Éli Kroupi

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Éli Kroupi

| fullname = Zahi Verges Napoles Kroupi

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|10|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kadrokpa, Sassandra, Ivory Coast

| height = 1.75m

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = 1997–1998

| youthclubs1 = Rennes

| years1 = 1997–1998

| clubs1 = Rennes

| caps1 = 2

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1998–2000

| clubs2 = Valence

| caps2 = 22

| goals2 = 3

| years3 = 2000–2004

| clubs3 = Lorient

| caps3 = 93

| goals3 = 29

| years4 = 2004

| clubs4 = Angers

| caps4 = 4

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2004–2006

| clubs5 = Nancy

| caps5 = 43

| goals5 = 23

| years6 = 2007

| clubs6 = → Al-Wahda (loan)

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| years7 = 2007–2008

| clubs7 = Arezzo

| caps7 = 6

| goals7 = 2

| years8 = 2008

| clubs8 = Levadiakos

| caps8 = 8

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2008–2009

| clubs9 = Nîmes

| caps9 = 7

| goals9 = 1

| years10 = 2010

| clubs10 = Al Urooba

}}

"Éli" Zahi Verges Napoles Kroupi (born 18 October 1979) is an Ivorian former footballer who played as a forward. He played for, among others, Rennes, Valence, Lorient, Angers and Al-Wahda FC.

Career

Kroupi was born in Kadrokpa, Sassandra, Ivory Coast.

Whilst at Lorient, Kroupi played in the 2002 Coupe de France Final, in which they beat SC Bastia.{{cite web |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/match/86381|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204145900/http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/match/86381|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 February 2012|title=Bastia 0-1 Lorient|publisher=lequipe.fr |date=11 May 2002 |accessdate=28 July 2016}}

He spent the 2006–07 season on loan at United Arab Emirates side Al-Wahda FC. In July 2007, it was announced that Kroupi would not return to AS Nancy, after the club decided to cancel his contract. Then, Kroupi signed with Greek club Levadiakos F.C. in 2008. After 8 appearances for Levadiakos, he returned to France. This time, he signed with Nîmes Olympique in Ligue 2.[http://guardian.touch-line.com/statscentre.asp?Lang=0&CTID=31&CPID=76&pStr=Player&PLID=41545&TEID=681 Profile & Statistics] at Guardian's Stats Centre On 18 March 2010, Al Urooba signed the Ivorian striker from Nîmes.{{Cite web |url=http://it.eurosport.yahoo.com/18032010/44/ex-arezzo-kroupi-negli-emirati.html |title=Ex Arezzo Kroupi va negli Emirati - Yahoo! Eurosport |access-date=18 March 2010 |archive-date=16 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116164109/https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=2_cc-session_cd81e16d-cf6b-4fa6-9dc6-10ef41206a1c |url-status=live }}

Playing style

Kroupi is known for his speed, his ability to shoot accurately with both feet, and his supreme scoring ability. He was also one of the top scorers in Ligue 1 during the 2005–06 season.{{in lang|fr}} [http://www.sports.fr/fr/football/joueurs/7/elie_kroupi_1127.html Élie Kroupi stats]

Personal life

Kroupi holds Ivorian and French nationalities.{{Cite web |title=Player profile |url=https://www.ligue2.fr/joueur?id=zahi-verges-napoles-kroupi |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=Ligue2 |language=fr-FR}} His cousin is former Cleveland City Stars player Arsène Oka.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t109&player=oka_a&playerId=oka029587&statType=current|publisher=Major League Soccer|title=Player Bio: Arsene Oka|accessdate=19 September 2007}} His son Eli Junior Kroupi is also a professional footballer.{{Cite news |last=Cogné |first=Baptiste |date=23 Nov 2021 |title=Éli Junior, international U16, marche sur les traces de son père Éli Kroupi |language=fr |work=Ouest-France |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/football/fc-lorient/rencontre-fc-lorient-eli-junior-marche-sur-les-traces-de-son-pere-eli-kroupi-241afab2-4a0e-11ec-b578-a50d7b4312f7 |access-date=18 April 2023}}