wolverhampton Wanderers	57	(4)
International career
2017	France U19	1	(0)
2017–2018	France U20	4	(0)
2019	France U21	3	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:35, 1 February 2025 (UTC)

Early life

Bellegarde was born on 27 June 1998, in Saint-Michel-sur-Orge, France. He began his football career at the age of 6 with local club FC Saint-Michel-sur-Orge.^[3]

Club career

Lens

On 29 July 2016, he played his first professional match with Racing Club de Lens on the field of Chamois Niortais FC.^{[citation needed]} He caught attention in the match against Stade de Reims (1–1, 12th round of Ligue 2) by delivering an assist to Viktor Klonaridis. Often present with the reserve team, he also participated in the under-19s’ campaign in the Coupe Gambardella. During the 2017–2018 Ligue 2 season, he benefited from the arrival of Éric Sikora, who knew him well from his time in the reserve team, to establish himself in the starting eleven. He was even promoted to captain on a few occasions.^[4] On 18 September 2017, he scored his first goal against US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole. In the 2018–2019 Ligue 2 season, he scored a goal in the opening match against US Orléans but gradually lost his place in the starting line-up. He regained it towards the end of the season, scoring consecutively in the last two rounds of the championship—a goal against AC Ajaccio and then a double against US Orléans—to secure Racing's place in the promotion playoffs for Ligue 1.

Strasbourg

In 2019, Bellegarde joined Strasbourg, where he made 129 appearances.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 1 September 2023, Bellegarde joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a five-year deal for £12.8m.^[5]

On 23 September 2023, in only his second appearance for his new club away to Luton Town in the Premier League, Bellegarde was shown a straight red card in the 39th minute for his reaction to a challenge by Tom Lockyer.^[6] The match finished as a 1–1 draw.

On 4 November 2023, in his third Wolves appearance, away to Sheffield United, where he was introduced as a second-half substitute, Bellegarde scored his debut Wolves goal in the 89th minute.^[7] Wolves lost the match 2–1, conceding a penalty deep into time added on at the end of the second-half.

International career

Bellegarde was born in France and is of Haitian descent.^[8] He is a youth international for France.

In May 2019, he was named to Haiti's 40-man provisional squad for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.^[9]

Career statistics

As of match played 29 December 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Lens B	2015–16	Championnat National	23	0	—		—		—		—		23	0
	2016–17	Championnat National	11	0	—		—		—		—		11	0
	2018–19	Championnat National	4	0	—		—		—		—		4	0
	Total		38	0	—		—		—		—		38	0
Lens	2016–17	Ligue 2	9	0	2	0	2	0	—		—		11	0
	2017–18	Ligue 2	25	1	4	0	2	0	—		—		31	1
	2018–19	Ligue 2	21	4	3	1	2	0	—		4[a]	1	30	6
	Total		55	5	9	1	6	0	—		4	1	74	7
Strasbourg	2019–20	Ligue 1	24	0	2	1	1	0	3[b]	0	—		30	1
	2020–21	Ligue 1	36	1	1	0	—		—		—		37	1
	2021–22	Ligue 1	36	2	2	0	—		—		—		38	2
	2022–23	Ligue 1	30	2	1	0	—		—		—		31	2
	2023–24	Ligue 1	3	2	0	0	—		—		—		3	2
	Total		129	7	6	1	1	0	3	0	—		139	8
Wolverhampton Wanderers	2023–24	Premier League	22	2	4	0	0	0	—		—		26	2
	2024–25	Premier League	22	2	1	0	1	0	—		—		24	2
	Total		44	4	5	0	1	0	—		—		50	4
Career total			266	16	20	2	8	0	3	0	4	1	301	19

1. Appearances in Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs
2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League