Mata Maxime Mbanda

Mata Maxime Mbanda (born 10 April 1993) is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a flanker, and he currently plays for Zebre. Known for his smooth ball carrying and athleticism.

After a chain of favourable performances, the No. 8 was selected to represent, for the first time, the Italian national team to a test-match in San Jose, California, in Summer International tests. Italy won with a result of 24 to 20. Since then Mbanda has been a regular in the Italian national side. In particular featuring in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, in Japan.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Mbanda volunteered for the Yellow Cross, a humanitarian organization in Parma that transports food and medicine for the elderly.On 3 June 2020 the President of Italy Sergio Mattarella named Mbanda a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his services as a volunteer ambulance driver.