Merlin Tandjigora

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Merlin Tandjigora

| image =

| fullname = Merlin Koumba Abdoulaye Tandjigora{{cite web | url = http://atlantique.fff.fr/cg/0600//www/technique/2012772.shtml | publisher = Ligue Atlantique | title = Un sélectionné olympique à l'I2 des professionnels! |language = French |date = 5 April 2012 | accessdate = 8 June 2012 }}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|4|6|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Port-Gentil, Gabon

| height = 1.72 m

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1998–2004

| youthclubs1 = Stade Mandji

| youthyears2 = 2004–2008

| youthclubs2 = ENF Port-Gentil

| youthyears3 = 2009–2010

| youthclubs3 = Metz

| years1 = 2008–2009

| clubs1 = Stade Mandji

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2010–2011

| clubs2 = Metz

| caps2 = 6

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2010–2011

| clubs3 = Metz B

| caps3 = 24

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2011–2014

| clubs4 = Carquefou

| caps4 = 70

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2015

| clubs5 = Istres

| caps5 = 7

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2015

| clubs6 = Leixões

| caps6 = 15

| goals6 = 3

| years7 = 2016

| clubs7 = Meizhou Hakka

| caps7 = 25

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2017–2018

| clubs8 = Belenenses

| caps8 = 8

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2018–2019

| clubs9 = Belenenses SAD

| caps9 = 0

| goals9 = 0

| years10= 2019–2020

| clubs10= Vila Real

| caps10 = 7

| goals10= 0

| years11= 2020–2021

| clubs11= US Vimy

| caps11 = 4

| goals11= 0

| years12= 2021

| clubs12= Djoliba AC

| caps12 =

| goals12=

| years13= 2021–2023

| clubs13= US Vimy

| caps13 = 35

| goals13= 0

| nationalyears1 = 2008

| nationalteam1 = Gabon U20

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2010–

| nationalteam2 = Gabon

| nationalcaps2 = 28

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 20:47, 23 November 2023 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Merlin Abdoulaye Tandjigora (born 6 April 1990) is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder.

Career

Born in Port-Gentil, Tandjigora was a player of the national football school located in his hometown.{{cite web|url=http://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/fr/permalien/article/3605538/Merlin-le-travailleur.html |publisher=Le Républicain Lorrain |title=Merlin le travailleur |language=French |date=10 August 2010 |accessdate=17 August 2010 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} On 9 July 2010, he became the first player from the academy to sign a professional contract with a European club after signing a one-year contract with Metz.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcmetz.com/article/Entretien/2010-07-19-16-55-54_merlin-tandjigora-porte-le-drapeau.html |publisher=FC Metz |title=Tandjigora porte le drapeau |language=French |date=19 July 2010 |accessdate=17 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722051926/http://www.fcmetz.com/article/Entretien/2010-07-19-16-55-54_merlin-tandjigora-porte-le-drapeau.html |archivedate=22 July 2010 }}{{cite web|url=http://dns1.finances.gouv.ga/eddymoul/pantheres/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=41 |publisher=Allez Les Pantheres |title=Premier contrat professionnel de Tandjigora |language=French |date=15 July 2010 |accessdate=17 August 2010 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Tandjigora arrived at Metz in 2009 and joined the club's Championnat de France amateur 2 team for the 2009–10 season. He played in 21 matches and scored two goals as the reserve team of Metz were crowned champions of the league finishing with 107 points.{{cite web | url = http://www.footafrica365.fr/africains-de-l-etranger/italie/article_432831_Metz-Tandjigora-passe-pro.shtml | publisher = Foot Africa 365 | title = Tandjigora passe pro | language = French | date = 9 July 2010 | accessdate = 17 August 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100711073121/http://www.footafrica365.fr/africains-de-l-etranger/italie/article_432831_Metz-Tandjigora-passe-pro.shtml | archive-date = 11 July 2010 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }} After the season, Tandjigora signed his first professional contract and was, subsequently, promoted to the senior team and assigned the number 12 shirt by new manager Dominique Bijotat. He made his professional debut on 30 July 2010 in a Coupe de la Ligue match against Clermont. Tandjigora started the match and played 76 minutes in a 3–1 defeat.{{cite web | url = http://www.lfp.fr/coupeLigue/feuilleMatch.asp?saison=2010/2011&code_evt=D2&code_jr_tr=T01&num_ordre=4 | publisher = Ligue de Football Professionnel | title = Clermont v. Metz Match Report |language = French |date = 30 July 2010 | accessdate = 17 August 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} He made his league debut a week later in a 2–0 defeat to Évian.{{cite web|url=http://www.lfp.fr/ligue2/feuilleMatch.asp?saison=2010/2011&code_evt=D2&code_jr_tr=J01&num_ordre=6 |publisher=Ligue de Football Professionnel |title=Metz v. Évian Match Report |language=French |date=6 August 2010 |accessdate=17 August 2010 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Tandjigora was formerly a Gabonese youth international having earned caps with the nation's under-20 team in qualification for the 2009 African Youth Championship. On 30 September 2010, he was called up to the senior team for the first time by coach Gernot Rohr for matches against Oman and Saudi Arabia.{{cite web|url=http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=20009 |publisher=Gaboneco |title=Les 22 Panthères de Rohr pour le théâtre arabe |language=French |date=30 September 2010 |accessdate=15 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711063517/http://www.gaboneco.com/show_article.php?IDActu=20009 |archivedate=11 July 2011 }} He competed for Gabon at the 2012 Summer Olympics.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ta/merlin-tandjigora-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418102629/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ta/merlin-tandjigora-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-04-18|title=Merlin Tandjigora Bio, Stats, and Results|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=2019-07-20}}

On 13 December 2019 it was confirmed, that Tandjigore had joined S.C. Vila Real.[https://www.desportivotransmontano.com/merlin-tandjigora-e-reforco-do-sc-vila-real/ Merlin Tandjigora é reforço do SC Vila Real], desportivotransmontano.com, 13 December 2019

Honours

=Club=

Stade Mandji

Gabon Championnat National D1: 2009

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20100818120048/http://www.fcmetz.com/joueur/fiche/merlin-tandjigora.html Merlin Tandjigora profile] at [http://www.fcmetz.com/ fcmetz.com]
{{LFP|tandjigora-merlin}}
{{Lequipe|36618}}
{{FIFA player|355156}}
{{NFT|47870}}
{{Soccerway|merlin-tandjigora/138712}}

Category:1990 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Ogooué-Maritime Province

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Gabonese men's footballers

Category:Gabonese expatriate men's footballers

Category:Ligue 2 players

Category:Liga Portugal 2 players

Category:China League One players

Category:Primeira Liga players

Category:Championnat National players

Category:Championnat National 2 players