Axel Kacou

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Axel Kacou

| fullname = Axel Zihiri Kacou{{cite web |url=https://www.afrikipresse.fr/sports/eliminatoires-mondial-2018-2eme-defaite-a-bouake-et-qualification-en-difficulte-pour-la-cote-d-ivoire |title=Eliminatoires Mondial 2018 : 2ème défaite à Bouaké et qualification en difficulté pour la Côte d'Ivoire |trans-title=2018 World Cup qualifiers: 2nd defeat in Bouaké and qualification in difficulty for Ivory Coast |first=Adou |last=Mel |website=Afrikipresse |date=5 September 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201114727/https://www.afrikipresse.fr/sports/eliminatoires-mondial-2018-2eme-defaite-a-bouake-et-qualification-en-difficulte-pour-la-cote-d-ivoire |archivedate=1 December 2017 |language=French}}

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1995|8|1}}

| birth_place = Saint-Denis, France

| height = 1.87m

| currentclub = Sporting Club Lyon

| clubnumber = 40

| position = Goalkeeper

| youthyears1 = 2002–2007

| youthclubs1 = Stade Olympique de Paris

| youthyears2 = 2007–2010

| youthclubs2 = Ivry

| youthyears3 = 2010–2012

| youthclubs3 = Saint-Étienne

| years1 = 2012–2015 | clubs1 = Saint-Étienne II | caps1 = 17 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2015–2016 | clubs2 = Évian II | caps2 = 4 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2016–2018 | clubs3 = Tours II | caps3 = 7 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2016–2018 | clubs4 = Tours | caps4 = 18 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2019– | clubs5 = Lyon La Duchère{{efn|The club was called AS Lyon-Duchère until June 2020 and SC Lyon from June 2020 to June 2021.}} | caps5 = 37 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2019– | clubs6 = Lyon La Duchère II | caps6 = 10 | goals6 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2010–2011

| nationalteam1 = France U16

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2015

| nationalteam2 = Ivory Coast U23

| nationalcaps2 = 3

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 18:36, 21 July 2023 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Axel Zihiri Kacou (born 1 August 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Championnat National 2 club Lyon La Duchère.{{soccerway|axel-kacou/215648|accessdate=5 November 2016}} Born in France, he represented both France and Ivory Coast at youth international level.

Club career

As a youth, Kacou trained at Clairefontaine,{{cite web |last1=Angoua |first1=Adolphe |title=Axel Kacou : Un " inconnu " dans la cage des Eléphants |url=http://www.linfodrome.com/sport/30065-axel-kacou-un-inconnu-dans-la-cage-des-elephants |website=Linfodrome |accessdate=2 February 2019 |language=French |date=2 November 2016}} before joining Saint-Étienne.

In January 2016, Kacou joined Thonon Évian F.C. from Saint-Étienne, having agreed a {{frac|2|1|2}}-year contract.{{cite news |title=Evian: Kacou arrive, Abarouai s'en va |url=http://sport24.lefigaro.fr/football/transferts/fil-info/evian-kacou-arrive-abarouai-s-en-va-789233 |accessdate=3 February 2019 |work=Le Figaro |date=27 January 2016 |language=French}}

In August 2016, he moved to Tours FC on a two-year deal.{{cite news |title=ETG: Kacou rejoint Tours |url=https://www.ledauphine.com/sport/2016/08/30/etg-kacou-rejoint-tours |accessdate=3 February 2019 |work=Le Dauphiné Liberé |date=30 August 2016 |language=French}}

In June 2019, he signed a two-year deal with Lyon-Duchère.{{cite web|url=https://duchere.footeo.com/actualite/2019/06/20/axel-kacou-est-lyonnais.html|title=Axel Kacou est Lyonnais!|publisher=AS Lyon-Duchère Official Footeo site|language=fr|date=20 June 2019}} Lyon-Duchère rebranded as Sporting Club Lyon in June 2020.

International career

Kacou was born in France to Ivorian parents. He originally represented the France U16s.{{cite web|url=http://www.etgfc.com/joueur/axel-kacou/|title=ETGFC – Football & Paris Sportifs|website=ETGFC|access-date=2016-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202231220/http://www.etgfc.com/joueur/axel-kacou/|archive-date=2016-12-02|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fff.fr/equipes-de-france/tous-les-joueurs/fiche-joueur/2318076285-axel-kacou|title=Joueur – Axel KACOU – FFF|publisher=}} He then switched to the Ivory Coast U23s for the 2015 Toulon Tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.zerozero.pt/player.php?id=260281|title=Axel Kacou :: Axel Kacou :: Tours|website=www.zerozero.pt}}

In November 2016, Kacou was first called up to the senior Ivory Coast squad for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers match against Morocco. He was selected by new coach Marc Wilmots in May 2017 for a friendly against the Netherlands and a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea.{{cite news |title=Marc Wilmots names his first Ivory Coast squad |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39973012 |accessdate=2 February 2019 |work=BBC Sport |date=19 May 2017}} In March 2018, he was again called up for a friendly against Togo.{{cite news|title=Togo vs Ivory Coast |url=http://www.espn.co.uk/football/lineups?gameId=508525 |accessdate=1 July 2018 |publisher=ESPN |date=9 March 2018}}