Lamine Koné
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sunderland A.F.C. Season 2016-
Personal information
Date of birth
1 February 1988
Place of birth
Paris, France
Height
1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Playing position
Centre back
Club information
Current team
Sunderland A.F.C.
Number
2
Youth career
SO Paris
1998-2002
US Alfortville
2002-2003
Châteauroux
2003-2006
Senior career*
Châteauroux
2006-2010
74x apps / 4x goals
Lorient
2010-
112x / 7x goals
Lorient B
2010-2015
12x apps / 0x goal
National team
France U17
2005-2006
5x apps / 0x goal
France U18
2006-2007
6x apps / 0x goal
France U19
2007-2008
5x apps / 0x goal
France U20
2009-2010
8x apps / 0x goal
Ivory Coast
2014-
1x apps / 0x goal
(* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:46, 25 September 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (goals)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 August 2010)
Lamine Koné, born 1 February 1989, is an French-born Ivorian footballer who currently plays for French club FC Lorient in Ligue 1.
He plays as centre back and is a French youth international having played at under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-20 level.
Koné played with the latter team at the 2009 Mediterranean Games and the 2010 Toulon Tournament.
Career
Koné began his career with local youth clubs in the Île-de-France region.
In 2003, he joined second division club LB Châteauroux and, after three years in the club's youth academy, was promoted to the senior team for the 2005-06 season.
Koné made his professional debut on 27 April 2007 in a league match against Montpellier.
He spent three more years at the club amassing over 60 appearances.
On 30 July 2010, Koné joined Lorient on a four-year contract.
The transfer fee was priced at €1 million.
He signed for three more years at 23 July 2013.
Kalou, scored 23 goals in 67 appearances for Ivory Coast - He has proved his class in the Premier League, Champions League and with his national team.
Toure faced racist taunts when the clubs met in the Champions League a year ago and the two sides will cross swords again this season.
Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia has been coaxed out of international retirement by coach Herve Renard and named in the squad for September's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
This weekend's fixtures
GROUP A
• Real Bamako vs Coton Sport 1:1
• AC Leopards (CGO) vs ASEC Mimosas 4:1
GROUP B
• Sewe San Pedro vs Nkana 3:0
• Al Ahly vs Etoile Sahel 0:0
Sierra Leone have climbed 14 places in the Fifa world rankings for August, lifting them into the top 50 for the fist time in their history.
A second-half hat-trick from Kader Bidimbou and a Cesaire Gandze strike gave Leopards the victory which helps them close the gap on leaders Coton Sport to just two points with one round of group matches remaining.
Frenchman Herve Renard has been appointed coach of Ivory Coast. The 45-year-old had two spells as Zambia coach and led them to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012.
Toure, who signed a new four-year deal last season, also wants to see more signings in the coming weeks to help establish City as a "massive" club.
Group A
• 27 July: Coton Sport vs Asec Mimosas 2:1
• 27 July: AC Leopards vs Real Bamako 1:2
Group B
• 27 July: Al Ahly vs Sewe Sports 1:0
• 27 July: Nkana vs Etoile du Sahel 4:3
The Ivory Coast international was voted Chelsea's greatest ever player in a poll of fans in 2012 and has spoken of his close ties to the Blues. His 34 goals for Chelsea in European competition remains a club record, as do his nine strikes in nine cup finals.
