Carlos Baleba (born January 3, 2004, in Douala) is a Cameroonian-French professional footballer who plays as a central or defensive midfielder for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Cameroon national team. He began his career in Cameroon before joining Ligue 1 side Lille in 2022, making his professional debut in August 2022, and transferred to Brighton in August 2023 for a reported initial fee of €27 million. At Brighton, he scored his first league goal against Chelsea in September 2024 and netted an injury-time winner against West Ham in April 2025, a strike that earned the Premier League Goal of the Month award. Known for his stamina and passing range, he made his Cameroon international debut in June 2024 and was selected for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, earning Brighton's Young Player of the Season honors for 2024–25.