Martial Yao

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Martial Yao

|image =

|full_name = Martial Yao Kouassi

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|10|4|df=y}}

|birth_place = Bingerville, Ivory Coast

|height = 1.73 m

|position = Midfielder

|currentclub =

|clubnumber =

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 =

|years1 = 2006–2010

|clubs1 = ASEC Mimosas

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 = 2010–2016

|clubs2 = Stade Tunisien

|caps2 = 68

|goals2 = 3

|years3 = 2013–2014

|clubs3 = → LPS Tozeur (loan)

|caps3 = 17

|goals3 = 3

|years4 = 2016–2017

|clubs4 = US Ben Guerdane

|caps4 = 21

|goals4 = 0

|years5 = 2017

|clubs5 = Al-Merrikh

|caps5 =

|goals5 =

|years6 = 2017–2018

|clubs6 = AS Gabès

|caps6 = 6

|goals6 = 0

|years7 = 2018–2019

|clubs7 = Al-Adalah

|caps7 =

|goals7 =

|years8 = 2019–2020

|clubs8 = Fujairah

|caps8 = 6

|goals8 = 0

|years9 = 2020

|clubs9 = → Al-Bukiryah (loan)

|caps9 =

|goals9 =

|nationalyears1 =

|nationalteam1 = Ivory Coast U17

|nationalcaps1 =

|nationalgoals1 =

|club-update = 09:04, 20 March 2021 (UTC)

}}

Martial Yao Kouassi (born 4 October 1989) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.

Club career

Born in Bingerville, Yao has played for ASEC Mimosas, Stade Tunisien, LPS Tozeur, US Ben Guerdane, Al-Merrikh, AS Gabès, Al-Adalah, Fujairah and Al-Bukiryah.{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/martial-yao-kouassi/188656/|title=Côte d'Ivoire - M. Kouassi - Profile with news, career statistics and history|website=Soccerway}}{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

On 2 June 2018, he moved from Tunisian club AS Gabès to Saudi club Al-Adalah.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hasanews.com/6518577.html|title=بالصور… "سعودي" و"سنغالي" و"عاجي" باكورة تعاقدات "العدالة" | صحيفة الأحساء نيوز}}

International career

Yao played at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship,{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=102/edition=9095/news/newsid=100316.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106160350/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=102/edition=9095/news/newsid=100316.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 November 2012|title=USA and Italy tussle for top spot|accessdate=14 January 2008|date=20 September 2005|publisher=FIFA}} and was compared to Claude Makélélé for his tireless midfield performances.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=102/edition=9095/news/newsid=100201.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106160354/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=102/edition=9095/news/newsid=100201.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 November 2012|title=Italian-Ivorian clash of styles, US & Korea well prepared|accessdate=14 January 2008|date=16 September 2005|publisher=FIFA}}