Edmond Tapsoba
Tapsoba with Bayer Leverkusen in 2022
Personal information
Full name Edmond Fayçal Tapsoba[1]
Date of birth (1999-02-02) 2 February 1999 (age 24)
Place of birth Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Bayer Leverkusen
Number 12
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Salitas
2015–2017 US Ouagadougou
2017–2018 Leixões 0 (0)
2018–2020 Vitória de Guimarães B 30 (7)
2019–2020 Vitória de Guimarães 16 (4)
2020– Bayer Leverkusen 101 (3)
International career‡
2016– Burkina Faso 35 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 August 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:50, 18 June 2023 (UTC)

Edmond Fayçal Tapsoba (born 2 February 1999) is a Burkinabé professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Burkina Faso national team.[3]

Early and personal life

Tapsoba grew up in the Karpala section of Ouagadougou where he played football in the streets, but he never played organized football until the age of fourteen. As a child, he would often skip school to play football. He is represented by former Portugal international Deco. Tapsoba can speak some English, as well as French. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tapsoba donated masks, gloves, and hand sanitiser to a market in Ouagadougou.[4][5]

Club career

Early career

Tapsoba played for Salitas, US Ouagadougou, Leixões, Vitória de Guimarães B, and Vitória de Guimarães.[1]

Bayer Leverkusen

On 31 January 2020, Tapsoba agreed to a five-and-a-half-year contract with Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of €18 million plus €7 million for objectives.[6] On 21 February 2021, he scored his first Bundesliga goal for Bayer Leverkusen in the final seconds of stoppage time in a match against FC Augsburg, equalising for his side and extending Leverkusen's unbeaten streak against Augsburg to twenty matches.[7]

International career

Tapsoba made his international debut for Burkina Faso in 2016.[1]

Style of play

Tapsoba has been compared to Jérôme Boateng for his speed, strength, passing ability, and composure. He is also known for his ability to score goals, especially from the penalty spot.[8] He cites players such as John Stones, Per Mertesacker, and Virgil van Dijk as inspirations.[5][4]

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c "Edmond Tapsoba". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Profile". Bayer 04 Leverkusen (in German).
  3. ^ Edmond Tapsoba at Soccerway
  4. ^ a b Fifield, Raphael Honigstein and Dominic. "Meet Edmond Tapsoba, the Bundesliga's new sensation". The Athletic. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba: "I never expected to establish myself so quickly"". bundesliga.com - the official Bundesliga website. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  6. ^ "BAYER 04 SIGN CENTRAL DEFENDER TAPSOBA – RETSOS ON LOAN AT SHEFFIELD UNITED". Bayer 04 Leverkusen. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  7. ^ "FC Augsburg - Bayer 04 Leverkusen | Season 2020/2021 | Bundesliga". 21 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Edmond Tapsoba: Who is Bayer Leverkusen's new centre-back that stopped Erling Haaland?". bundesliga.com - the official Bundesliga website. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  9. ^ @CAF_Online (7 February 2022). "Not your average players Here is the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 best XI #AFCON2021" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 February 2022 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "Helton Leite, Tapsoba, Bruno Fernandes, Ricardo Horta, Corona e Ruíz também foram distinguidos". Retrieved 24 March 2020.


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