Youssouf Hersi

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Youssouf Hersi

|image = Hersi.png

|image_size =

|caption = Hersi with the Western Sydney Wanderers at the end of season parade in Parramatta

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|8|20|df=y}}

|birth_place = Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

|height =

|position = Attacking midfielder

|years1 = 2000–2001

|clubs1 = Ajax

|caps1 = 9

|goals1 = 0

|years2 = 2001–2002

|clubs2 = NAC Breda

|caps2 = 33

|goals2 = 3

|years3 = 2002–2004

|clubs3 = NEC

|caps3 = 61

|goals3 = 19

|years4 = 2004–2005

|clubs4 = Heerenveen

|caps4 = 9

|goals4 = 0

|years5 = 2005–2007

|clubs5 = Vitesse

|caps5 = 69

|goals5 = 15

|years6 = 2007–2009

|clubs6 = Twente

|caps6 = 46

|goals6 = 8

|years7 = 2009–2010

|clubs7 = AEK Athens

|caps7 = 21

|goals7 = 1

|years8 = 2010–2011

|clubs8 = De Graafschap

|caps8 = 22

|goals8 = 2

|years9 = 2012–2014

|clubs9 = Western Sydney Wanderers

|caps9 = 47

|goals9 = 8

|years10 = 2014–2015

|clubs10 = Perth Glory

|caps10 = 8

|goals10 = 0

|totalcaps = 325

|totalgoals = 56

|nationalyears1 = 2001–2003

|nationalteam1 = Netherlands U21

|nationalcaps1 = 8

|nationalgoals1 = 2

}}

Youssouf Hersi (born 20 August 1982) is a retired professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.{{soccerway|youssouf-hersi/2127}} Born in Ethiopia, Hersi represented the Netherlands at youth international level.

Club career

File:Youssouf Hersi.jpg.]]

Hersi played in the Netherlands for Ajax, NAC Breda, NEC, Heerenveen, Vitesse, Twente and De Graafschap.{{cite web|url=http://www.vi.nl/Spelers/Speler/Youssouf-Hersi.htm|title=Profile|language=nl|publisher=Voetbal International}} He also played for the Greek side AEK Athens.{{cite web|url=http://www.aekfc.gr/index.asp?a_id=74&n_id=5246&cpage=1|title=Hersi signs 1+2-year deal|date=30 August 2009|publisher=AEK Athens F.C. official website|access-date=30 August 2009|archive-date=3 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903011338/http://www.aekfc.gr/index.asp?a_id=74&n_id=5246&cpage=1|url-status=dead}}

On 11 September 2012, Hersi signed with A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers.{{Cite web |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/250506,wanderers-complete-foreign-quota.aspx |title=FourFourTwo {{!}} Football News, Features and Statistics |access-date=11 September 2012 |archive-date=2 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102185924/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/250506,wanderers-complete-foreign-quota.aspx |url-status=dead }} He scored his first goal for the club in the Sydney Derby on 15 December 2012.{{cite news| url=http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/western-sydney-wanderers-exact-derby-revenge-with-2-0-win-over-sydney-fc-at-allianz-stadium/story-e6frfkp9-1226537571410 | agency=AAP | title=Western Sydney Wanderers exact derby revenge with 2-0 win over Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium | date=15 December 2012}} In February 2013, Hersi re-signed with the Wanderers for another season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/a-league/hersi-extends-aleague-stay-with-wanderers-20130206-2dx8a.html|title=Hersi extends A-League stay with Wanderers}} On 10 March 2013, against Wellington Phoenix Hersi broke the Australian football record for most consecutive wins for a player (14) beating Matt Horsley's 13 wins for the Wollongong Wolves from April to December 2001.[http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/265900,wanderers-leap-towards-the-title.aspx FourFourTwo | Football News, Features and Statistics] Hersi was sent off with a second yellow card in the Wanderers' Grand Final qualifier against Brisbane Roar and subsequently missed the 2013 A-League Grand Final in which the Wanderers lost 2–0 to Central Coast Mariners.{{cite web | url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/youssouf-hersi-reveals-he-was-warned-by-wanderers-staff-to-calm-down-before-receiving-red-card/story-e6frf4gl-1226620141539#.UYCU66KBkhE | title=Motorsport Video |Motorsport Highlights, Replays, News, Clips }}

In May 2014 Hersi signed with Perth Glory.{{cite web|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/perthglory/news-display/HERSI-HEADS-FOR-GLORY/90474|title=HERSI HEADS FOR GLORY|publisher=Football Federation Australia|date=13 May 2014|access-date=5 June 2014|archive-date=14 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514201932/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/perthglory/news-display/hersi-heads-for-glory/90474|url-status=dead}} He requested a release from the club in May 2015, which was granted despite having another year to run on his contract.{{Cite web|url=https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/soccer/youssouf-hersi-granted-release-from-perth-glory-20150522-gh7u1c.html|title=Youssouf Hersi granted release from Perth Glory|first=Dominic|last=Bossi|date=22 May 2015|website=WAtoday}}

Hersi was set to sign for the Central Coast Mariners in February 2016, but the deal was scuppered at the last minute after he travelled to Australia on the wrong type of visa.{{Cite web|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2016/02/02/11th-hour-visa-issue-thwarts-hersis-mariners-deal|title=11th-hour visa issue thwarts Hersi's Mariners deal|work=The World Game }}

International career

Hersi played with the Dutch under-21 team at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship.{{FIFA player|180812}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/nationalleagues/nationalleague=australia-a-league-2000000086/news/newsid/228/271/6/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225141735/http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/nationalleagues/nationalleague=australia-a-league-2000000086/news/newsid/228/271/6/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 February 2014|title=Journeyman Hersi smiling Down Under|publisher=FIFA.com|date=25 February 2014|access-date=21 February 2015}}

He was never capped for the Dutch full national side, although he had expressed an interest in representing the nation of his birth Ethiopia at the international level,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/4237185.stm|title=Hersi keen on Ethiopia|date=4 February 2005|author=Nicolas White|publisher=BBC Sport}}