Romaric as a Sevilla player (2010) |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christian Koffi Ndri | ||
| Date of birth | 4 June 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Espanyol (on loan from Sevilla) | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001–2003 | ASEC Mimosas | ? | (?) |
| 2003–2005 | Beveren | 44 | (18) |
| 2005–2008 | Le Mans | 89 | (7) |
| 2008– | Sevilla | 81 | (3) |
| 2011– | → Espanyol (loan) | 12 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005– | Côte d'Ivoire | 38 | (5) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 December 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Christian Koffi Ndri (born 4 June 1983), commonly known as Romaric,[1][2] is an Ivorian footballer who plays for RCD Espanyol on loan from Sevilla FC in Spain.
A versatile midfielder, he can play as either a defensive or central midfielder.[2][3]
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Born in Abidjan, Romaric started his career at the famed youth academy of hometown club ASEC Mimosas, moving to feeder club K.S.K. Beveren in 2003.
In his second season in Belgium, he scored a career-best 13 goals in 32 games, but his club narrowly avoided relegation from the top division.
In May 2005, Romaric joined French club Le Mans UC72. In late August, however, he was involved in a serious car accident, fracturing his collarbone and taking a blow to the head close to Liège, in Belgium.[4]
Romaric quickly recovered from his injuries and established himself in the Maine team's starting eleven. In 2006–07, he scored five goals in 35 matches as Le Mans easily retained its Ligue 1 status (12th position), and was also linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain F.C. as a replacement for departing Vikash Dhorasoo in the January transfer window - nothing came of it eventually; in his last season, he reunited at the club with compatriot Gervinho, a former teammate at Beveren.
On 21 May 2008, Romaric signed for Sevilla FC in Spain, penning a four-year contract for a fee believed to be around €8 and 10 million,[5] and linking up with countryman Arouna Koné. He scored his first La Liga goal on 7 December in a 4–3 away win against Real Madrid,[6] and finished his first season with 36 games (30 starts) as the Andalusians ranked in third position.
Following the arrival of another Ivorian midfielder, Didier Zokora, Romaric saw his minutes significantly decreased. On 9 January 2010, he scored in a 1–2 home loss against Racing de Santander.[7]
Romaric joined fellow top-divisioner RCD Espanyol on a season-long loan at the end of the 2011 summer transfer window. Included in the agreement was an option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the campaign, with the player signing a three-year contract.[8]
Romaric made his debut for Côte d'Ivoire on 17 August 2005, in a 0–3 friendly loss with France in Montpellier. He was called up for the the following year's FIFA World Cup squad, where he appeared in the 1–2 group stage defeat against Holland.[9]
Romaric played for the Elephants in the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, with the tournament ending with a runner-up position after a final loss to hosts Egypt. He scored his first international goal on 29 March 2009, in a 5–0 home win against Malawi for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Romaric was selected for the final stages in South Africa, where he played in all the games in another group stage exit, netting against North Korea at Mbombela Stadium (3–0).[10]
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 29 March 2009 | Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | Malawi | 1–0 | 5–0 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 7 June 2009 | Konakry, Guinea | Guinea | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
| 3. | 25 June 2010 | Nelspruit, South Africa | North Korea | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup |
| 4. | 9 October 2010 | Bujumbura, Burundi | Burundi | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
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