Rudy Gestede
 Gestede playing for Cardiff City in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rudy Gestede[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 10 October 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Essey-lès-Nancy, France | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Number | 39 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2007 | Metz | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2005–2010 | Metz B[2] | 27 | (3) |
| 2007–2011 | Metz | 32 | (7) |
| 2009–2010 | → Cannes (loan) | 22 | (4) |
| 2011–2014 | Cardiff City | 53 | (7) |
| 2013–2014 | → Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 6 | (1) |
| 2014– | Blackburn Rovers | 5 | (3) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006–2008 | France U19 | 17 | (0) |
| 2013– | Benin | 3 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 05:02, 20 January 2014 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Rudy Gestede (born 10 October 1988) is a professional footballer who plays for Championship club Blackburn Rovers.
Club career
Early career
Born in Essey-lès-Nancy, Gestede started at youth level at the age of 16, in 2004, where he played for FC Metz. A year later, he signed a professional contract, with Metz's B Team. In 2007 he was promoted to play for the first team, whilst still also continuing to play for the B Team but in 2010, he ended his five years playing for the B team, when he was sent on loan to AS Cannes.
Cardiff City
Gestede joined Football League Championship side Cardiff City on a week-long trial, during City's training camp in Seville, Spain. Gestede scored his first goal for the Bluebirds in the 25th minute against Charlton Athletic[3][4] On 23 July 2011, Gestede passed his medical and was unveiled as a Cardiff City player three days later.[5] On 7 August 2011, Gestede came on for his debut against West Ham, in the 68th minute in replace of Robert Earnshaw, setting up Kenny Miller for the match's only goal. His first start came the following game against Oxford United in the League Cup.[6] He made his 50th appearance in a 5–3 victory over Huddersfield Town, putting in a man of the match performance. Gestede scored his first goal for Cardiff City and in English football against Leicester City in the Football League Cup, where he later scored a penalty in a shoot out to help Cardiff to a 7–6 victory.[7] His first league goal came on 15 October, on his first league start against Ipswich Town. The following game, Gestede suffered another hamstring injury, which meant he would be out for a few weeks.[8] He returned in a goalless draw at Millwall on 10 December. Gestede found his 3rd Cardiff goal in a 3–1 win over Peterborough. He would come on and score a penalty in Cardiff City's semi-final victory against Crystal Palace in the League Cup. Gestede scored his third goal for Cardiff on 14 February 2012, in a 3–1 win over Peterborough United. In the Carling Cup Final against Premier League Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on 26 February, City went down 3–2 on penalties, with Gestede missing one of the Bluebirds' spot-kicks. On 19 April, Gestede signed a two-year deal keeping him at Cardiff City Stadium until 2014.[9]
Gestede suffered a pre-season injury which kept him out of the first two months of the 2012–13 campaign. He made his return on 6 October coming on in the second half against Ipswich Town, where he helped the Bluebirds to come back from a 1 goals deficit. Gestede's first goal of the season came on 15 December, in a 2–1 loss against Peterborough United. In what has been described as his finest performance yet in a Cardiff City shirt, Gestede scored two headers as City beat Nottingham Forest 3–0 at Cardiff City Stadium. He collected a winners' medal as City won the Championship title and were promoted to the Premier League in April 2013.
Blackburn Rovers
On 26 November 2013 Gestede joined Blackburn Rovers on loan until the end of 2013 under an emergency loan arrangement after he found his playing time at Cardiff reduced since their promotion to the Premier League.[10]
Blackburn Rovers manager Gary Bowyer stated that Gestede was the type of player the team needed to assist talisman Jordan Rhodes in an important season for the club.
Gestede scored his first goal for Rovers on 1 January 2014 against Leeds United via a header in a 2–1 victory for Rovers.[11]
On 1 January 2014, Gestede signed for the club permanently, on a three and a half year deal, along with Tom Cairney, who was also on loan at Blackburn at the same time as him, from Hull City.[12]
International career
Gestede played for the France under-19 national team between 2006 and 2008. He was called up for the Benin national team in February 2013 for the World Cup qualifiers due to a parent being of Beninois origin. [13] He scored both his first and second international goals in 3–1 losses to Algeria on 26 March and 9 June 2013.
International goals
- Scores and results list Benin's goal tally first.
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 26 March 2013 | Stade Mustapha Tchaker, Blida, Algeria |  Algeria | | | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 9 June 2013 | Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto-Novo, Benin | Algeria | | | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Personal life
In the summer of 2012, Rudy's wife, Hawa, gave birth to their first child, Elijah Gestede.[14]
Career statistics
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| France | League | Coupe de France | Coupe de la Ligue | Total | ||||||
| 2008–09 | FC Metz | Ligue 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | Cannes | Championnat National | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 4 |
| 2010–11 | FC Metz | Ligue 2 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 |
| Metz B | Championnat de France amateur | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| England | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 2011–12 | Cardiff City | Championship | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 31 | 3 |
| 2012–13 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 5 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| Cardiff City Total | 55 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 63 | 9 | ||
| 2013–14 | Blackburn Rovers | Championship | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
| Career total | 107 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 117 | 22 | ||
Honours
Cardiff City
References
- ↑ "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 11. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
- ↑ FC Metz B – stat2foot.com
- ↑ "New French striker set to make Cardiff City debut against Charlton Athletic". South Wales Echo. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ↑ "City start pre-season with win". Cardiff City Football Club. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
- ↑ "Rudy Gestede deal completed". Cardiff City Football Club. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
- ↑ "Oxford Utd 1 – 3 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ↑ "Cardiff 2 – 2 Leicester". BBC Sport. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
- ↑ "Gestede in fresh injury blow at City". South Wales Echo. 21 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
- ↑ "Cardiff City extend striker Rudy Gestede's contract until 2014". BBC Sport. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
- ↑ "Rudy Gestede: Blackburn Rovers sign Cardiff City striker on loan". BBC Sport. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ↑ "Leeds United 1–2 Blackburn Rovers". BBC Sport. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ↑ "Blackburn Rovers sign Tom Cairney and Rudy Gestede". BBC Sport. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ↑ Squirrels drop Omotoyossi
- ↑ "Cardiff City star Rudy Gestede promises players will not forget club's history after re-branding". South Wales Echo. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
External links
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