Koke (footballer, born 1983)

Sergio Contreras Pardo (born 27 April 1983), known as Koke, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a forward.

For another Spanish footballer, see Koke (footballer, born 1992).
Not to be confused with Coke (footballer).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Contreras and the second or maternal family name is Pardo.

Koke
Koke playing for Jahn Regensburg
Personal information
Full name Sergio Contreras Pardo
Date of birth (1983-04-27) 27 April 1983
Place of birth Málaga, Spain
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2004 Málaga B 43 (5)
2002–2004 Málaga 6 (1)
2004 → Marseille (loan) 10 (0)
2004–2006 Marseille 33 (6)
2006 → Sporting CP (loan) 6 (2)
2006–2011 Aris 138 (30)
2011 Houston Dynamo 7 (1)
2011–2012 Rayo Vallecano 5 (1)
2012 Baku 10 (2)
2013 Jahn Regensburg 9 (3)
2013–2014 Blooming 26 (2)
2014–2015 NorthEast United 12 (4)
2015 Veria 0 (0)
2015–2016 Aris 3 (1)
Total 308 (58)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

In a much-travelled career, he represented clubs in Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, the United States, Azerbaijan, Germany, Bolivia and India. He was best known for his tenure at Aris, which lasted six seasons over two separate spells.[1][2]

Club career

Málaga

Born in Málaga, Koke started his football career at hometown club Málaga CF, being essential as the B team reached the Segunda División for the first time their history in 2003.

On 23 February 2003, he scored a late equaliser in a 1–1 home draw against RC Celta de Vigo in La Liga,[3] where he appeared in six games, five from the bench, totalling 176 minutes for the Andalusians during the season.

Marseille
Koke playing for Marseille

In January 2004, after seeing very little playing time in the first team, barred by veteran Salva, Koke joined Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille,[4] playing ten times without scoring the remainder of the season. The following one was much better, with him netting five goals in 24 appearances.[5]

In the 2005–06 campaign, with the arrival of Mamadou Niang (in August 2005) and Toifilou Maoulida (in January 2006), Koke was deemed surplus to requirements, scoring one goal in nine league matches and, in January 2006, was sent on loan to Sporting CP[6] where he played almost no part in the club's season, although he did find the net twice as a substitute against Gil Vicente F.C. on 5 March, in a 2–0 home win.[7]

Aris

The arrival – initially on loan – of Djibril Cissé in August 2006 meant the end of Koke's adventure in France. He would eventually sign for Aris Thessaloniki FC, a team that was filled with Spanish players, in a three-year deal.[8] He produced the best football of his career in years, scoring ten league goals for a team that finished fourth in the league after being promoted the previous season.[9]

In 2007–08, Koke netted another ten in Super League's regular season, adding one in the UEFA Cup group stage game against Red Star Belgrade. In July 2008, he signed a new five-year contract while also attaining vice-captaincy, second to Konstantinos Nebegleras, and becoming himself captain in the 2009–10 campaign.[10]

Houston Dynamo

Koke signed with Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo on 15 April 2011. He joined the team officially 11 days later, after being awarded his international transfer certificate.[11]

On 29 April 2011, Koke made his debut for his new team, coming on as a late substitute in a 4–1 win against D.C. United.[12] However, after failing to settle in Houston and struggling in the league, he had his contract termination request accepted by the club on 30 May, leaving the club after little more than a month.[13]

Return to Spain

Koke returned to Spain in September 2011, signing with Rayo Vallecano, recently promoted to the top division.[14] On 23 October, in his very first appearance, he scored his first goal for the Madrid club: after having replaced Piti midway through the second half of the away fixture against Real Betis, he netted the final 2–0 in the 88th minute through a penalty kick.[15]

Koke was released in the 2012 January transfer window.[16]

FK Baku

In February 2012, Koke joined Azerbaijan Premier League side FC Baku.[17] He played a total of 15 matches in his only season and scored four goals, including one in the final of the Azerbaijan Cup which was won.[18]

Koke was released in the summer.[19]

Later years

On the last day of the 2013 January transfer window, Koke joined SSV Jahn Regensburg in the 2. Bundesliga.[20] On 26 July, he changed teams and countries again, signing a one-year contract with Club Blooming from the Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano.[21]

On 15 September 2014, Koke moved to NorthEast United FC.[22][23] He scored the game's only goal against the Kerala Blasters FC to mark his Indian Super League debut, and The Times of India subsequently wrote about the match: "The roar of the crowd could be heard a kilometre away from the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium".[24]

On 11 September 2015, Koke was released on a free transfer and signed with Veria FC.[25] The following month, without having appeared in any competitive matches, he re-joined former club Aris.[26]

Personal life

In November 2019, Koke was arrested in Estepona on suspicion of heading a drugs ring.[27] A total of 30 people including his brother and girlfriend were detained in the same operation; he left pre-trial detention in July 2021 by paying a €15,000 bond.[28]

Career statistics
As of match played 15 July 2015[29]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Houston Dynamo 2011 Major League Soccer 7100--71
Rayo Vallecano 2011–12 La Liga 5110--61
Baku 2011–12 Azerbaijan Premier League 10254--154
Jahn Regensburg 2012–13 2. Bundesliga 9300--93
Club Blooming 2013–14 Bolivian Primera División 262-20-282
NorthEast United 2014 Indian Super League 124---124
Career total 69136220007715

Honours

Málaga

Marseille

Aris

FK Baku

References
  1. "Koke redebuta con el Aris, que ahora juega en Tercera" [Koke makes second debut with Aris, who now play in fourth tier]. Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 23 November 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  2. Morgado, Fernando (2 May 2016). "Koke: El trotamundos del fútbol español" [Koke: The globetrotter of Spanish football]. Diario Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  3. Narváez, Diego (24 February 2003). "El Celta paga su falta de ambición ante el Málaga" [Celta pay for lack of ambition against Málaga]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  4. "Koke in the can for Marseille". UEFA. 2 February 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  5. "Koke, l'ancien joueur de l'OM, arrêté pour trafic de drogue" [Koke, former OM player, arrested for drug trafficking]. Le Parisien (in French). 19 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  6. "Koke apresentado" [Koke presented]. Record (in Portuguese). 25 January 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  7. "Sporting-Gil Vicente, 2–0: Um jogo da vida real" [Sporting-Gil Vicente, 2–0: A real life game]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 March 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  8. "Koke is it for Aris". UEFA. 15 August 2006. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  9. Fernández, Emilio (26 October 2017). "Koke, 'Príncipe' de Salónica" [Koke, 'Prince' of Thessaloniki]. La Opinión de Málaga (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  10. "Koke mete al Aris en la final de Copa" [Koke puts Aris in Cup final]. Marca (in Spanish). 25 March 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  11. Woosley, Zach (15 April 2011). "Houston, we have a Koke...and a Watson". SB Nation. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  12. "Bruin leads explosive Dynamo offense in rout of DC". Major League Soccer. 29 April 2011. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  13. De Jesus Ortiz, Jose (30 May 2011). "Koke's short stint with Dynamo comes to an end". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  14. "El Rayo ficha a Koke" [Rayo sign Koke]. Marca (in Spanish). 3 September 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  15. "Real Betis 0–2 Rayo Vallecano". ESPN Soccernet. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  16. "Koke se desvincula del Rayo" [Koke cuts ties with Rayo]. Marca (in Spanish). 20 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  17. "Bakú, destino final para Koke" [Bakú, final destination for Koke]. Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 13 February 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  18. Rincón, Jaime (6 May 2012). "Del primer título de Torres a los goles exóticos de Rafa Jordá o 'Koke'" [From Torres' first honour to exotic goals by Rafa Jordá or 'Koke']. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  19. "Koke deja el Baku de Azerbaiyán para firmar por el Pescara italiano" [Koke leaves Baku from Azerbaijan to sign for Italy's Pescara]. La Opinión de Málaga (in Spanish). 31 October 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  20. "Regensburg holt de Guzman, Hendl und Koke" [Regensburg get de Guzman, Hendl and Koke] (in German). Kicker. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  21. "Koke se marcha al Blooming boliviano" [Koke goes to Bolivia's Blooming]. Marca (in Spanish). 26 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  22. "Koke signs for NorthEast United FC". The Times of India. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  23. "Koke signs with NorthEast United FC". Goal. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  24. Ganguily, Abhishek (13 October 2014). "ISL: NorthEast United ride high on Koke, beat Kerala Blasters 1–0". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  25. ""Υπέγραψε" στη ΒΕΡΟΙΑ ο Σέρχιο Κόκε!" [Sergio Koke signs with Veria!] (in Greek). Kerkida Sport. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  26. ""Όνειρο η επιστροφή μου στον ΑΡΗ"" ["My return to Aris is a dream"] (in Greek). All About Aris. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  27. "Ex-footballer known as 'Koke' arrested in Spain for running drugs ring". The Local. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  28. Cano, Juan; Frías, Álvaro (28 July 2021). "El exfutbolista malagueño Koke sale de prisión tras pagar 15.000 euros de fianza" [Málaga-born former footballer Koke leaves prison after paying €15,000 fine]. Diario Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  29. "Koke". Soccerway. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  30. "Marseille 5–1 Deportivo (Aggregate: 5–3)". UEFA. Archived from the original on 31 May 2006. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  • Koke at BDFutbol
  • Koke at ForaDeJogo (archived)
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