 Gestede withEsteghlal in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rudy Philippe Michel Camille Gestede[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1988-10-10)10 October 1988 (age 37)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Essey-lès-Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Blackburn Rovers (Head of Football Operations) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2007 | Metz | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2010 | Metz B | 27 | (3) |
| 2007–2011 | Metz | 28 | (3) |
| 2009–2010 | →Cannes (loan) | 22 | (4) |
| 2011–2014 | Cardiff City | 55 | (7) |
| 2013–2014 | →Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 6 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | Blackburn Rovers | 60 | (32) |
| 2015–2017 | Aston Villa | 50 | (9) |
| 2017–2020 | Middlesbrough | 59 | (6) |
| 2020–2021 | Melbourne Victory | 18 | (5) |
| 2021 | Panetolikos | 3 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Esteghlal | 23 | (3) |
| Total | 351 | (75) | |
| International career | |||
| 2006–2008 | France U19 | 17 | (0) |
| 2013–2016 | Benin | 11 | (3) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rudy Philippe Michel Camille Gestede (born 10 October 1988) is a former professionalfootballer who played as astriker. He is currently head of football operations atBlackburn Rovers.
After coming through the youth ranks atMetz, Gestede spent a year on loan gaining experience withCannes, scoring four goals in 22 appearances, before returning to Metz in 2010. In the summer of 2011, he joinedCardiff City, helping the club to secure promotion to the Premier League. However, he found first team chances limited with Cardiff at the start of2013–14, prompting a loan move toBlackburn Rovers in 2013. In January 2014, he made a permanent transfer to Blackburn and established himself in the first team, forming a prolific partnership withJordan Rhodes in attack.
Gestede played internationally for France atunder-19 level before switching international allegiance to Benin, going on to win 11 caps for the national side since his debut in 2013.
Born inEssey-lès-Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle,[2] Gestede started at youth level at the age of 16, in 2004, where he played forMetz. A year later, he signed a professional contract with Metz's B Team. In 2007, he was promoted to play for the first team, whilst still also continuing to play for the B team, but in 2010, he ended his five years playing for the B team when he was sent on loan toCannes.
Gestede joinedFootball League Championship sideCardiff City on a week-long trial during City's training camp inSeville, Spain in July 2011. He scored his first goal for Cardiff in the 25th minute of the club's pre-season friendly againstCharlton Athletic on 15 July.[3][4] On 23 July, Gestede passed his medical and was unveiled as a Cardiff City player three days later.[5] He made his competitive debut for Cardiff on 7 August againstWest Ham United, coming on in the 68th minute in place ofRobert Earnshaw, setting upKenny Miller for the match's only goal. Gestede's first start came the following game three days later, on 10 August, againstOxford United in theLeague Cup.[6] He made his 50th appearance in a 5–3 victory overHuddersfield Town, putting in a man of the match performance. Gestede scored his first goal for Cardiff City againstLeicester City in theLeague Cup, before going on to convert from the penalty spot in his side's 7–6 penalty shootout victory over Leicester.[7]
Gestede's first league goal came on 15 October against Ipswich Town, with the game also marking his first league start for Cardiff. The following game, however, on 21 October, he suffered an hamstring injury, which meant he was ruled out for several weeks.[8] He returned in a goalless draw atMillwall on 10 December. Gestede scored a penalty in Cardiff City's semi-final victory againstCrystal Palace in the League Cup. Gestede scored his third goal for Cardiff on 14 February 2012, in a 3–1 win over Peterborough. In theLeague Cup Final againstPremier League clubLiverpool atWembley Stadium on 26 February, Cardiff City lost 3–2 on penalties, with Gestede missing one of City's spot-kicks. On 19 April, Gestede signed a two-year deal keeping him atCardiff City Stadium until 2014.[9]
Gestede suffered a pre-season injury which kept him out of the first two months of the2012–13 season.[citation needed] He made his return on 6 October coming on in the second half against Ipswich Town.[citation needed] Gestede's first goal of the season came on 15 December in a 2–1 loss against Peterborough United. Gestede scored two headers[when?] as City beatNottingham Forest 3–0 at Cardiff City Stadium. He collected a winners' medal as City won theChampionship title and were promoted to thePremier League in April 2013.
On 26 November 2013, Gestede joinedBlackburn Rovers on loan until the end of 2013 under an emergency loan arrangement after he found his playing time at Cardiff reduced since their promotion to the Premier League.[10] Blackburn managerGary Bowyer stated that Gestede was the type of player the team needed to assist talismanJordan Rhodes in an important season for the club.
Gestede scored his first goal for Rovers on 1 January 2014 againstLeeds United via a header in a 2–1 victory.[11]
On 1 January 2014, Gestede signed for the club permanently, on a three-and-a-half-year deal, along withTom Cairney, who was also on loan at Blackburn at the same time as him.[12] On 21 April, Gestede scored a first-half hat-trick, againstBirmingham City.[13] He won theChampionship Player of the Month Award for April after scoring six goals in the seven games in that month.[14]
On 31 July 2015, after intense speculation, Gestede signed for Premier League clubAston Villa on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £6 million.[15] He made his debut as a substitute away atBournemouth, heading the winning goal in a 1–0 victory.[16] On 22 September 2015, he scored the winner in a 1–0League Cup victory over archrivals Birmingham City.[17] On 26 September 2015, he scored a brace in a 3–2 defeat toLiverpool away atAnfield.[18]
On 2 January 2017, Aston Villa accepted a bid fromPremier League clubMiddlesbrough for Gestede, reported to be in the region of £6m.[19] He officially signed for the club on 4 January 2017.[20] Gestede made his debut for the club and his top-level return in a 0–0 draw againstWatford on 14 January 2017.[21] He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 defeat againstManchester United on 19 March 2017.[22] On 21 August 2017,Middlesbrough rejected a £6 million bid for the player fromLeeds United.[23][24]
He picked up an injury in September 2017, after picking up a dead leg which required surgery after a bleed.[25] He returned from the injury on 2 December 2017 againstBristol City,[26] he picked up another injury which almost ended his season when he fractured his ankle againstHull City in February 2018.[27] He returned on 15 May 2018 forMiddlesbrough as a second-half substitute in the Championship Playoff Semi Final second leg againstAston Villa.[28]
Gestede was released byMiddlesbrough on 30 June 2020, after previously refusing to play the remaining games of the 2019–20 season.[29]
On 25 November 2020Melbourne Victory announced that they had signed Gestede. He was quoted as saying “I am extremely pleased to have signed with Melbourne Victory for this season, after speaking with the club, in particularGrant Brebner, I was very impressed with the vision they outlined around the brand of football they want to play and the role they want me to play.”[30]
In his debut season with the Victory, Gestede made 18 appearances, finishing with 5 goals and 2 assists; alongsideJake Brimmer andElvis Kamsoba, Gestede finished as Melbourne Victory's joint top goalscorer for the 2020–21 season.[31]
After a season at Melbourne Victory, he signed a 2-year deal for Greek club Panetolikos, but he played 3 games (all in the starting eleven) and scored one goal.
On 30 October 2021, Gestede signed forEsteghlal on a two-year contract.[32] He was given shirt number 39.[33] Six days later, he made his debut for the club in a 1–1 draw againstFajr Sepasi.[34] On 24 December, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 victory againstShahr Khodro.[35] On 17 March 2022, he scored 2 minutes after coming on as a substitute in a match againstPersepolis, becoming Esteghlal's first non-Iranian player to score in theTehran Derby.[36] He left the club after his first season following his contract termination by mutual consent.[37]
He announced his retirement a year later.[38]
Gestede played for theFrance under-19 national team between 2006 and 2008. He was called up for theBenin national team in February 2013 for theWorld Cup qualifiers due to a parent being of Beninois origin; he was also eligible for theUnited States through a grandparent.[39]
After three years, he was recalled to the national team in August 2019.[40]
On 14 June 2024, Gestede returned to former club Blackburn Rovers as Head of Football Operations.[41]
In the summer of 2012, Rudy's wife, Hawa, gave birth to their first child, Elijah Gestede.[42] He is a Muslim.[43]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Metz | 2010–11[44] | Ligue 2 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 |
| Cardiff City | 2011–12[45] | Championship | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 31 | 3 |
| 2012–13[46] | Championship | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 5 | |
| 2013–14[47] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 55 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 63 | 9 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 2013–14[47] | Championship | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2013–14[47] | Championship | 21 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 12 |
| 2014–15[48] | Championship | 39 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 22 | |
| Total | 66 | 33 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 35 | ||
| Aston Villa | 2015–16 | Premier League | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 36 | 6 |
| 2016–17 | Championship | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 4 | |
| Total | 50 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 58 | 10 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2016–17 | Premier League | 16 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Championship | 19 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 4 | |
| 2018–19 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2019–20 | Championship | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 2 | |
| Total | 59 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 71 | 8 | ||
| Melbourne Victory | 2020–21 | A-League | 17 | 5 | — | — | 17 | 5 | ||
| Esteghlal | 2021–22 | Persian Gulf Pro League | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 25 | 3 | |
| Career total | 269 | 64 | 23 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 292 | 73 | ||
Cardiff City
Esteghlal
Individual
