Marco Zoro

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Marco Zoro

| image = Marc Zoro.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = Zoro with Ivory Coast in the 2008 CAN

| fullname = Marc-André Zoro Kpolo{{cite web|url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf|title=FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 – List of Players|publisher=FIFA|accessdate=6 June 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610174527/https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf|archive-date=10 June 2019}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|12|27|df=yes}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/marco-zoro_prs16904/person.shtml|title=Marco Zoro|publisher=Eurosport|accessdate=29 April 2020}}

| birth_place = Anyama, Ivory Coast

| height = 1.82 m

| position = Centre back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1999–2002

| clubs1 = Salernitana

| caps1 = 55

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2003–2007

| clubs2 = Messina

| caps2 = 116

| goals2 = 5

| years3 = 2007–2011

| clubs3 = Benfica

| caps3 = 2

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2008–2010

| clubs4 = → Vitória Setúbal (loan)

| caps4 = 30

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2011

| clubs5 = → Universitatea Craiova (loan)

| caps5 = 14

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2012–2013

| clubs6 = Angers

| caps6 = 32

| goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2013–2014

| clubs7 = OFI

| caps7 = 27

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2016–2017

| clubs8 = Chania

| caps8 = 3

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2017

| clubs9 = Asteras Amaliada

| caps9 = 6

| goals9 = 0

| totalcaps = 279

| totalgoals = 9

| nationalyears1 = 2003–2010

| nationalteam1 = Ivory Coast

| nationalcaps1 = 22

| nationalgoals1 = 1

}}

Marc-André "Marco" Zoro Kpolo (born 27 December 1983) is an Ivorian former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Club career

Born in Anyama, Zoro started his career in Italy, first with U.S. Salernitana 1919, without however making his Serie A debut. The next season, he played with the Campania team in the second division and, in January 2003, he joined Sicily's F.C. Messina Peloro, helping them achieve promotion in June; the club eventually signed him permanently, on a three-year deal.

Several months prior to the expiration of Zoro's deal with Messina, he and his agent Francis Kacou had been locked in talks for a contract extension.[http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=30891 Zoro agent set for Messina contract talks] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927003049/http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=30891|date=27 September 2007}} "For Zoro, his contract is coming up to expiration and there are difficulties in getting him to renew", said Messina president Pietro Franza in October 2006.[http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=15845 Franza unsure over Zoro's Messina deal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927002851/http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=15845|date=27 September 2007}} "We will see over the coming days when we meet with his agent if we can find a possible understanding." Four months later, however, Zoro blasted, "I've read that some of the management won't talk to me about a new contract because they want to leave me hanging. I find this an insult to my professionalism. I have always trained hard and never let outside things influence me. I will also leave them hanging and see if the right club comes in for me."[http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=30158 Zoro furious with Messina contract delays] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302222807/http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=30158|date=2 March 2007}}[http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=30702 Zoro: "Don't question my Messina commitment"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008140623/http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=30702|date=8 October 2007}} Two days later, he attempted to make amends: "When one of your family is treated poorly, it's normal for that person to be upset. I don't want to air our dirty linen in public. We'll talk about my contract at the end of the season. My priority right now is keeping Messina in Serie A."

On 15 May 2007, Zoro signed a four-year deal with Portuguese club S.L. Benfica, arriving for free. He would only feature in two Primeira Liga games throughout the entire campaign and eventually was made to train on his own,{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/desporto/benfica/interior/zoro-o-benfica-e-vieira-trataramme-como-um-cao-1958829.html|title=Zoro: "O Benfica e Vieira trataram-me como um cão!"|trans-title=Zoro: "Benfica and Vieira treated me like a dog!"|publisher=Diário de Notícias|language=Portuguese|date=22 August 2011|accessdate=29 January 2017}} but scored once in a 2–2 home draw against U.D. Leiria on 9 March 2008.{{cite news|url=https://www.publico.pt/2008/03/09/desporto/noticia/benfica-empata-com-a-uniao-de-leiria-a-dois-golos-1322059|title=Benfica empata com a União de Leiria a dois golos|trans-title=Benfica draw with União de Leiria two goals to two|publisher=Público|language=Portuguese|date=9 March 2008|accessdate=3 January 2018}}

[https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/01cb-0e6f1fb2041e-548312b3468c-1000--camacho-hands-in-benfica-notice/ Camacho hands in Benfica notice]; UEFA, 9 March 2008 He was transfer-listed in August and, on 10 January 2009, underwent a five-day trial at Ewood Park with English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers;[http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11676_4776764,00.html Rovers to check on Zoro]; Sky Sports, 10 January 2009[http://www.slbenfica.pt/Informacao/Futebol/Noticias/noticiasfutebol_furmarczoroemprestimo_090109_43518.asp Zoro no Blackburn Rovers por período experimental (Zoro on trial with Blackburn Rovers)]; S.L. Benfica, 10 January 2009 (in Portuguese) however, nothing came of it, and he was loaned until the end of the season to Vitória F.C. also in the Portuguese top flight{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/desporto/interior/zoro-emprestado-ao-setubal-1127273.html|title=Zoro emprestado ao Setúbal|trans-title=Zoro loaned to Setúbal|publisher=Diário de Notícias|language=Portuguese|date=3 February 2009|accessdate=29 January 2017}}– the arrangement was then extended for the entirety of 2009–10,{{cite web|url=http://relvado.aeiou.pt/benfica/benfica-empresta-yebda-freddy-adu-zoro-dabao|title=Benfica empresta Yebda, Freddy Adu, Zoro e Dabao|trans-title=Benfica loan Yebda, Freddy Adu, Zoro and Dabao|publisher=Relvado|first=Susana|last=Valente|language=Portuguese|date=1 September 2009|accessdate=29 January 2017}} and he was a regular starter as the Sadinos again barely avoided relegation.

In late January 2011, Zoro was loaned to FC Universitatea Craiova of the Romanian Liga I.[http://www.gsp.ro/fotbal/liga-1/marco-zoro-a-semnat-cu-craiova-226390.html Marco Zoro a semnat cu Craiova (Marco Zoro signed for Craiova)]; Gazeta Sporturilor, 29 January 2011 (in Romanian) In June, his link with Benfica expired and, on 30 January of the following year he signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Angers SCO in the French Ligue 2.{{cite news|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/angers-49000/marc-andre-zoro-sengage-avec-angers-sco-134893|title=Marc-André Zoro s'engage avec Angers Sco|trans-title=Marc-André Zoro joins Angers Sco|publisher=Ouest-France|language=French|date=30 January 2012|accessdate=29 April 2020}}

=Racist incidents=

Zoro garnered heavy worldwide interest when, on 27 November 2005, he attempted to stop the Messina–Inter Milan match by leaving the field with the ball, after being tormented by racist taunts from some opposing supporters.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/4476412.stm|title=Zoro suffers more racist abuse|publisher=BBC Sport|date=27 November 2005|accessdate=10 January 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/nov/28/europeanfootball.sport|title=Zoro storms off after Inter supporters' racist chanting|work=The Guardian|first=George|last=Chesterton|date=28 November 2005|accessdate=10 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsId=372816.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507042611/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsId=372816.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 May 2012|title=Zoro takes a stand on racism|publisher=UEFA|first=Paolo|last=Menicucci|date=28 November 2005|accessdate=10 January 2017}} He was eventually convinced to keep playing by other players, notably Adriano and Obafemi Martins;{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/2368919/Zoro-fails-to-mask-anger-at-racist-abuse.html|title=Zoro fails to mask anger at racist abuse|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|first=Richard|last=Bright|date=28 November 2005|accessdate=29 January 2017}} this then brought strong and unanimous condemnations by the whole football community within Italy, and a five-minute delay for an anti-racism display in all the matches to be played the next week in the country.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2005/k/sezioni/sport/calcio/serie_a/razzismo/inritardo/inritardo.html|title=Caso Zoro, il calcio contro il razzismo – Tutte le partite con 5' di ritardo|trans-title=Zoro Affair, football against racism – All matches with five 5-minute delay|publisher=La Repubblica|language=Italian|date=28 November 2005|accessdate=29 January 2017}}

The actions of the Inter supporters were also brought to the attention of the European football governing body UEFA, as well as that of the European Union.{{cite web|url=http://www.dw.com/en/european-soccers-racism-problem/a-1798795|title=European soccer's racism problem|publisher=Deutsche Welle|date=2 December 2005|accessdate=29 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/06/18/racism.europe/index.html?eref=rss_latest|title=Racism still a reality in European football|publisher=CNN|first=Pedro|last=Pinto|date=20 June 2008|accessdate=29 January 2017}}

International career

Zoro represented the Ivory Coast national team since 2003, and appeared at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations (where the nation finished second) and the 2006 FIFA World Cup (no matches played). In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, he scored his first international goal, in a 3–0 win over Mali as the side eventually finished the tournament in fourth position.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ivo-intres0009.html|title=Ivory Coast – Details of International Matches 2000–2009|first=Barrie|last=Courtney|website=RSSSF|accessdate=8 June 2016}}