Eboue Kouassi
{{Short description|Ivorian footballer (born 1997)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Eboue Kouassi
| image = Kouassi Eboue 2016.jpg
| caption = Kouassi with Krasnodar in 2016
| fullname = Jules Christ Eboue Kouassi
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|12|13|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Abidjan, Ivory Coast
| height = 1.85 m
| position = Defensive midfielder
| currentclub = União de Leiria
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 2010–2014
| youthclubs1 = Académie Symbiose Foot d'Abobo
| youthyears2 = 2014
| youthclubs2 = Shirak
| youthyears3 = 2014–2016
| youthclubs3 = Krasnodar
| years1 = 2016–2017
| clubs1 = Krasnodar
| caps1 = 10
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2017–2020
| clubs2 = Celtic
| caps2 = 22
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2020
| clubs3 = → Genk (loan)
| caps3 = 4
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2020–2023
| clubs4 = Genk
| caps4 = 18
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2021–2022
| clubs5 = → Arouca (loan)
| caps5 = 19
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2023
| clubs6 = Jong Genk
| caps6 = 2
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2023–2025
| clubs7 = Arouca
| caps7 = 25
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2025–
| clubs8 = União de Leiria
| caps8 = 0
| goals8 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2021
| nationalteam1 = Ivory Coast Olympic
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| pcupdate = 1 February 2025
}}
Jules Christ Eboue Kouassi (born 13 December 1997) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Liga Portugal 2 club União de Leiria.
Club career
=Early career=
Kouassi played for Académie Symbiose Foot d'Abobo in the Ivory Coast before moving to Armenian club Shirak in early 2014.{{cite web|title=ЭБУЭ КУАССИ|trans-title=Eboue Kouassi|url=http://www.fckrasnodar.ru/teams/junior/squad/player/?person_id=114646#player-bio-tab|publisher=FC Krasnodar|access-date=3 January 2017|language=ru}} In the summer of 2014 he joined the youth system of Russian club Krasnodar.
=Krasnodar=
In December 2015, Kouassi signed a new contract with Krasnodar.{{cite web|title=18-летний ивуарийский полузащитник Куасси перешёл в Краснодар|url=http://www.championat.com/football/news-2328597-18-letnij-ivuarijskij-poluzashhitnik-kuassi-pereshjol-v-krasnodar.html|website=championat.com|publisher=Championat|access-date=27 May 2016|language=ru|date=15 December 2015}} Kouassi made his debut for Krasnodar on 21 May 2016, in a 1–0 victory against Amkar Perm in the Russian Premier League.{{cite web|publisher=Russian Football Premier League|url=http://rfpl.org/match/match_11117.html|title=Game Report by PFL|date=21 May 2016}} He became a regular the following season, 2016–17, playing in a total of 18 matches by the end of December 2016 and helping his side to fifth place in the league.{{cite news|title=Celtic to move for Ivory Coast midfielder Kouassi Eboué - Sky sources|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/10717148/celtic-to-move-for-ivory-coast-midfielder-kouassi-ebou233-sky-sources|access-date=3 January 2017|work=Sky Sports|date=3 January 2017}} During this time, Kouassi also scored his first goal; opening the scoring in a 3–0 win over Maltese side Birkirkara in a UEFA Europa League tie on 4 August 2016.{{cite web|title=KRASNODAR VS. BIRKIRKARA 3 - 1|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/08/04/europe/uefa-cup/fk-krasnodar/birkirkara-fc/2282788/|website=Soccerway|access-date=3 January 2017}}{{cite web|last=Sansun|first=David|title=Ones To Watch – Kouassi Eboué|url=http://russianfootballnews.com/ones-to-watch-kouassi-eboue/|website=Russian Football News|access-date=3 January 2017|date=24 November 2016}}
=Celtic=
On 3 January 2017, it was reported that Scottish Premiership club Celtic had agreed a transfer fee of around £3 million with Krasnodar to sign Eboue Kouassi.{{cite news|title=Celtic agree £3m fee with Krasnodar for Kouassi Eboue|url=https://stv.tv/sport/football/1377171-celtic-agree-3m-fee-with-krasnodar-for-kouassi-eboue/|access-date=3 January 2017|work=STV Sport|date=3 January 2016|archive-date=13 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213104322/https://stv.tv/sport/football/1377171-celtic-agree-3m-fee-with-krasnodar-for-kouassi-eboue/|url-status=dead}} Celtic announced the signing of Kouassi on a four-year-contract, subject to obtaining a visa, on 12 January 2017.{{cite web|title=Celtic complete signing of Kouassi Eboue subject to visa|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/11927|website=celticfc.net|publisher=Celtic F.C.|access-date=12 January 2017|date=12 January 2017}}
Kouassi made 22 first-team appearances for Celtic in his first three years with the club. He was loaned to Belgian club Genk in January 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51220131 |title=Eboue Kouassi: Celtic midfielder moves to Genk on loan |website=BBC Sport |date=23 January 2020 |access-date=23 January 2020}}
=Genk=
Kouassi signed for Genk on 1 July 2020, for €1.5 million.
=Arouca=
On 31 August 2021, Kouassi was loaned to Arouca.{{cite web|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga-bwin/arouca/detalhe/genk-empresta-eboue-kouassi-ao-arouca|title=Genk empresta Eboué Kouassi ao Arouca|trans-title=Genk loans Eboué Kouassi to Arouca|website=Record|date=31 August 2021|access-date=31 August 2021}} On 7 July 2023, Arouca announced the free signing of Kouassi on a free transfer, with the player signing a two-year deal.{{Cite web |last= |date=7 July 2023 |title=OFICIAL: Eboué Kouassi regressa ao Arouca |trans-title=Official: Eboué Kouassie returns to Arouca |url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/arouca/eboue-kouassi/oficial-eboue-kouassi-regressa-ao-arouca |access-date=11 July 2023 |website=Maisfutebol |language=pt}}
=União de Leiria=
On 4 February 2025, Kouassi signed with Liga Portugal 2 club União de Leiria until the end of the season.{{cite web|publisher=União de Leiria|url=https://www.uniaodeleiria.pt/eboue-kouassi-reforca-a-uniao-de-leiria/|title=Eboué Kouassi reforça a União de Leiria|trans-title=Eboué Kouassi strengthens União de Leiria|date=4 February 2025|access-date=8 February 2025|language=pt}}
International career
Kouassi was called up to the Ivory Coast national team for the first time in November 2016, for a 2018 World Cup qualification match against Morocco and a friendly against France.{{cite web|title=Injured Gervinho out of Ivory Coast squad|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/injured-gervinho-ivory-coast-squad-174434481--sow.html|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|date=2 November 2016|access-date=3 January 2017|archive-date=7 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207033734/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/injured-gervinho-ivory-coast-squad-174434481--sow.html|url-status=dead}} However, he was an unused substitute in both matches.{{cite web|title=Morocco vs. Côte d'Ivoire 0–0|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/11/12/africa/wc-qualifying-africa/morocco/cote-divoire/2279625/|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=4 January 2017}}{{cite web|title=France vs. Côte d'Ivoire 0–0|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/11/15/world/friendlies/france/cote-divoire/2359921/|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=4 January 2017}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 1 February 2020}}{{Soccerway|jules-christ-kouassi-eboue/443019}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Krasnodar
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2016–17
|Russian Premier League |9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 9 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 18 | 1 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 9 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 19 | 1 | |||
| rowspan="5"|Celtic
|4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18
|Scottish Premiership |6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19
|Scottish Premiership |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20
|Scottish Premiership |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 22 | 0 | ||
| Genk (loan)
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 42 | 1 |
Honours
Celtic
- Scottish Premiership: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
- Scottish Cup: 2016–17, 2017–18{{Cite web|title=K. Eboue|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/jules-christ-kouassi-eboue/443019/|website=Soccerway|access-date=27 May 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Scottish Cup 2018|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/43703200|website=BBC|access-date=27 May 2020}}
- Scottish League Cup: 2017–18, 2018–19
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{CelticFC.net|team/1423|archive=20200205130828}}
- {{RPL player|Kuassi-Ebu-Zhyul-Kri}}
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{U.D. Leiria squad}}
{{Ivory Coast men's football squad 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kouassi, Eboue}}
Category:Footballers from Abidjan
Category:Ivorian men's footballers
Category:Footballers at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic footballers for Ivory Coast
Category:Russian Premier League players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:Challenger Pro League players
Category:Primeira Liga players
Category:Ivorian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Russia
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Russia
Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland
Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Armenia
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Armenia
Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
Category:Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
Category:21st-century Ivorian sportsmen
{{IvoryCoast-footy-bio-stub}}