Yahia Fofana
Personal information
Full name Yahia Fofana[1]
Date of birth (2000-08-21) 21 August 2000 (age 23)
Place of birth Paris, France
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Angers
Number 30
Youth career
2008–2013 Espérance Paris 19ème
2013–2015 Red Star
2015–2017 Le Havre
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Le Havre B 32 (0)
2017–2022 Le Havre 38 (0)
2022– Angers 11 (0)
International career‡
2016 France U16 5 (0)
2017 France U17 2 (0)
2017–2018 France U18 9 (0)
2018–2019 France U19 4 (0)
2022 France U21 1 (0)
2023– Ivory Coast 1 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Ivory Coast
Men's football
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 2023 Ivory Coast
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:21, 9 September 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:21, 9 September 2023 (UTC)

Yahia Fofana (born 21 August 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ligue 2 club Angers. Born in France, he plays for the Ivory Coast national team.

Club career

Le Havre

A product of Le Havre's academy, Fofana signed his first professional contract on 4 July 2019, with the deal lasting until 2022.[2] His debut came not long after, as he started a Coupe de la Ligue match against Clermont on 13 August. The match ended in a 4–3 victory for Clermont on penalties after a 1–1 draw.[3]

Fofana's Coupe de France debut came on 19 January 2021, as his side lost to Paris FC by a score of 1–0.[4] On 30 January, he played his first match in Ligue 2, coming on as a substitute after Mathieu Gorgelin had been handed a red card in a 0–0 draw away to Chamois Niortais.[5] In the 2021–22 season with Le Havre, he broke into the first team as the starting goalkeeper, surpassing Gorgelin in the pecking order.[6]

Angers

On 30 May 2022, Fofana signed a four-year contract with Ligue 1 side Angers, joining the club upon the expiration of his Le Havre contract.[7]

International career

Born in France, Fofana is of Ivorian descent.[8] He has represented France at U16, U17, U18, and U19 level over the years.[9]

Fofana was called up to the Ivory Coast national team for a set of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches in September 2023.[10] He debuted in a 1–0 win over Lesotho on 9 September 2023.[11]

In December 2023, Fofana was named to the Ivory Coast's squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and ended up winning the tournament.[12][13][14]

Career statistics

As of 1 July 2022[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Le Havre B 2015–16 CFA 2 1 0 — — 1 0
2016–17 CFA 1 0 — — 1 0
2017–18 National 2 10 0 — — 10 0
2018–19 National 2 18 0 — — 18 0
2019–20 National 3 2 0 — — 2 0
Total 32 0 — — 32 0
Le Havre 2017–18 Ligue 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2018–19 Ligue 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019–20 Ligue 2 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 1 0
2020–21 Ligue 2 3 0 1 0 — 4 0
2021–22 Ligue 2 35 0 0 0 — 35 0
Total 38 0 1 0 1 0 40 0
Angers 2022–23 Ligue 1 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Career total 70 0 1 0 1 0 72 0
  1. ^ Appearance in the Coupe de la Ligue

Honours

Ivory Coast

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017: List of Players: France" (PDF). FIFA. 28 October 2017. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Yahia Fofana signe son premier contrat pro avec Le Havre" [Yahia Fofana signs his first pro contract with Le Havre]. maligue2.fr (in French). 4 July 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Clermont vs. Le Havre - 13 August 2019 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Le Havre vs. Paris FC - 19 January 2021 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  5. ^ Manoury, François (30 January 2021). "Ligue 2 : à dix, le HAC résiste à Niort" [Ligue 2: with ten, HAC resists at Niort]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Le Havre goalkeeper Yahia Fofana interesting Angers and Fiorentina". Get French Football News. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Official | Angers sign goalkeeper Yahia Fofana from Le Havre". Get French Football News. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  8. ^ "AFCON 2023 - Yahia Fofana: Côte d'Ivoire's future number 1 goalkeeper - At a glance". 12 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Yahia Fofana". FFF. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Matchs CIV-LES & CIV-MAL : Voici Les 25 Eléphants Retenus". www.fifciv.com. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  11. ^ Info, R. T. I. (9 September 2023). "La Côte d'Ivoire bat le Lesotho sur le score de 1 but à 0 au stade Laurent Pokou de San Pedro. Le but ivoirien a été inscrit par Ibrahim Sangaré à la 16e minute". RTI Info.
  12. ^ "LA LISTE" (in Portuguese). Ivorian Football Federation. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023 – via Facebook.
  13. ^ Sahi, Tristan (28 December 2023). "Côte d'Ivoire: voici les 27 Eléphants de Gasset, Zaha et des ténors font leurs adieux à la CAN 2023" (in French). 7info. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  14. ^ "CÔTE D'IVOIRE" (PDF). Confederation of African Football. 5 January 2024.
  15. ^ Yahia Fofana at Soccerway
  16. ^ Stevens, Rob (11 February 2024). "Nigeria 1–2 Ivory Coast". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 February 2024.

External links

Angers SCO – current squad
Ivory Coast squad – 2023 Africa Cup of Nations winners (3rd title)
Categories