Frédéric Kanouté

Frédéric Oumar Kanouté (born 2 September 1977) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker for several top-tier clubs in Europe, enjoying his greatest success with La Liga side Sevilla. Kanouté was named the 2007 African Footballer of the Year, the first player born outside Africa to win the award.

Frédéric Kanouté
Kanouté in 2008
Personal information
Full name Frédéric Oumar Kanouté
Date of birth (1977-09-02) 2 September 1977
Place of birth Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, France
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2000 Lyon 40 (9)
2000 → West Ham United (loan) 8 (2)
2000–2003 West Ham United 76 (27)
2003–2005 Tottenham Hotspur 60 (14)
2005–2012 Sevilla 209 (89)
2012–2013 Beijing Guoan 34 (10)
Total 427 (151)
International career
1998–1999 France U21 11 (1)
2004–2010 Mali 38 (23)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kanouté began his career with Lyon in France before moving to West Ham United of the Premier League in 2000. After a spell at their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Kanouté moved to Spanish club Sevilla where he won two consecutive UEFA Cups in 2006 and 2007 in addition to various other European and domestic honours and remains the club's highest-scoring foreign player. He joined Beijing Goan in June 2012.[2][3][4]

Despite playing for France U-21, Kanouté was a member of the Malian squad which reached the semi-finals of the 2004 African Cup of Nations and also featured in their selections for the tournament in 2006 and 2010. His international career ended in 2010 with a total of 38 caps and 23 goals.

Early life

Frédéric Oumar Kanouté[5] was born on 2 September 1977[6] in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, Rhône.[5]

Club career

Lyon

Kanouté's talents as a striker were first noticed by his local team, Olympique Lyonnais, and he joined them as an apprentice in 1997. He made his debut in the Intertoto Cup against Polish side Odra Wodzisław.

West Ham United

In 2000, Kanouté was signed by English Premier League side West Ham United on an initial loan basis. He formed a solid partnership with Paolo Di Canio and after some promising appearances in the Premier League, Hammers manager Harry Redknapp made his move permanent. Kanouté had varying success at the Boleyn Ground, often praised for his ability, but also criticised for his laid back attitude. West Ham were relegated at the end of the 2002-03 season.

Tottenham Hotspur

Kanouté was bought by Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £3.5 million on 5 August 2003.[7] He scored on his debut on 23 August, the winner in a 2-1 home league victory over Leeds United, nine minutes after coming on for Bobby Zamora.[8]

His first season was interrupted by a call-up for the 2004 African Cup of Nations for Mali. Tottenham tried to stop him going by asking FIFA whether Kanouté was eligible to play for Mali after representing France at Under-20 level.[9]

Kanouté was unable to cement himself as a regular at White Hart Lane, as Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe were preferred. He became a less prolific goalscorer and instead was involved in attacks by setting up various goals with runs at the defence and creating space for other attacking players.

Sevilla
Kanouté playing for Sevilla in 2011

Kanouté was sold to Sevilla on 17 August 2005 for €6.5 million.[10] He was a second-half substitute for the club in the 2006 UEFA Cup Final against Middlesbrough and scored in the 89th minute as Sevilla won 4–0.

In the 2006-07 UEFA Cup, Kanouté's first games for Sevilla against Tottenham Hotspur led to him scoring a penalty at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in a game marred by crowd trouble, and a goal at White Hart Lane, leaving the final aggregate score 4–3 to Sevilla.

Sevilla's title challenge that year ultimately unravelled and Real Madrid took the title, with Kanouté's side in third.[11] After that, he was a consistent member of the team, helping Sevilla qualify for a UEFA Cup position in 2008 and a Champions League direct qualification in 2009.

On the first day of the 2009–10 season, Kanouté received two yellow cards for fouls against Valencia and was sent off in first half stoppage time.

On 22 October 2011, during the 2011–12 season, Kanouté received two yellow cards against FC Barcelona for kicking the ball off the penalty spot, when Lionel Messi was due to take it. The second yellow was for an altercation between Kanouté and Cesc Fàbregas.[12] Kanouté's farewell season in Spain was plagued with injuries as he participated in 26 matches, scoring four goals and assisting two others – he left at the end of his contract in the summer of 2012.[13] Kanoute became an iconic figure at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, netting 136 goals in 290 matches as helped the club to win two UEFA Cups, one UEFA Super Cup, two Copa del Rey trophies and one Spanish Supercup.[13]

Beijing Guoan

On 29 June 2012, Kanouté signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan.[13][14] On 18 July 2012, he scored his first two goals in his team's 6–0 victory against Qingdao Jonoon in the Chinese FA Cup. In May 2013, Kanouté scored a brace in a Super League fixture against Tianjin Teda.

International career

Kanouté made 11 appearances for the France national under-21 team, scoring one goal, from 1998 to 1999.[15] After turning 21 in 1998, Kanouté was not called up for the French national squad in 2000, 2002, or 2004. In 2004, FIFA changed its rules to allow a footballer to play for the national team of the country in which his mother or father was born. Although eligible for either, Kanouté elected to play for Mali rather than for France. Kanouté was joint top goal scorer for Mali at the 2004 African Cup of Nations. Kanouté scored four goals in four matches helping Mali to the semi-finals, where they lost to Morocco.

In October 2007, Kanouté, along with Mali international teammate Mamady Sidibé, were attacked by irate Togolese fans after they knocked Togo out of the African Cup of Nations qualifier.[16] Frederic Kanoute announced his retirement from international football following Mali's elimination from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.[17]

Style of play

In 2001, Kanouté was described by The Irish Times in 2001 as "highly skilful, quick-footed, quick-witted and with an eye for the spectacular."[18] Upon signing for Sevilla in 2005, the club's sporting director, Monchi, described Kanouté with the following words: "He's tall, good in the air, skilful and strong and can play up front or just behind the lead striker."[19] Throughout his career he was also known for his eye for goal.[20] In 2020, Chris Howie of beIN Sports described Kanouté as a "tall, languid, graceful [...] striker," also labelling him a "late bloomer."[21]

Personal life

He has been practicing Islam since he was around the age of 22. He refused to wear a Sevilla shirt bearing the name of club sponsor 888.com, due to the fact the website is used for gambling, which is against the principles of Islam; this meant that the club had to give him a brand-free jersey every match. The company, however, agreed to excuse him from their publicity campaigns in return for Kanouté wearing the sponsored kit, which was part of the players' contractual duties. In 2007, Kanouté paid more than US$700,000 out of his pocket to buy a mosque in Seville. The contract on the premises had expired and the mosque was due to be sold. The Islamic community of Spain confirmed it had requested Kanouté's aid after the mosque was put up for sale.[22] Kanouté helped raise over $1m in a crowdfunding campaign to build the mosque.[23]

Kanouté insists his faith has never presented itself as a problem in his relationship with the coaching staff, teammates or fans. He has stated that "Islam has helped me to be this way, so this is normal. It's a path you take to keep you calm, to help you think about the place you live in, to love your neighbour. It's strange when I hear about all these problems of terrorism because it's the opposite of what I understood for Islam."[24]

He observes fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan. He has stated that "I can keep fasting in Ramadan even when I am playing...it is sometimes harder to keep the fast because here in the south of Spain it is very hot, but I can do it, thank God."[25]

After scoring a goal in a January 2009 Copa Del Rey match against Deportivo La Coruña, Kanouté lifted his jersey and displayed a black shirt underneath emblazoned with the word "Palestine". The action was interpreted by BBC sources[26] as a protest against the Israeli Army operation in the Gaza Strip ongoing at that time. Kanouté was cautioned with a yellow card for displaying a political message, and subsequently fined around $4,000 by the league.[26]

The Kanouté Foundation

Kanouté has also showed interest in a variety of humanitarian causes. In 2006, he launched an appeal to establish a "Children's Village" in Mali.[27] This is now the well established Sakina Children's Village. Kanouté talks about his Foundation and the Village in the book, How to do good: Essays in Building a Better World, published in December 2016.[28] He also took part in a speaker tour inspired by the book in 2017, speaking in Oslo, Stockholm, Paris and London alongside other humanitarians and philanthropists.[29][30]

Career statistics

Club
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lyon 1997–98 French Division 1 1861000112–308
1998–99 92000021–113
1999–2000 131002020–171
Total 4091020153–5812
West Ham United (loan) 1999–2000 Premier League 820000––82
West Ham United 2000–01 Premier League 32114330––3914
2001–02 27111100––2812
2002–03 1750000––175
Total 84295430––9233
Tottenham Hotspur 2003–04 Premier League 2771332––3112
2004–05 3275042––419
2005–06 10––––10
Total 60146374––7321
Sevilla 2005–06 La Liga 32622–11[lower-alpha 1]6–4514
2006–07 322154–10[lower-alpha 1]41[lower-alpha 2]14830
2007–08 301611–9[lower-alpha 3]62[lower-alpha 4]34226
2008–09 341863–2[lower-alpha 1]2–4223
2009–10 271251–7[lower-alpha 3]2–3915
2010–11 281251–961[lower-alpha 5]24321
2011–12 26433–2[lower-alpha 6]1–318
Total 209892715–502746290137
Beijing Guoan 2012 Chinese Super League 10122–00–123
2013 24930–7[lower-alpha 7]1–3410
Total 341052–71–4613
Career total 4271514424124723146559216
  1. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  2. Appearance in UEFA Super Cup
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Supercopa de España
  5. Appearance in Supercopa de España
  6. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  7. Appearances in AFC Champions League

International
Mali[31]
YearAppsGoals
2004117
200530
200632
200732
200896
200964
201032
Total3823
Scores and results list Mali's goal tally first.[32]
No.DateVenueOpponentResultCompetitionScored
1, 226 January 2004Bizerte, Tunisia Kenya3–12004 African Cup of Nations2
330 January 2004Tunis, Tunisia Burkina Faso3–12004 African Cup of Nations1
47 February 2004Tunis, Tunisia Guinea2–12004 African Cup of Nations1
519 June 2004Bamako, Mali Zambia1–12006 World Cup and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier1
618 August 2004Colombes, France Congo Kinshasa3–0Friendly1
75 September 2004Bamako, Mali Senegal2–22006 World Cup and 2006 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier1
828 May 2006Bondoufle, France Morocco1–0Friendly1
916 August 2006Narbonne, France Tunisia1–0Friendly1
1025 March 2007Bamako, Mali Benin1–12008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier1
1112 October 2007Lomé, Togo Togo2–02008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier1
1221 January 2008Sekondi, Ghana Benin1–02008 Africa Cup of Nations1
13, 147 June 2008N'Djamena, Chad Chad2–12010 World Cup qualifier2
15, 1614 June 2008Omdurman, Sudan Sudan2-32010 World Cup and 2010 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier2
1722 June 2008Bamako, Mali Sudan3–02010 World Cup and 2010 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier1
1811 February 2009Bois-Guillaume, France Angola4–0Friendly1
1928 March 2009Omdurman, Sudan Sudan1–12010 World Cup and 2010 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier1
2021 June 2009Bamako, Mali Benin3–12010 World Cup and 2010 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier1
2111 October 2009Bamako, Mali Sudan1–02010 World Cup and 2010 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier1
2210 January 2010Luanda, Angola Angola4–42010 Africa Cup of Nations1
2318 January 2010Cabinda, Angola Malawi3–12010 Africa Cup of Nations1

Honours

Lyon

Sevilla[13]

Individual

References
  1. "Frederic Kanoute: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  2. "Kanoute named Africa's best". Archived from the original on 2 February 2008.
  3. Kanoute leaves Sevilla for Beijing Guoan Goal.com, 30 June 2012
  4. Kanoute heads to China FIFA.com, 30 June 2012
  5. "Frédéric Kanouté". L'Équipe (in French). Paris. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  6. "Frederic Kanouté: Overview". ESPN. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  7. Johnson, William (5 August 2003). "All clear for Kanoute as Tottenham wrap up deal". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  8. "Kanoute grabs Spurs winner". BBC News. 23 August 2003.
  9. Clissitt, Ben (5 April 2007). "Where did it all go right for Fredi Kanouté?". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  10. "Sevilla beckons for striker Kanouté". UEFA. 17 August 2005. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  11. Henderson, Charlie (16 May 2007). "Espanyol 2-2 Sevilla - Sevilla win 3-1 on penalties". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2007.
  12. Frederic Kanoute Claims Barcelona Star Cesc Fabregas Called Him a Terrorist (Video) CaughtOffside.com, 23 October 2011
  13. "Kanoute leaves Sevilla for Beijing Guoan". Goal. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  14. "北京国安足球俱乐部与卡努特正式签约 (Beijing Guoan Football Club and Kanouté formally signed)" (in Chinese). Tagesspiegel. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  15. "Frédéric Kanouté" (in French). French Football Federation. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  16. "Caf to discuss Togo attacks" BBC Sport, 15 October 2007; Retrieved 15 October 2007
  17. "Kanoute retires after Mali exit" BBC Sport, 21 February 2010
  18. "Kanoute always happy to go against the tide". The Irish Times. 27 January 2001. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  19. "Tottenham's Kanoute joins Sevilla". CNN.com. 17 August 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  20. "La Spagna fa l'en plein" (in Italian). UEFA. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  21. Howie, Chris (9 April 2020). "One of a Kind – Frederic Kanoute". beIN SPORTS. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  22. Minshull, Phil (12 December 2007). "Devout worshipper". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
  23. "Former footballer helps raise $1m for construction of mosque in Seville". SalamWebToday. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  24. Din, Tusdiq (23 August 2011). "Fasting and football. How do top-flight Muslims cope?". The Independent. London. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  25. Din, Tusdiq (24 August 2009). "Exclusive: I Can Keep Fasting In Ramadan Even When I Am Playing – Fredi Kanoute". Goal.com. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  26. "Kanoute faces T-shirt fine". BBC Sport. 8 January 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  27. Kanouté the footballer and the man Frédéric Oumar Kanouté Official Website
  28. Philanthropy Age (2016). How to do Good: Essays on Building a Better World. London Wall Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9932917-9-1.
  29. Doyle, Paul (28 March 2017). "Fredi Kanouté: 'Muslims should not have to prove they are not terrorists before talking'". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  30. "How to do good: Building a better world". www.howtodogood.global.
  31. "Frédéric Kanouté". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  32. "Frédéric Kanouté - Goals in International Matches". Archived from the original on 20 April 2015.
  33. "Lyon 3-2 Montpellier (Aggregate: 4 - 2)". UEFA. Archived from the original on 1 August 2004. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  34. "Beijing Guoan sign Kanoute". ESPN. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  35. Kanoute named Africa's best
  36. Furious Drogba Slams CAF Over Kanoute Award And Pulls Out
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