Kevin Tapoko

Kevin Guy-Noel Pierre Tapoko (born 13 April 1994) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 2 club Laval.

Kevin Tapoko
Personal information
Full name Kevin Guy-Noel Pierre Tapoko
Date of birth (1994-04-13) 13 April 1994
Place of birth Laval, France
Height 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Laval
Youth career
2005–2009 Laval
2009–2011 Lyon
2011–2012 Le Mans
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Lausanne 2 (0)
2013–2015 Dessel 24 (2)
2015–2016 OH Leuven 10 (1)
2016 Royal Excel Mouscron 1 (0)
2016–2017 RWS Bruxelles 3 (0)
2017–2018 Panionios 19 (2)
2018 Aris Limassol 5 (0)
2018–2019 Hapoel Hadera 18 (1)
2019–2021 Hapoel Be'er Sheva 7 (0)
2019–2020 → Hapoel Haifa (loan) 22 (1)
2020–2021 → Grenoble (loan) 26 (1)
2021– Hapoel Haifa 13 (1)
2022 → Beroe (loan) 7 (0)
2022– Laval 20 (0)
International career
2010 France U16 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 June 2023

Club career

Early career

Tapoko initially started his footballing career with hometown club Laval but moved on to Lyon where he would go on to spend two years as an academy player. In 2011, he transferred to Le Mans where he featured for the club's reserve team before leaving at the end of the season.[1]

In August 2012 Tapoko moved abroad to Swiss Super League club Lausanne on a free transfer.[2] He made his league debut for Lausanne on 16 March 2013 in a 3–1 away loss against St. Gallen, coming on as a substitute for the final 12 minutes. During the 2012–13 season, Tapoko also featured for the reserve team and went on trial with Watford in England Championship.

Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Tapoko signed for two years with Belgian Second Division side Dessel. He went on to play for two teams from the Belgian Pro League, OH Leuven and Royal Excel Mouscron. After that he also had a short spell with RWS Bruxelles, playing at the third level of Belgian football.

On 14 January 2017, Tapoko signed a contract till the end of the 2016–17 season with Greek club Panionios of the Superleague Greece.[3] In January 2018 he moved to Aris Limassol of the Cypriot First Division.[4] On 12 June 2018, Tapoko returned to the Superleague Greece, signing a contract with Apollon Smyrni. He was released after a very short time.[5]

In Israel

On 20 August 2018, ahead of the 2018–19 Israeli Premier League, Tapoko signed with Hapoel Hadera of the Israeli Premier League.[6] On 18 August 2018, he made his debut in a 2–1 win over Ashdod in the Toto Cup at Yud-Alef Stadium. On 25 August, Tapoko made his debut in a 1–2 win over Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Israeli Premier League at Netanya Stadium. On 28 October, Tapoko scored his first goal in a 2–3 win over Ashdod in the Israeli Premier League at Netanya Stadium.

On 4 January 2019, Tapoko signed with Hapoel Be'er Sheva for three and a half years.[7] As part of the deal it was agreed that the player would move to Hapoel Be'er Sheva on 13 January, after Hapoel Hadera's match against Bnei Sakhnin on 12 January at Netanya Stadium.[8]

In May 2020 Tapoko as signed a deal to be loaned out to Grenoble playing in the Ligue 2 for the 2020–21 season.[9]

On 5 September 2021, he returned to Hapoel Haifa on a permanent basis.[10]

Return to France

On 21 June 2022, Tapoko signed with Laval.[11]

International career

Tapoko was a France youth international, having previously competed at France national under-16 team. In 2010, he was part of the France national under-16 team that played at the 2010 Montaigu Tournament, finishing in third place.

Personal life

Born in France, Tapoko is the son of the Cameroon international footballer Guy-Noël Tapoko.[12] He holds French and Cameroonian nationalities.[13]

References
  1. "Info FM : à la découverte de Kevin Tapoko, jeune espoir du Mans". Foot Mercato (in French). footmercato.net. 17 June 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  2. "Transferts". FC Lausanne-Sport (in French). lausanne-sport.ch. 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  3. "Κλείνει" Ταπόκο ο Πανιώνιος (in Greek). gazzetta.gr. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  4. ΗΡΘΕ,ΥΠΕΓΡΑΨΕ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΙΖΕΙ!!! (in Greek). Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  5. Επίσημο: Πήρε τον Ταποκό ο Απόλλων Σμύρνης. sport24.gr. 12 June 2018.
  6. "Kevin Tafoko signed with Hapoel Hadera". Sport5. Sport5.co.il. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  7. "Tapoko signed for Hapoel Be'er Sheva for 3.5 years". ONE. one.co.il. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  8. "Official: Tapoko signed with Hapoel Be'er Sheva for three and a half seasons". ONE. one.co.il. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  9. "ACCORD DE PRÊT POUR KEVIN TAPOKO !". gf38.fr (in French). gf38.fr. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  10. "במועדוןיש זר שלישי. קווין טאפוקו חוזר לקדנציה שניה" (in Hebrew). Hapoel Haifa. 5 September 2021.
  11. "Kevin Tapoko rejoint le Stade Lavallois MFC !" (in French). Laval. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  12. "La trajectoire sinueuse de Kevin Tapoko, ancien espoir de l'OL passé par mille galères qui savoure sa nouvelle vie à l'Hapoel Hadera". Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot Transfert.
  13. https://www.unfp.org/joueur/kevin-tapoko-16932/
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