Gilles Yapi Yapo

Gilles Yapi Yapo
Personal information
Full name Gilles Donald Yapi Yapo
Date of birth 30 January 1982 (1982-01-30) (age 30)
Place of birth Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current club Basel
Number 10
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
0000–2001 ASEC Mimosas
2001–2004 Beveren 67 (14)
2004–2006 Nantes 60 (2)
2006–2010 Young Boys 131 (15)
2010– Basel 33 (1)
National team‡
2000– Côte d'Ivoire 46 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 July 2011.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 November 2009

Gilles Donald Yapi Yapo (born 30 January 1982 in Abidjan) is an Ivorian footballer who currently plays in midfield for Swiss Super League club FC Basel and the Ivorian national team.

Contents

Club career

Yapi Yapo started his career at ASEC Mimosas and then moved to Europe with Beveren. He joined Nantes and signed a three-year contract in 2004[1] after his contract with Beveren was due to expire in the summer.[2] At this stage of his career, he played as an attacking midfielder. He was on the fringe at Nantes in the 2005-06 season, prompting a loan move to Young Boys.[3] He then joined Young Boys on a permanent basis, where he played as a defensive midfielder and playmaker.[4]

Yapi Yapo then moved to Basel in the summer of 2010 on a free transfer, penning a three year contract.[5] He played his club debut on 20 July 2010 in the 3:2 home win against FC Zürich. He scored his first goal for the club on 1 August 2010 in the 3:0 home win against FC St. Gallen.[6] With Basel Gilles Yapi Yapo won the Swiss Championship at the end of the 2010-11 season.

During just the second game of the 2011–12 Swiss Super League season Yapi suffered a rupture of the cruciate ligament[7] and is unlikely to play again until Christmas.

International career

Yapi Yapo was part of the Côte d'Ivoire team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He was also selected in the preliminary Côte d'Ivoire squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but was eventually dropped along with Bakari Kone and Emerse Fae, who played with him in the 2006 World Cup.[8][9]

International goals

Scores and results list Ivory Coast's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 17 June 2001 Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan  Egypt 2–2 2–2 2002 African Cup of Nations qualifier
2. 1 July 2001 Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan  Madagascar 4–0 6–0 2002 World Cup qualifier

Titels and Honours

Basel

References

  1. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3619675.stm
  2. ^ http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11825_2287925,00.html
  3. ^ http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11825_2367131,00.html
  4. ^ http://www.insidefutbol.com/2010/05/28/switzerland-reflect-on-stars-of-200910/23120/
  5. ^ http://www.insidefutbol.com/2010/08/13/new-look-young-boys-ready-to-win-spurs/28432/
  6. ^ FC Basel 1893 (2010). "FCB gewinnt gegen St. Gallen souverän mit 3:0". FC Basel 1893. http://www.fcb.ch/sport/show/matchReport/-/1972/38/8. Retrieved 2010-08-01.  (German)
  7. ^ FC Basel 1893 (2011). "Gilles Yapi erlitt einen Kreuzbandriss". FC Basel 1893. http://www.fcb.ch/news/show/byItemID/de-de/10044/26247/26/7/7. Retrieved 2011-07-26.  (German)
  8. ^ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/world-cup-2010/sven-goran-eriksson-settles-on-his-ivory-warriors/story-fn5c8hri-1225874238346
  9. ^ http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1222500/index.html

External links

Côte d'Ivoire squad – 2002 Africa Cup of Nations
Côte d'Ivoire squad – 2006 Africa Cup of Nations Runners-up
Côte d'Ivoire squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup
Côte d'Ivoire squad – 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
FC Basel – current squad