Emmanuel Eboué
Eboué playing for Galatasaray in 2012
Personal information
Full name Emmanuel Eboué[1]
Date of birth (1983-06-04) 4 June 1983[2]
Place of birth Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[3]
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
2000–2001 ASEC Mimosas
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 ASEC Mimosas 25 (3)
2002–2004 Beveren 70 (4)
2004–2011 Arsenal 132 (4)
2011–2015 Galatasaray 77 (4)
2016 Sunderland 0 (0)
Total 304 (15)
International career
2004–2013 Ivory Coast 79 (3)
Medal record
Representing  Ivory Coast
Men's football
Africa Cup of Nations
Runner-up2012 Eguatorial Guinea-Gabon
Runner-up2006 Egypt
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Emmanuel Eboué (born 4 June 1983) is an Ivorian former professional footballer who played as a right back.

Formed at ASEC Mimosas, he moved to Europe to play for Belgium's Beveren in 2002. He spent most of his career, from 2005 to 2011, with Arsenal of the Premier League, playing 214 games, including the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. Later he moved to Galatasaray, where he played regularly and won five domestic honours in Turkey. Eboué made his international debut for the Ivory Coast in 2004, eventually earning 79 caps by 2013. He was part of their squads at five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and two World Cups.

Club career

Early career

Born in Abidjan,[2] Eboué began his football career in the ASEC Mimosas youth academy. In 2002, Eboué moved to ASEC's Belgian parent club KSK Beveren and spent three seasons there. His impressive performances in Belgium caught the eye of Arsenal's scouts.

Arsenal

2004–05 season

Eboué's debut came only days after signing from Beveren, in the FA Cup against Stoke City. Although he was not initially a first team regular, making just one FA Premier League appearance, as a substitute, in 2004–05, Eboué was regularly in Arsenal's reserve team. He did however contribute three appearances to Arsenal's victorious 2004–05 FA Cup campaign.[4]

2005–06 season

In 2005–06, Eboué made his breakthrough into the Arsenal side. He started the season mainly as a reserve player, though he scored his first goal for Arsenal in the club's 3–0 League Cup third round victory at Sunderland on 25 October 2005. Despite leaving for the African Cup of Nations in January 2006, he was immediately sent into action on his return; he made his first career Premiership start at right back against Liverpool at Anfield, replacing the injured Lauren. With Lauren injured for the rest of the season, Eboué unexpectedly held his place for the remainder of Arsenal's 2005–06 campaign.

Emmanuel playing for Arsenal in August 2007

Eboué's run in the Arsenal side included matches in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase against Real Madrid, Juventus, and Villarreal. Impressed with the way the Ivorian adapted to the increased pace of the Premiership and pressure of the Champions League, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger even compared Eboué to the legendary Brazilian winger Garrincha after an energetic performance in the 1 April 2006 game against Aston Villa.[5] Eboué continued in the starting line-up for Arsenal in the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final at the Stade de France.

2006–07 season

Eboué started the 2006–07 season, and was named the Arsenal Player of the Month for September. However, he was injured in an international and spent the whole of the month of October out with injury. He made his first team return as a substitute in the 1–0 defeat by West Ham United on 5 November, and started the League Cup win over Everton later that same week. He scored his second Arsenal goal in their 3–1 Champions League victory over Hamburg on 21 November 2006. Persistent ankle problems have plagued him throughout December 2006 and January 2007. He attempted to make many comebacks, mostly against high-profile teams such as Liverpool, in the FA Cup third Round and Manchester United, but he was unable to come through them unscathed. Wenger decided to wait until there was no chance that there would be a recurrence of the injury. He came off the bench for Armand Traoré in the League Cup final against Chelsea. He started the match against Blackburn Rovers in the FA cup 5th Round Replay, only for his ankle to get injured again from a studs-up challenge from Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen, which the referee also missed. In May 2007, Eboué signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.

2007–08 season

Eboué in action for the Gunners

From the start of the 2007–08 season, Arsène Wenger stated his intention to move Eboué into a role on the right wing, following the signing of Bacary Sagna. On 20 September 2008, Eboué scored his first Premier League goal against Bolton Wanderers in an away match, which Arsenal won 3–1.[6]

2008–09 season

During the 2008–09 season, he was frequently criticised by Arsenal fans after some less-than-satisfactory performances. In December 2008 against Wigan Athletic at the Emirates, Eboué played particularly poorly after being brought on as a substitute. He made many unforced errors to the point where a small section of Arsenal fans began to boo him. Eboué continued to lose possession and in the second half, Eboué tackled his own player and gifted possession to Wigan. He was subsequently substituted. This dramatic dip in form also coincided with other problems in the team, notably the absence of teammate Theo Walcott (who also played regularly on the right wing) through injury. Further appearances were confined to playing as a wing-forward or right back. On 8 March 2009, he scored the third goal against Burnley in the FA Cup fifth round match. On 14 March, he scored two goals (one a penalty) in the Gunners' 4–0 hammering of Blackburn Rovers.[7]

2009–10 season

He scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season for Arsenal against Wigan Athletic at the Emirates Stadium, on 19 September 2009, the fixture in which he was booed by a small section of his own fans in the previous season. On 9 March 2010, in the second leg of Arsenal's Champions League tie at home to Porto, Eboué scored the fourth goal in a 5–0 win having come on as a substitute. In March 2010, Eboué dismissed speculation he would leave Arsenal and pledged to see out the remainder of his contract.[8]

2010–11 season

At the end of 2010, late October or November, Eboué signed another long-term contract with Arsenal.[9]

In April 2011, Eboué scored for Arsenal in their 3–1 win over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, with a powerful strike from his weaker left foot, which helped keep Arsenal's title hopes alive. In the following match against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium, however, he conceded a last-minute penalty by pushing Lucas Leiva in the back which denied the club victory and left them six points adrift of the leaders. On 8 May 2011, he was an unused substitute in the game against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium in a 3–1 defeat.

At the end of the 2010–11 season, Eboué made 27 appearances in total and scored once in all competitions.

Galatasaray

2011–12 season

Eboué playing for Galatasaray in 2012

At the start of the 2011–12 season, Eboué lost his squad number to new signing Gervinho, who was given the number 27 shirt upon his arrival, which left Eboué's future at the club unclear. On 16 August 2011, Eboué completed a move to Turkish club Galatasaray[10][11] for €3.5 million in 4-year contract (worth €2.35M a season plus bonus).[12] Following his move to Galatasaray, Eboué revealed that manager Arsène Wenger told him he would have few first-team opportunities and to listen to interest to join the Turkish side.[13] On 11 September 2011, Eboué made his debut in the clubs shirt in a 2–0 loss against İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi.

In the match between Galatasaray and Beşiktaş which was 0–0, Eboué was pelted with missiles from the crowd whenever he neared the touchline.[14] On 3 December 2011, Eboué scored his first goal against Gençlerbirliği, which was the only goal in a 1–0 win. He played 31 matches in the league as he secured his first league title of his professional career.

2012–13 season

In Eboué's second season at the club, the Ivorian helped the team claim victory in the Turkish Super Cup on 12 August 2012, playing the whole game in an entertaining 3–2 victory over rivals Fenerbahçe at the Kazım Karabekir Stadium in Erzurum.[15] Eboué was part of the squad that surprisingly fell 2–1 to Turkish Second Division side 1461 Trabzon in December 2012.

During the 2013 winter transfer window, he was joined by national teammate Didier Drogba on 28 January 2013.[16][17] On 9 April 2013, in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against La Liga club Real Madrid, Eboué scored from long range as Galatarsay secured a 3–2 win, falling 5–3 on aggregate.[18] Eboué helped Galatasaray defend their league title, playing the full ninety minutes in their 4–2 defeat of Sivasspor on 5 May, a win which secured the club's 19th Turkish Super Lig title.[19] In Gala's following match on 12 May, the Kıtalar Arası Derbi against Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray lost the match 2–1 but Eboué and Drogba were subject to racist abuse from Fenerbahçe fans during the game and no punishment was handed down on the club or its supporters.[20]

2014–15 season

Eboue was left out of the main squad by Cesare Prandelli at the beginning of 2014–15 season. As a consequence, he played with the U21 team the whole season. As Galatasaray's foreign player limit was full, he could not return to the team after Prandelli had left.[21] At the end of the season, his contract was not renewed and Eboué left the club.[22]

Sunderland

On 9 March 2016, Eboué signed a short-term contract with Sunderland.[23] On 31 March 2016, Eboué began serving a one-year ban from all football-related activity, for failing to pay a former agent. He was released by Sunderland in April 2016, having not played for the club.[24][25]

Later career

In July 2017, Eboué trained with Hungarian Ferencváros, but could not agree on a contract with the club.[26]

In October 2017, Eboué was looking to join Türk Ocağı Limasol, a team in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The move fell through due to issues with his blood that were discovered in a medical test.[27]

In December 2017, Eboué was offered a job coaching the under-14 team at former club Galatasaray, when their manager Fatih Terim was made aware of Eboué's financial problems.[28]

International career

Eboué debuted for Ivory Coast in 2004 and had generally been a regular fixture in the defence operating at right-back for the Elephants, along with former teammate Kolo Touré. On 18 November 2009, Eboué scored his first goal for Ivory Coast in a 2–2 draw against Germany. He was named in Sven-Göran Eriksson's Ivory Coast squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[29]

Personal life

Eboué is a Christian.[30] He had three children with his Belgian wife, Aurélie, whom he married before joining Arsenal. In December 2017, Eboué told the Sunday Mirror that he is poor and homeless due to his divorce and bad investments that were under his former wife's control.[31][32]

In June 2019, Eboué spoke about his ongoing struggles with mental health.[33]

Career statistics

Club

Source:[34][35][36][37]
  • Allocation of appearances in the various seasons before his Arsenal career is uncertain, and therefore applied to the League section for each club, as per time he spent there.
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
ASEC Mimosas 2001–02 Ivory Coast Ligue 1 253253
Beveren 2002–03 Belgian Pro League 230230
2003–04 Belgian Pro League 302302
2004–05 Belgian Pro League 1727[lower-alpha 3]0242
Total 70470774
Arsenal 2004–05 Premier League 1030000040
2005–06 Premier League 180003111[lower-alpha 4]000321
2006–07 Premier League 24020306[lower-alpha 4]1351
2007–08 Premier League 230201010[lower-alpha 4]0360
2008–09 Premier League 283510011[lower-alpha 4]0444
2009–10 Premier League 251001010[lower-alpha 4]2363
2010–11 Premier League 13130506[lower-alpha 4]0271
Total 13251511315430021410
Galatasaray 2011–12 Super Lig 31320333
2012–13 Super Lig 2800010[lower-alpha 4]11[lower-alpha 5]0391
2013–14 Super Lig 181308[lower-alpha 4]01[lower-alpha 5]0311
2014–15 Super Lig 00000000
Total 77450181201035
Sunderland 2015–16 Premier League 00000000
Career total 304152011317942041621

International

Source:
National teamSeasonAppsGoals
Ivory Coast 200450
200540
2006120
200740
2008160
2009101
2010141
201160
201271
201350
Total793

International goals

Source:[34]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
118 November 2009Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany Germany
1–1
2–2
Friendly
24 September 2010Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Ivory Coast Rwanda
3–0
3–0
2012 African Cup of Nations qualification
330 January 2012Estadio de Malabo, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea Angola
1–0
2–0
2012 African Cup of Nations

Honours

Arsenal

Galatasaray

Ivory Coast

References

  1. "Emmanuel Eboue" (in Turkish). Turkish Football Federation. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  2. 1 2 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  3. "PFA Profile". PFA. 4 November 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2008.
  4. "Games played by Emmanuel Eboue in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  5. "Fabregas, Eboué injury worries for Gunners". ESPN.com. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  6. Hassan, Nabil (20 September 2008). "Bolton 1–3 Arsenal". BBC. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  7. Hughes, Ian (14 March 2009). "Arsenal 4–0 Blackburn". BBC. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  8. ESPN Soccernet – Emmanuel Eboue pledges future to Arsenal. Soccernet.espn.go.com (11 March 2010). Retrieved on 21 March 2012.
  9. "News & Features | Barclays Premier League latest football team news". Premierleague.com. 10 September 2013. Archived from the original on 4 January 2011. Retrieved 2014-03-19.
  10. "Club agrees terms with Galatasaray for Eboue". Arsenal F.C. 16 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  11. "Eboue signs for Gala". FIFA. 16 August 2011. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  12. "Eboué Signs with Galatasaray". Galatasaray S.K. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  13. "Eboue laments lack of first-team opportunities after Arsenal exit". Goal.com. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  14. Callow, James (21 November 2011). "Emmanuel Eboué pelted with missiles while playing for Galatasaray". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  15. "GALATASARAY A.Ş. 3 – FENERBAHÇE A.Ş. 2" (in Turkish). TFF. 12 August 2012.
  16. "Didier Drogba Join Galatasaray" (in Turkish). Galatasaray.org. 28 January 2013. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013.
  17. "Didier Drogba: Galatasaray sign striker from Shanghai Shenhua". BBC Sport. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  18. Jurejko, Jonathan (9 April 2013). "Galatasaray 3-2 Real Madrid (3-5 agg)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  19. "Galatasaray defend crown". ESPNFC. 5 May 2013.
  20. "Galatasaray: Didier Drogba questions racists who abused him". BBC Sport. 14 May 2013.
  21. "Galatasaray'ı sarsan gerçek" (in Turkish). HaberTurk. 24 January 2015.
  22. "Eboue Galatasaray'dan ayrildi" (in Turkish). Superhaber. 1 June 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  23. "Sunderland sign Eboue - SAFC". safc.com. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  24. "Emmanuel Eboué to serve ban". FIFA.com. 31 March 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  25. Guardian sport (31 March 2016). "Emmanuel Eboué's contract terminated by Sunderland amid 12-month Fifa ban". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  26. "A sztár elköszönt". www.fradi.hu.
  27. Wheatley, Chris (2 October 2017). "EBOUE'S TRANSFER ON HOLD AFTER 'ABNORMAL BLOOD VALUE RESULTS' FOUND IN MEDICAL". Goal.com. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  28. "Son dakika Emmanuel Eboue Galatasaray'a dönüyor" [Emmanuel Eboué returns to Galatasaray at the last minute] (in Turkish). CNN. 25 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  29. Sven Goran Eriksson names six strikers in final Ivory Coast squad – ESPN Soccernet. Soccernet.espn.go.com (11 July 2010). Retrieved on 21 March 2012.
  30. "Emmanuel Eboué: The man with no fear – Premier League – Football". The Independent. London. 25 April 2006. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  31. Cole, Brendan (24 December 2017). "'I sleep on a friend's floor and hide from the bailiffs' -Ex-Arsenal star Emmanuel Eboue tells of riches-to-rags story". International Business Times. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  32. de Menezes, Jack (24 December 2017). "Emmanuel Eboue 'dodging bailiffs and sleeping on the floor' as former Arsenal stars admits he's contemplated suicide". The Independent. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  33. Okeleji, Oluwashina (11 June 2019). "Emmanuel Eboue: Former Ivory Coast defender reveals his struggles continue". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  34. 1 2 "Eboué, Emmanuel". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  35. "EMMANUEL EBOUE". Turkish Football Federation. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  36. "Emmanuel Eboue". Mackolik.com. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  37. "Emmanuel Eboue". ESPN.com. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
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