Billy Ketkeophomphone

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Billy Ketkeophomphone

| image = BillyKetkeophomphone.jpg

| caption = Ketkeophomphone in 2015

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|3|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Champigny-sur-Marne, France

| height = 1.80 m{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/billy-ketkeophomphone/|title=Billy Ketkeophomphone: Profile |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HEIM:SPIEL |access-date=2 March 2022}}

| position = Forward, attacking midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Racing Paris

| youthyears2 = 2003–2006

| youthclubs2 = INF Clairefontaine

| youthyears3 = 2007–2009

| youthclubs3 = Strasbourg

| years1 = 2009–2011

| clubs1 = Strasbourg

| caps1 = 30

| goals1 = 3

| years2 = 2011–2012

| clubs2 = Sion

| caps2 = 1

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2012–2015

| clubs3 = Tours

| caps3 = 101

| goals3 = 21

| years4 = 2015–2018

| clubs4 = Angers

| caps4 = 53

| goals4 = 6

| years5 = 2018–2019

| clubs5 = Auxerre

| caps5 = 13

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2019–2020

| clubs6 = Cholet

| caps6 = 12

| goals6 = 5

| years7 = 2020–2021

| clubs7 = Dunkerque

| caps7 = 24

| goals7 = 3

| years8 = 2021–2022

| clubs8 = Sri Pahang

| caps8 = 4

| goals8 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2021–2022

| nationalteam1 = Laos

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| club-update = 16 August 2023 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 16:17, 30 December 2022 (UTC)

}}

Billy Ketkeophomphone ({{IPA|fr|bili kɛtkeofɔmfɔn|lang}} {{IPA|lo|ບິນລີ້ ເກດແກ້ວພົມພອນ}}; born 24 March 1990{{Cite web |url=http://www.footmercato.net/joueur/Billy-Ketkeophomphone-52402.html |title=Billy Ketkeophomphone Racing Club de Strasbourg |access-date=22 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404141318/http://www.footmercato.net/joueur/Billy-Ketkeophomphone-52402.html |archive-date=4 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or an attacking midfielder. Born in France to Laotian refugee parents, he plays for the Laos national team at international level.

Club career

=Early career=

Born in Champigny-sur-Marne, Ketkeophomphone began his career with Racing Paris, before joining the prestigious Clairefontaine academy in 2003. After three years, he left the club to sign for Strasbourg. In summer 2008, he was promoted to the first team.[http://www.rcstrasbourg.fr/equipe1_fiche.php?rub=3&srub=&art=708 Racing club de Strasbourg - Billy Ketkeophomphone] He made his debut against Bastia on 1 December 2009 in the Championnat National{{Cite web |url=http://www.foot-national.com/flashes-11590.html |title=Strasbourg - Bastia : Les groupes |access-date=22 April 2010 |archive-date=21 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221055146/http://www.foot-national.com/flashes-11590.html |url-status=dead }} playing 44 minutes.[https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/FootballFicheJoueur32788.html La fiche de Billy Ketkeophomphone. Football - L'Equipe.fr]

On 20 May 2011, he signed a five-year contract with Swiss Super League side Sion. He was released on 31 January 2012 and subsequently returned to France to sign a four-year deal with Tours.{{cite news|title= Ketkeophomphone à Tours |url=http://www.sofoot.com/mercato-ketkeophomphone-a-tours-152794.html |work=SoFoot | language = French | date =31 January 2012 |accessdate = 31 January 2012 }}

=Angers=

On 16 June 2015, Ketkeophomphone signed with Angers, who had just been promoted to Ligue 1.{{cite news|title= Billy Ketkeophomphone to Angers official (in French)|url= http://m.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Billy-ketkeophomphone-a-angers-officiel/567159?xtref=https://www.google.com/&|date= 16 June 2015|work= m.lequipe.fr|accessdate= 6 July 2015}} He was the first footballer of Southeast Asian descent to have played in the top division of French football. On 4 October, he scored his first goal for Angers against Bastia.{{cite AV media |date=4 October 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4umFIpr1hmI |title=But Billy KETKEOPHOMPHONE (41') / Angers SCO - SC Bastia (1-0) - (SCO - SCB) / 2015-16 |publisher=Ligue 1 Uber Eats |via=YouTube |access-date=21 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115170304/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4umFIpr1hmI |archive-date=15 November 2019 |url-status=live}} He played 38 games that season, scoring 6 goals.

In his second season, he sustained a knee injury, restricting him to only five games, but still managed to score a goal.

=Auxerre=

On 31 August 2018, the last day of the 2018 summer transfer window, Ketkeophomphone moved down a division and joined Auxerre. He made his debut on 14 September 2018 in a match against Clermont Foot.{{cite news |title=Mercato : Boucher part à Angers, Michel et Ketkeophomphone arrivent |url=https://www.lyonne.fr/auxerre/sports/football/2018/09/01/mercato-boucher-part-a-angers-michel-et-ketkeophomphone-arrivent_12965976.html |accessdate=1 September 2018 |work=L'Yonne républicaine |date=1 September 2018 |language=French}}

=Cholet=

On 20 November 2019, Ketkeophomphone joined Championnat National side Cholet. He made his debut and scored first goal for Cholet on 22 November 2019 in a match against Red Star.{{cite web |title=BILLY KETKEOPHOMPHONE SIGNE AU SO CHOLET |url=https://www.socholet.fr/actualites/transfert-billy-ketkeophomphone-signe-au-so-cholet/ |website=socholet.fr |accessdate=27 November 2019 |language=French}}

=Dunkerque=

On 1 July 2020, Ketkeophomphone joined Ligue 2 side Dunkerque on a two-year deal. He made his debut on 22 August 2020 in a match against Toulouse. On 29 August 2020, Ketkeophomphone scored his first goal for Dunkerque in the 39th minute against Clermont Foot.{{cite web|title=BILLY KETKEOPHOMPHONE S'ENGAGE AVEC L'USLD!

|url=https://www.usldunkerque.com/billy-ketkeophomphone-sengage-avec-lusld/|website=usldunkerque.com |date=27 May 2020 |language=French}}

He left the club in January 2022.{{Cite web|last=Waymel|first=Dorian|date=6 January 2022|title=Officiel – Loïc Kouagba et Billy Ketkeophomphone quittent Dunkerque|trans-title=Official – Loïc Kouagba and Billy Ketkeophomphone leave Dunkerque|url=https://maligue2.fr/2022/01/06/officiel-loic-kouagba-et-billy-ketkeophomphone-quittent-dunkerque/|url-status=live|access-date=13 January 2022|website=MaLigue2|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107035527/https://maligue2.fr/2022/01/06/officiel-loic-kouagba-et-billy-ketkeophomphone-quittent-dunkerque/ |archive-date=7 January 2022 }}

=Sri Pahang=

On 28 January 2022, Ketkeophomphone signed with Malaysian club Sri Pahang. He made his debut on 6 April 2022 in a match against Kedah Darul Aman.{{cite press release|publisher=Sri Pahang|url=https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSriPahang/posts/4946270242100297|title=Another french-connection, selamat datang ke Sri Pahang FC, Billy Ketkeophomphone!|date=28 January 2022|access-date=13 February 2022|language=ms}} He was released by the club only after 4 months joining.

International career

Born to Laotian refugee parents who fled to France in the 1980s, Ketkeophomphone has expressed interest in representing Laos internationally.{{cite web |last1=Denmat |first1=Théo |title=Billy Ketkeophonphone: "J'ai un prénom, c'est juste Billy" |url=https://www.sofoot.com/billy-ketkeophomphone-j-ai-un-prenom-c-est-juste-billy-207742.html |website=SoFoot.com|date=8 September 2015 |accessdate=20 July 2019|language=French}} In 2021, he was called up to the Laotian squad for the 2020 AFF Championship.{{cite web|last1=Ghanem|first1=Boris|title=AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 : un an plus tard…|url=https://lucarne-opposee.fr/index.php/actualite/asie/8980-aff-suzuki-cup-2020-un-an-plus-tard|website=Lucarne opposée|accessdate=16 December 2021|language=French|archive-date=16 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216140241/https://lucarne-opposee.fr/index.php/actualite/asie/8980-aff-suzuki-cup-2020-un-an-plus-tard|url-status=dead}} Ketkeophomphone made his debut for Laos on 6 December 2021 in the AFF Cup against Vietnam.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/619915&ved=2ahUKEwjXp-qqjdL0AhUpSmwGHevcB9MQFnoECBcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw041xor-mmuMdlOVTM7vAhm|title=Laos vs. Vietnam – Football Match Summary – December 6, 2021 |work=ESPN|accessdate=8 December 2021}} He played all five matches in tournament, scoring his only goal in the 2-2 draw against Myanmar, the last match before Laos’ elimination from the group stage.