Xavier Kouassi

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Xavier Kouassi

| image =

| fullname = Xavier Laglais Kouassi{{cite web |title=Xavier Laglais Kouassi |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/FootballFicheJoueur41795.html |publisher=L'Équipe |access-date=21 March 2020 |language=fr}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1989|12|28}}

| birth_place = San-Pédro, Ivory Coast

| height = 1.73 m

| currentclub = Pau

| clubnumber = 4

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 = 2008–2009

| youthclubs1 = Séwé Sports

| years1 = 2009–2013

| clubs1 = Servette

| caps1 = 93

| goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2013–2016

| clubs2 = FC Sion

| caps2 = 68

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2016–2017

| clubs3 = New England Revolution

| caps3 = 23

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2018–2020

| clubs4 = FC Sion

| caps4 = 54

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2020

| clubs5 = Neuchâtel Xamax

| caps5 = 10

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2020–

| clubs6 = Pau

| caps6 = 150

| goals6 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2011

| nationalteam1 = Ivory Coast

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 12 May 2025

}}

Xavier Laglais Kouassi (born 28 December 1989) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a defender who plays for Pau FC in the Ligue 2.

He spent most of his career in the Swiss Super League with Servette and two spells at Sion. He made 215 total appearances in the competition and won the Swiss Cup with Sion in 2015. He also played in Major League Soccer for the New England Revolution in 2017.

Kouassi earned one cap for the Ivory Coast against Israel in August 2011.

Club career

=Early career=

Born in San-Pédro, Kouassi began his career at local side Séwé Sports before moving to Servette FC in the Swiss Super League in 2009. He made his professional debut on 1 November that year, playing the full 90 minutes of a goalless away draw with FC Winterthur.

On 16 July 2013, Kouassi transferred to FC Sion of the same league, on a three-year deal.{{cite news |title=FC Sion : Kouassi pour trois ans|trans-title=FC Sion: Kouassi for three years|url=https://www.afrik-foot.com/fc-sion-kouassi-pour-trois-ans |access-date=21 March 2020 |publisher=Afrik Foot |date=16 July 2013 |language=fr}} He played five of six matches as they won the Swiss Cup in 2014–15, including the 3–0 final win over FC Basel on 7 June.{{cite news |last1=Radwan |first1=Ahmed |title=FC Basel hammered by Sion in Swiss Cup Final |url=https://www.kingfut.com/2015/06/07/fc-basel-hammered-by-sion-in-swiss-cup-final/ |access-date=21 March 2020 |publisher=King Fut |date=7 June 2015}}

=New England Revolution=

Kouassi joined the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer on 1 February 2016, joining as a designated player effective from July.{{cite news |last1=Stejskal |first1=Sam |title=New England Revolution sign midfielder Xavier Kouassi from FC Sion to Designated Player contract |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/02/01/new-england-revolution-sign-midfielder-xavier-kouassi-fc-sion-designated-player |access-date=21 March 2020 |publisher=Major League Soccer |date=1 February 2016}} However, a major injury to his right knee ruled him out for over a year, and he did not debut for his new team until 19 March 2017 in a 2–1 loss to FC Dallas; though used for only 45 minutes per game in pre-season due to this injury, he made it to 79. He was praised for his performance by head coach Jay Heaps and teammate Scott Caldwell.{{cite news |last1=Lemieu |first1=Jeff |title=Kouassi's long-awaited debut a bright spot in loss to Dallas: "He was outstanding" |url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/post/2017/03/19/kouassi-s-long-awaited-debut-bright-spot-loss-dallas-he-was-outstanding |access-date=21 March 2020 |publisher=New England Revolution |date=19 March 2017}}

On 1 June 2017, Kouassi scored his only goal for the Revs in a 2–2 draw with New York City FC.{{cite news |title=Kouassi scores in 86th as Revs tie NYCFC 2-2 |url=https://apnews.com/de252d6cda5442649fb9a521165c80d7 |access-date=21 March 2020 |publisher=Associated Press |date=1 June 2017}} In September, he received straight red cards in heavy away losses to Atlanta United FC (7–0) and Orlando City SC (6–1), in the 16th and 11th minutes of the respective games.{{cite news |last1=Roberson |first1=Doug |title=VAR plays big role in Atlanta United's big win |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/var-plays-big-role-atlanta-united-big-win/aIV55Te6mthyS8HxA6OfwN/ |access-date=21 March 2020 |publisher=AJC |date=13 September 2017}}{{cite news |title=Kaka scores twice, Orlando City rolls past Revolution 6-1 |url=https://apnews.com/165b014830344e2e8c63c15d3af89c2f |access-date=21 March 2020 |publisher=Associated Press |date=28 September 2017}}

=Return to Sion=

Kouassi returned to Sion on 15 February 2018, the last day of Switzerland's transfer window.{{cite news |title=Mercato: Kouassi de retour à Sion, c'est officiel|trans-title=Transfer market: Kouassi back to Sion, it's official|url=https://www.lematin.ch/sports/football/mercato-indice-depart-sanchez/story/14924534 |access-date=21 March 2020 |work=Le Matin |date=15 February 2018 |language=fr}} In February 2020, before the Super League was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was sent off in consecutive matches against FC Zürich and Neuchâtel Xamax FCS. The latter dismissal earned him a public criticism by club owner Christian Constantin, who considered it to have "murdered" the entire team's efforts.{{cite news |title=Constantin: "Kouassi assassine le coach"|trans-title=Constantin: "Kouassi murders the coach"|url=https://www.lematin.ch/sports/football/constantin-kouassi-assassine-coach/story/23482594 |access-date=21 March 2020 |work=Le Matin |date=16 February 2020 |language=fr}}

Club captain Kouassi and eight other players were sacked by Sion on 20 March 2020, having refused a pay-cut amidst the pandemic.{{cite news |title=FC Sion sack nine players for reportedly not taking pay cut because of coronavirus crisis |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51980881 |access-date=21 March 2020 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=20 March 2020}}

=Neuchâtel Xamax=

On 16 June 2020, Kouassi signed for Neuchâtel Xamax.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arcinfo.ch/dossiers/neuchatel-xamax-fcs/articles/kouassi-et-djourou-qualifies-avec-xamax-pas-serey-die-avec-sion-947141|title=Kouassi et Djourou qualifiés avec Xamax, pas Serey Dié avec Sion|work=ArcInfo}}

=Pau FC=

On 13 September 2020, Kouassi signed for Pau FC.{{Cite news|url=https://www.sudouest.fr/2020/09/13/xavier-kouassi-nouvelle-recrue-du-pau-fc-7840769-10576.php|title=Xavier Kouassi, nouvelle recrue du Pau FC|date=13 September 2020|last1=Gaye|first1=Bernard}}

International career

Kouassi earned one cap for the Ivory Coast on 10 August 2011. He replaced Gervinho in the last minute of a 4–3 friendly win over Israel at the Stade de Genève, the home of his then-club Servette.{{cite news |title=Ivory Coast beats Israel 4-3 in friendly |url=https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/ivory-coast-beats-israel-43-in-friendly-65142237-081011 |access-date=21 March 2020 |work=Fox Sports |date=10 August 2011}}