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Cheikhou Kouyaté
Kouyaté playing for West Ham United in 2016
Personal information
Full name Cheikhou Kouyaté[1]
Date of birth (1989-12-21) 21 December 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth Dakar, Senegal
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Youth career
1996–2006 ASC Yego Dakar
2006–2007 RWDM Brussels
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2008 RWDM Brussels 10 (0)
2008–2014 Anderlecht 153 (4)
2008–2009 → Kortrijk (loan) 26 (3)
2014–2018 West Ham United 129 (12)
2018–2022 Crystal Palace 129 (2)
2022–2024 Nottingham Forest 33 (1)
International career‡
2007 Senegal U20 3 (2)
2012 Senegal Olympic 4 (0)
2012– Senegal 92 (4)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Senegal
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 2021 Cameroon
Runner-up 2019 Egypt
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:58, 19 May 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:56, 26 March 2024 (UTC)

Cheikhou Kouyaté (born 21 December 1989) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back for the Senegal national team. He most recently played for Premier League club Nottingham Forest.

Kouyaté moved from Senegal to Belgium in 2006, having been offered a youth contract at RWDM Brussels. He played ten games before moving to Anderlecht aged 19, where he made 206 appearances and won the Belgian First Division A four times. In June 2014, he joined West Ham United of the Premier League, and four years later he transferred to Crystal Palace for an estimated £9.5 million.

Kouyaté represented the Senegal national team at the 2012 Olympics. He played at two FIFA World Cup and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, including Senegal's victory in 2021.

Club career

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Early career

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Kouyaté began his footballing career in 1996 in his hometown with ASC Yego Dakar and was scouted by RWDM Brussels in September 2006. RWDM Brussels then signed the player in January the following year.[3] He went on to play ten league appearances for the first team between 2007 and 2008.[4]

Anderlecht

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As Kouyaté turned 19, he left Brussels because his former employers did not pay him three months' worth of wages. He subsequently moved to Anderlecht in the same city on a four-year deal for a free transfer.[5] He also had a loan at KV Kortrijk. Kouyaté made 153 league appearances for Anderlecht, scoring four goals in five seasons at the club. He won the 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13 and 2013–14 league titles as well as the 2010–11, 2012–13 and 2013–14 Belgian Super Cups.[4][6]

West Ham United

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2014–15 season

[edit]
Kouyaté praying before a West Ham match, August 2014

On 18 June 2014, Kouyaté signed for West Ham United on a four-year contract for a fee of £7 million.[7] He made his West Ham debut on 16 August in a 1–0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, for which his performance was described as "impressive" by the BBC.[8] The following week, manager Sam Allardyce compared him to ex-Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira.[9] On 28 December, Kouyaté scored his first West Ham goal in a 2–1 defeat to Arsenal.[10] His second goal of the season came on 8 February 2015 in a 1–1 draw with Manchester United. His performance in the game won praise from manager Allardyce for Kouyaté's Man of the Match performance which was also singled out as the Individual Performance of the Season, by a West Ham player, at the clubs' annual awards.[11][12] He scored two further goals in the season, in a 2–2 away draw with Tottenham and in a 2–1 away defeat to Leicester City.[13][14] Kouyaté finished the season having played 31 out of a possible 38 Premier League games.[15]

2015–16 season

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On 9 August 2015, Kouyaté scored the opening goal in the 43rd minute in a 2–0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.[16] He then scored in a 4–3 home defeat to Bournemouth on 22 August.[17] He scored his third goal of the season in a 2–2 draw with Norwich City on 26 September, netting the equalizer in the 90th minute to rescue a point for West Ham.[18] In March 2016, Kouyate signed a new, five-year contract with West Ham that could keep him at the club until 2021.[19] Kouyaté was sent-off twice during the 2015–16 season and on both occasions had the card rescinded by The Football Association (FA). On 21 February, he was dismissed by referee Jonathan Moss in a 5–1 FA Cup win at Blackburn Rovers, only for the card to be rescinded a few days later.[20][21] On 2 April, he was dismissed in a Premier League game at the Boleyn Ground against Crystal Palace by referee Mark Clattenburg. This too, however, was overturned a few days later.[22]

2016–17 season

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On 4 August 2016, Kouyaté scored West Ham's first ever goal at the Olympic Stadium, coming in the eighth minute of a Europa League game against NK Domžale. He also scored the second in the game, which West Ham won 3–0.[23] On 26 October 2016, Kouyaté scored the opening goal in a 2–1 EFL Cup victory against rivals Chelsea.[24] On 8 April 2017, Kouyaté scored a "stunning low 25-yard strike", as West Ham beat relegation rivals Swansea City.[25]

2017–18 season

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On 23 September 2017, Kouyaté scored his first goal of the season in a 3–2 loss against Tottenham.[26] Kouyaté's final goal for the club came on 24 November 2017, scoring the equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Leicester City.[27] Kouyaté marked the headed goal with a lowered crossed-armed celebration, designed to help raise awareness about the ongoing slavery in Libya.[28]

Crystal Palace

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On 1 August 2018, Kouyaté completed a move to fellow London club Crystal Palace on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £9.5 million.[29] He made his debut ten days later in a 2–0 win at Fulham, as an 88th-minute substitute for Andros Townsend.[30] He scored his first goal in his 54th game on 26 December 2019, equalising in a 2–1 win over his previous club at Selhurst Park.[31]

After the arrival of Patrick Vieira as manager in 2021, Kouyaté continued to play in midfield or an expanded defence in a 5–3–2 formation (as against part of a back-four in 2020–21) while his former midfield partners Luka Milivojević and James McArthur waned in importance.[32] Kouyaté played in Palace's run to the semi-finals of the 2021–22 FA Cup, scoring in a 2–1 home win over Stoke City in the fifth round on 1 March.[33] In May 2022, Kouyaté called his Senegalese teammate Idrissa Gueye a "real man" for reportedly refusing to wear a Paris Saint-Germain shirt with a rainbow-coloured number for LGBT rights. Vieira said that he would have a private discussion with Kouyaté.[34]

Nottingham Forest

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On 13 August 2022, Kouyaté signed a two-year contract with Premier League club Nottingham Forest.[35] He made his debut for Forest in a 1–1 draw with Everton on 21 August[36] and scored his first goal in a 3–2 loss to Bournemouth on 4 September.[37] On 5 June 2024, the club said he would be leaving in the summer when his contract expired.[38]

International career

[edit]

Kouyaté was called up aged 18 to the Senegal under-20s in the same year as his RWDM Brussels debut. He scored two goals in just three games for the side in 2007.

On 29 February 2012, Kouyaté made his debut for the Senegal senior team as a 56th-minute substitute for Mohamed Diamé in a goalless friendly draw away to South Africa. At the time, he had been in the process of naturalisation as a Belgian citizen, and had been linked to the European country's national team.[39] In the same year, he was announced to be in the squad for Senegal Olympic football team. He played in every game as Senegal's debut appearance in the tournament, which ended in a knockout in the quarter-final.

In January 2015, he was a member of the squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, held in Equatorial Guinea.[40] He scored his first international goal on 5 September in 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, in a 2–0 win away to Namibia.[41]

He was part of the 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia,[42] and played all seven games as Senegal finished runners-up in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. At the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, he played six matches for the winners,[43] having been suspended for the last 16 against Cape Verde.[44] Returning for the quarter-finals against Equatorial Guinea, he restored their lead in a 3–1 win having been on for two minutes as a substitute.[45]

Kouyaté was a member of Senegal's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He started the opening match against the Netherlands, where he sustained a hamstring injury that led to him playing no further part at the tournament.[46][47]

In December 2023, he was named in Senegal's squad for the postponed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in the Ivory Coast.[48]

Personal life

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Kouyaté is married to Zahra Mbow.[49] They have a son born in 2021.[50] According to various Senegalese media outlets, Kouyaté has a second wife.[51][52][53] Kouyaté is a practising Muslim and made the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.[54]

He was appointed a Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion by President of Senegal Macky Sall following the nation's victory at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[55]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 19 May 2024[6][56]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
RWDM Brussels 2007–08 Belgian First Division 10 0 0 0 — — 10 0
K.V. Kortrijk (loan) 2008–09 Belgian Pro League 26 3 0 0 — — 26 3
Anderlecht 2009–10 Belgian Pro League 21 1 3 1 — 9 0 33 2
2010–11 23 1 2 0 — 8 0 33 1
2011–12 38 0 0 0 — 10 0 48 0
2012–13 33 1 4 0 — 8 0 45 1
2013–14 38 1 2 0 — 7 0 47 1
Total 153 4 11 1 — 42 0 206 5
West Ham United 2014–15 Premier League 31 4 1 0 0 0 — 32 4
2015–16 34 5 5 0 1 0 2[a] 0 42 5
2016–17 31 1 0 0 2 1 3[a] 2 36 4
2017–18 33 2 1 0 3 0 — 37 2
Total 129 12 7 0 6 1 5 2 147 15
Crystal Palace 2018–19 Premier League 31 0 4 0 2 0 — 37 0
2019–20 35 1 1 0 0 0 — 36 1
2020–21 36 1 1 0 0 0 — 37 1
2021–22 27 0 3 1 1 0 — 31 1
Total 129 2 9 1 3 0 — 141 3
Nottingham Forest 2022–23 Premier League 21 1 0 0 1 0 — 22 1
2023–24 12 0 1 0 1 0 — 14 0
Total 33 1 1 0 2 0 — 36 1
Career total 480 22 28 2 11 1 47 2 566 27
  1. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

[edit]
As of match played 26 March 2024[57]
Kouyaté (white shirt, number 8) playing for Senegal against Mexico at the 2012 Olympics
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Senegal 2012 6 0
2013 4 0
2014 6 0
2015 10 2
2016 6 0
2017 10 0
2018 9 0
2019 11 0
2020 3 0
2021 8 1
2022 11 1
2023 5 0
2024 3 0
Total 92 4
Scores and results list Senegal's goal tally first.[57]
List of international goals scored by Cheikhou Kouyaté
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 5 September 2015 Sam Nujoma Stadium, Windhoek, Namibia  Namibia 1–0 2–0 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2. 15 November 2015 Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal  Madagascar 1–0 3–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3. 30 March 2021 Stade Lat-Dior, Thiès, Senegal  Eswatini 1–1 1–1 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4. 30 January 2022 Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon  Equatorial Guinea 2–1 3–1 2021 Africa Cup of Nations

Honours

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Anderlecht

Senegal

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Updated squad lists for 2022/23 Premier League". Premier League. 4 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Premier League Player Profile Cheikhou Kouyaté". Premier League. 2015. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  3. ^ FC BRUSSELS Players Archived 30 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine on www.rwdm-brussels.be
  4. ^ a b "CHEIKHOU KOUYATE". West Ham United F.C. Archived from the original on 15 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. ^ Cheikhou Kouyaté moet van de rechter naar Anderlecht on www.nieuwsblad.be
  6. ^ a b c d Cheikhou Kouyaté at Soccerway
  7. ^ Krishnan, Joe (18 June 2014). "West Ham sign Cheikhou Kouyate: Who is the £7 million midfielder and what can the fans expect?". The Independent. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  8. ^ Rose, Gary (16 August 2014). "West Ham United 0–1 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  9. ^ "Sam Allardyce: When I look at West Ham signing Cheikhou Kouyate I see Patrick Vieira". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  10. ^ "West Ham United 1–2 Arsenal". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  11. ^ "Allardyce singles out West Ham star for special praise after Manchester United draw". london24.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Kouyate's vote of thanks". West Ham United F.C. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  13. ^ "Tottenham 2–2 West Ham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  14. ^ "Leicester City 2–1 West Ham United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Games played by Cheikhou Kouyaté in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  16. ^ Osborne, Chris (9 August 2015). "Arsenal 0–2 West Ham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  17. ^ "West Ham United 3 - 4 AFC Bournemouth Match report - 22/08/2015 Premier League — Goal.com". goal.com. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  18. ^ "West Ham United 2–2 Norwich City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  19. ^ "Cheik's in for five more years!". West Ham United F.C. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Blackburn 1–5 West Ham United". BBC Sport. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  21. ^ "Kouyate red card rescinded". West Ham United F.C. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  22. ^ "West Ham: Cheikhou Kouyate red card rescinded by FA". BBC Sport. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  23. ^ "West Ham United 3–0 NK Domzale (agg 4–2)". BBC Sport. 4 August 2016.
  24. ^ "West Ham United vs. Chelsea 2–1". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  25. ^ "West Ham United 1–0 Swansea City". BBC Sport. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  26. ^ "West Ham United vs. Tottenham Hotspur 2–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  27. ^ "West Ham United vs. Leicester City 1–1". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  28. ^ "Pogba's gesture raises Libya slave trade awareness '100-fold'". Goal. 3 December 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  29. ^ "Cheikhou Kouyate: Crystal Palace sign midfielder from West Ham". BBC Sport. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  30. ^ Taiwo, Taiye (11 August 2018). "Crystal Palace's Schlupp, Zaha dazzle as Seri suffers debut loss with Fulham". Goal. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  31. ^ Taiwo, Taiye (26 December 2019). "Kouyate breaks Crystal Palace duck against former club West Ham United". Goal. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  32. ^ Pewter, Alex (17 May 2022). "Tuesday talking point: Kouyate 'pivotal' to Vieira's tactical flexibility". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  33. ^ Mabuka, Dennis (2 March 2022). "Kouyate on target, Zaha and Ayew shine as Crystal Palace defeat Stoke City in FA Cup". Goal. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  34. ^ "Patrick Vieira will 'speak to' Cheikhou Kouyate if he has backed Idrissa Gueye on rainbow symbol stance". Sky Sports. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  35. ^ "Cheikhou Kouyaté checks in". 13 August 2022.
  36. ^ "POINTS SHARED AT GOODISON". Nottingham Forest F.C. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  37. ^ "FOREST BEATEN AT THE CITY GROUND". Nottingham Forest F.C. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  38. ^ Club, Nottingham Forest Football (5 June 2024). "Forest confirm retained list". Nottingham Forest Football Club. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  39. ^ "Kouyaté préfère le Sénégal à la Belgique" (in French). RTL. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  40. ^ "Senegal off to the perfect start". West Ham United F.C. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  41. ^ "Kouyaté, Mané lead Senegal to victory". African Football. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  42. ^ Crawford, Stephen (4 June 2018). "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad - Final 23-man lists". Goal.
  43. ^ "Senegal Africa Cup of Nations Winners". Sky Sports. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  44. ^ Verri, Matt (25 January 2022). "Senegal XI vs Cape Verde: Confirmed team news, starting lineup, injury and Covid latest for AFCON tie today". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  45. ^ "Cheikhou Kouyaté's instant impact helps Senegal see off Equatorial Guinea". The Guardian. 30 January 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  46. ^ "Senegal Squad". ESPN UK. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  47. ^ Carey, Mark (19 December 2022). "Premier League health check: What state are the division's World Cup players in?". The Athletic. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  48. ^ "Afcon 2023: Senegal and Sadio Mane set for defence of title". BBC Sport Africa. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  49. ^ Fiorelli, Emilie (19 July 2019). "WAGS : Sénégal - Algérie : qui sont les femmes des finalistes de la CAN 2019 ?". Public (in French). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  50. ^ Sene, Khadija (10 August 2021). "Zahra et Cheikhou Kouyate : Revivez en images le baptême de leur fils (vidéo)" (in French). Senenews. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  51. ^ "Cheikhou Kouyaté prend une 2e épouse, sa 1ere femme réagit de fort belle manière ! (Images)". Press Afrik. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  52. ^ Sene, Khadija (31 January 2022). "But de Cheikhou Kouyaté : Ses femmes jubilent, les proches de Zahra suggèrent une 3e épouse à Kouyaté. Découvrez sa réponse" (in French). Senenews. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  53. ^ Sarr, Antoine (6 February 2022). "Bloquée à l'AIBD : La niarel de Cheikhou Kouyaté fait un tacle griffé à Air Sénégal" (in French). Senego. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  54. ^ Taiwo, Taiye (25 May 2019). "EXTRA TIME: Senegal's Idrissa Gueye and Cheikhou Kouyate embark on pilgrimage ahead of Afcon". Goal. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  55. ^ a b "Cash prizes, real estate, and highest honours as Senegal celebrates Nations Cup heroes". Reuters. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  56. ^ "Cheikhou Kouyaté". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  57. ^ a b "Cheikhou Kouyaté". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  58. ^ "Africa Cup of Nations final: Mane with winning penalty as Senegal beat Egypt on penalties". BBC Sport. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  59. ^ "Algeria win Africa Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
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