.jpg) Gervinho with theIvory Coast at the2014 FIFA World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gervais Yao Kouassi[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1987-05-27)27 May 1987 (age 38)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Anyama, Ivory Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[3] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2002 | ASEC Mimosas Abidjan | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Toumodi | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Beveren | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Beveren | 61 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Le Mans | 59 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Lille | 67 | (28) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Arsenal | 46 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2016 | Roma | 71 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2018 | Hebei China Fortune | 29 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2021 | Parma | 88 | (23) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Trabzonspor | 9 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Aris | 11 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | 441 | (107) | ||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Ivory Coast U23 | 4 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2021 | Ivory Coast | 88 | (23) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:00, 21 December 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 11 October 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Gervais Yao Kouassi (born 27 May 1987), known asGervinho, is an Ivorian former professionalfootballer who plays as aforward.
Gervinho began his career atASEC Abidjan andToumodi, before moving to Belgium in 2004 to play forBeveren. Between 2007 and 2011, he played in the FrenchLigue 1, initially atLe Mans and then atLille. In his final season in France, he helped his club win the league and theCoupe de France. He was sold toArsenal in 2011 for £10.8 million and moved toRoma in 2013 for €8 million. In January 2016, Gervinho moved toHebei China Fortune. In August 2018, he joinedParma.
Internationally, Gervinho represented theIvory Coast. He made over 80 appearances for the national team from his debut in 2007 until 2021, scoring 23 goals. He was part of the squad at fiveAfrica Cup of Nations tournaments and twoWorld Cups.
Gervinho was born inAnyama, Ivory Coast.[4] He began his career in the famedASEC Abidjan youth academy, where he spent five years. AtASEC Abidjan, he was given theBrazilian Portuguese stylenickname "Gervinho", derived from his first name Gervais, by theBrazilian coach who trained ASEC Abidjan.[5][6] The suffix "-inho", in Portuguese, denotes smallness and/or affection, in this case, effectively meaning "Little Gervais".
Following this, he moved to Ivorian Deuxieme Division Zone Four side Toumodi F.C., where he turned professional.[7]
Gervinho played for two seasons at Belgian sideK.S.K. Beveren, where he made 61 appearances for the club and scored 14 goals.
At the end of the 2006–07 season Gervinho moved toLigue 1 sideLe Mans, where he played alongside Ivorian international midfielderRomaric. He scored two goals in his debut season in Ligue 1,[4] with one of them coming againstAS Nancy.[8] Gervinho scored 9 times in 59 Ligue 1 appearances over 2 seasons with the French side.
On 21 July 2009, Gervinho joinedLille for a reported fee of about €6 million (US$8.5 million) on a three-year contract.[9] Gervinho scored 13 times in 32 appearances in his debut season for the club.[4] His first goal for Lille came in a 3–2 victory away toUS Boulogne on 4 October 2009.[10]
Gervinho had an even more successful second season with Lille. He scored 18 goals in all competitions, 15 in Ligue 1,[11] to help Lille win the Ligue 1 for the first time in 56 years.[12] His side were also crownedCoupe de France champions, with Gervinho scoring a goal in the 2–0 semi-final victory overNice on 20 April.[13][14] At the end of the season, Gervinho was linked with clubs like Arsenal,[15]Paris Saint-Germain,[16]Atlético Madrid[17] andNewcastle United.[18]
On 12 July 2011, Gervinho completed a transfer from Lille toArsenal for a fee believed to be around £10.8 million.[19][20][21] Gervinho was given the number 27 shirt, which was last worn byIvory Coast teammateEmmanuel Eboué who was already on the verge of leaving the club.[22] He made his debut in a pre-season friendly match against1. FC Köln, in which he scored a brace within the first 15 minutes.[23] He was sent off on hisPremier League debut againstNewcastle United for slappingJoey Barton. The game finished 0–0.[24] This resulted in a standard three-match ban for violent conduct.[25]Alan Pardew (manager of Newcastle United) accused Gervinho of diving whenCheick Tioté challenged him inside the box.[26]
He scored his first league goal in a 4–3 loss toBlackburn Rovers.[27] On 23 October 2011 Gervinho followed this up by contributing to all three goals in Arsenal's 3–1 win overStoke City, scoring the first and assisting both ofRobin van Persie's goals.[28] He then scored his third goal for Arsenal on 3 December 2011, in a 4–0 win atWigan Athletic, scoring the third goal of the match in a comfortable victory. He scored his fourth goal of his time at Arsenal on 27 December 2011 in the 1–1 draw against Wolves. Gervinho then departed for the Africa Cup of Nations after a 2–1 defeat toFulham. Gervinho made his return on 18 February 2012 in theFA Cup match againstSunderland which ended in a 2–0 defeat that knocked Arsenal out of the2011–12 FA Cup.[29]
Gervinho played in three of the first four league games of the season and scored a double in the 6–1 home victory overSouthampton on 15 September.[30] Gervinho scored his firstChampions League goal of the new season in a 2–1 victory overLigue 1 championsHSC Montpellier on 18 September.[31]
On 16 March, Gervinho sealed a 2–0 win atSwansea City by scoring his first goal for Arsenal since September.[32] On 30 March, Gervinho scored a goal and assisted two others as Arsenal beatReading 4–1 and was named asman of the match.[33][34]
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On 8 August 2013, Arsenal sold Gervinho to Italian clubA.S. Roma for €8 million.[35] He made his first appearance for Roma as a substitute againstLivorno on 25 August.[36] It took until 25 September for Gervinho to score his first official goal for Roma, finishing from close range after an assist fromFrancesco Totti, which sealed a 2–0 defeat ofSampdoria.[37] In the followingSerie A match, he helped Roma record six straight victories to begin the season by netting two goals in their 5–0 defeat ofBologna.[38]
In the quarter-final round of theCoppa Italia on 21 January 2014, Gervinho netted the game's only goal with an acrobatic finish from aKevin Strootman pass to advance pastJuventus and into the semi-finals.[39] In the first leg of their semi-final tie withNapoli on 5 February, Gervinho netted twice, including a late game-winning goal to send Roma into the second leg with a 3–2 advantage.[40]
On 30 August 2014, Gervinho scored in the Roma's second goal in a 2–0 win overFiorentina to start the2014–15 season. He scored his first goals in European competition for Roma on 17 September 2014, netting twice in the 5–1Champions League group stage victory overCSKA Moscow.
In January 2016, Gervinho moved to newly promotedChinese Super League teamHebei China Fortune for a reported initial fee of €18 million.[41] On 4 March 2016, Gervinho scored on his competitive debut in a 1–2 away win againstGuangzhou R&F on the opening game of the2016 Chinese Super League.[42]
In October 2016, Gervinho ruptured the ligaments in his left knee whilst in training for Hebei China Fortune. As a result of this, he missed the2017 Africa Cup of Nations.[43]
On 17 August 2018, Gervinho returned to Serie A by signing forParma Calcio 1913 alongside his former Roma teammateSalih Uçan.[44][45] He made his Parma debut as a substitute in a 1–0 away loss toS.P.A.L. nine days later,[46] and on 1 September he scored on his first start for the club, a 2–1 home defeat to reigning champions Juventus.[47][48] Three weeks afterwards, he scored a "staggering goal" in a 2–0 home win overCagliari by running with the ball up the whole pitch.[49] On 19 January 2019, he scored a game winner in a 2-1 victory overUdinese.[50] On 2 February, he scored twice to earn a draw for Parma against Juventus in a 3–3 draw.[51]
In October 2019 he extended his contract with Parma until 30 June 2022.[52]
Shortly after Parma was relegated from Serie A, on 26 May 2021, it was announced that Gervinho had joined Turkish sideTrabzonspor on a permanent basis.[53] He scored on hisSüper Lig debut for the club, a 5–1 win overYeni Malatyaspor on 16 August.[54]
On 15 July 2022, he signed forAris inSuper League Greece.[55]
Gervinho captainedIvory Coast at U23 level.[7]
He was named in the Ivorian senior squad for the first time for the friendlies againstAngola andQatar in November 2007, and was picked for the Ivorian squad for their2008 African Cup of Nations campaign inGhana where he was given the number 10 shirt. He made his competitive debut for the Ivorian club during the 2008 Nations Cup where he made two substitute appearances.
He represented his country at the2008 Olympic tournament where he was captain.[5] After Ivory Coast lost toArgentina in the first match, Gervinho scored one goal and set up two others in a 4–2 victory overSerbia.[56]
On 15 January 2010, Gervinho scored his third international goal in the African Nations Cup group stage game against Ghana.[57] He made a total of three appearances in the tournament, scoring once.[58]
Gervinho missed a sudden-death penalty in the shoot-out at the2012 Africa Cup of Nations Final, after whichStopila Sunzu scored to win the tournament forZambia.[59]
In the Ivory Coast's opening match at the2015 Africa Cup of Nations inEquatorial Guinea, Gervinho was sent off for strikingGuinea'sNaby Keïta during a 1–1 draw at theEstadio de Malabo. He was given a two-match ban for the incident.[60] Gervinho returned for the Ivory Coast's quarter-final againstAlgeria, scoring the last goal of a 3–1 win,[61] and also netted in a semi-final victory of the same score against theDR Congo.[62]
Gervinho made only three appearances, all as a substitute, in qualifying for the2010 World Cup but still scored twice.[5] On 15 June 2010, he played his first match in a World Cup. He played 82 minutes in Ivory Coast's opening match in Group G againstPortugal, which ended 0–0.[7] In total he made three appearances in the World Cup.[5]
Gervinho was included in Ivory Coast's 23-man squad for the2014 FIFA World Cup.[63] In their first group match againstJapan, he scored the team's winning goal fromSerge Aurier's cross in a 2–1 win.[64] In the next match, he scored the only goal forLes Éléphants as they were defeated 2–1 byColombia inBrasília.[65]
Gervinho is generally deployed as a forward, more often on thewing, and takes a more attacking role than a typical midfielder. A quick, powerful, energetic, and agile player, he possesses good ball control anddribbling skills, which, coupled with his short, fast bursts of pace and sudden changes of direction, lead him to be considered a very direct player.[66] Playing from the left allows him to cut in onto his favoured right foot to shoot. Although in a4–4–2 formation, Gervinho can take on a more central role, but for both club and country is often utilized on either wing in a4–3–3 formation.[67]
Rudi Garcia, who managed Gervinho at Lille and Roma, has described him as a player who needs confidence and who makes opportunities for his teammates.[68]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Beveren | 2005–06 | Belgian First Division | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 6 | ||
| 2006–07 | 29 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 61 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 61 | 14 | ||||
| Le Mans | 2007–08 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | 30 | 6 | |
| 2008–09 | 33 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 37 | 8 | |||
| Total | 59 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | — | 67 | 14 | |||
| Lille | 2009–10 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11[a] | 5 | 43 | 18 |
| 2010–11 | 35 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7[a] | 0 | 50 | 18 | ||
| Total | 67 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 5 | 93 | 36 | ||
| Arsenal | 2011–12 | Premier League | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7[b] | 0 | 37 | 4 |
| 2012–13 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[b] | 2 | 26 | 7 | ||
| Total | 46 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 63 | 11 | ||
| Roma | 2013–14 | Serie A | 33 | 9 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 37 | 12 | ||
| 2014–15 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 10[c] | 5 | 34 | 7 | |||
| 2015–16 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 1 | 17 | 7 | |||
| Total | 71 | 17 | 4 | 3 | — | 13 | 6 | 88 | 26 | |||
| Hebei China Fortune | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 3 | ||
| 2017 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 1 | ||||
| 2018 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 4 | ||||
| Parma | 2018–19 | Serie A | 30 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 11 | ||
| 2019–20 | 31 | 7 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 32 | 9 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 88 | 23 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 89 | 25 | ||||
| Trabzonspor | 2021–22 | Süper Lig | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[d] | 0 | 13 | 2 | |
| Aris | 2022–23 | Superleague Greece | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | |
| Career total | 441 | 107 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 48 | 13 | 514 | 133 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivory Coast | 2007 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2010 | 14 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2012 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2014 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 88 | 23 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 November 2009 | Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny,Abidjan, Ivory Coast |  Guinea | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 2–0 | |||||
| 3 | 15 January 2010 | Estádio Chimandela,Cabinda, Angola |  Ghana | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2010 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 4 | 17 November 2010 | Stadion Miejski,Poznań, Poland |  Poland | 1–1 | 1–3 | Friendly |
| 5 | 5 June 2011 | Stade de l'Amitie,Cotonou, Benin |  Benin | 3–0 | 6–2 | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 6 | 5–2 | |||||
| 7 | 3 September 2011 | Stade Amahoro,Kigali, Rwanda |  Rwanda | 5–0 | 5–0 | |
| 8 | 8 February 2012 | Stade d'Angondjé,Libreville, Gabon |  Mali | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 9 | 8 September 2012 | Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Ivory Coast |  Senegal | 2–2 | 4–2 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 10 | 14 January 2013 | Al Nahyan Stadium,Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |  Egypt | 1–0 | 4–2 | Friendly |
| 11 | 3–1 | |||||
| 12 | 22 January 2013 | Royal Bafokeng Stadium,Rustenburg, South Africa |  Togo | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 13 | 26 January 2013 |  Tunisia | 1–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 14 | 4 June 2014 | Toyota Stadium,Texas, United States |  El Salvador | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 15 | 14 June 2014 | Itaipava Arena Pernambuco,São Lourenço da Mata, Brazil |  Japan | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 16 | 19 June 2014 | Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha,Brasília, Brazil |  Colombia | 1–2 | 1–2 | |
| 17 | 6 September 2014 | Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Ivory Coast |  Sierra Leone | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 18 | 14 November 2014 | 4–1 | 5–1 | |||
| 19 | 1 February 2015 | Estadio de Malabo,Malabo, Equatorial Guinea |  Algeria | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 20 | 4 February 2015 | Estadio de Bata,Bata, Equatorial Guinea |  DR Congo | 2–1 | 3–1 | |
| 21 | 25 March 2016 | Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Ivory Coast |  Sudan | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 22 | 8 October 2016 | Stade Bouaké,Bouaké, Ivory Coast | Mali | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 23 | 12 November 2020 | Stade National de la Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Ivory Coast |  Madagascar | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
Lille
Trabzonspor
Ivory Coast
Individual
Ivory Coast squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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