Do You Remember Them #9- Didier Zokora

Biodata

Full Name: Deguy Alain Didier Zokora

Nationality: Ivorian

Date of Birth: 14 December 1980

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Former Clubs:

1999- 2000 ASEC Mimosas

2000- 2004 Racing Genk

2004- 2006 Saint Etienne

2006- 2009 Tottenham Hotspur

2009- 2011 Sevilla

2011- 2014 Trabzonspor

2014- 2015 Akhisar Belediyespor

2015 Pune City

2016 North East United

2017 Semen Padang

International Career:

2000- 2014 Ivory Coast

Achievement:

ASEC Mimosas

1999 CAF Super Cup

Genk

2001- 2002 Jupiler League

Tottenham Hotspur

2007- 2008 League Cup

Sevilla

2009- 2010 Copa del Rey

Career

The golden generation of the Ivory Coast which saw them qualified for three consecutive FIFA World Cups from 2006 to 2014 is often been seen as the best ever African side that grace the football pitch. Numerous amount of football stars such as Didier Drogba, Saloman Kalou and Gervinho had made their mark for their club and the national team. However, there are some unsung heroes that also made their contribution in this glorious team but hard to be mentioned widely by the football fans. Didier Zokora is one of them.

Didier Zokora started his youth career at Academie MimoSifcom in his hometown at the age of 14. He was then offered his first professional contract alongside his younger brother, Armando with the Ivorian club, ASEC Mimosas. However, his younger brother drowned to death while celebrating at the beach with Grand-Bassam. Zokora then has Armand tattoed on his right arm. In 2000, Zokora had his first European football exposure when he transferred to the Belgian club, Genk. He played an integral part in each and every season in the Belgian Jupiler League and eventually won the 2001-2002 campaign. Zokora was also part of the team the memorably recorded a 1-1 home draw against Real Madrid. His performance in Belgium also earned him his national debut in 2000. In 2004, Zokora joined the French side, Saint Etienne and continued his good performance in a relatively better league.

His performance in Saint Etienne had earned him a place in the 23 men squad of Ivory Coast national team in their debut campaign in 2006 FIFA World Cup. Zokora started all of the three games in that tournament and even registered one assist against the strong Netherlands side. Unfortunately, Ivory Coast was eliminated in the group stage as they are in the Deadliest Group which consists of Argentina, Netherlands and Serbia and Montenegro side. Fortunate for Zokora, his performance in the FIFA World Cup had earned him a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur. His most notable memory in the White Hart Lane is he helped this Tottenham side to win their first-ever silverware in nine years when they defeated Chelsea in the 2007-2008 EFL Cup final. However, the signing of Palacios from Wigan and his dipped form had cost Zokora’s place in Tottenham Hotspur.

Zokora then signed for Sevilla in the 2009 summer transfer window. In his first season in Spain, he helped this Sevilla side to get back into the UEFA Champions League after finishing fourth in 2009-2010 La Liga season. Zokora also helped Sevilla to claim their fifth Copa del Rey by beating Atletico Madrid in 2010. His contribution in Seville has guaranteed himself a spot on the Ivory Coast 23 men squad in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in which he played every single minute in Ivory Coast’s three games in another tough group which consists of Brazil, Portugal and North Korea in this term. After two years spell in Andalusia, Zokora joined Turkish side Trabzonspor in June 2011. However, his most memorable moment in Turkey is the incident that he was racially abused by Emre Belozoglu. He subsequently gets his revenge as he kicked Emre with the full force of his right boot into Emre’s crotch. He only received a yellow card for the challenge. However, his contribution to his national side is more relevant as he almost helped his country to win the 2012 African Cup of Nation, which eventually lost to Zambia in final.

On April 2014, Zokora left Trabzonspor and join Akhisar Belediyespor. Despite not playing in a top side at that moment, Zokora still gains his spot as one of the players in the Ivory Coast 23 men squad for 2014 FIFA World Cup. Since Zokora left Turkey, he was then played for several clubs in India and Indonesia in the latter years of his career. He was then signed for Pune City, North East United and Semen Padang in the last few years of his career. After he was released by Semen Padang in August 2017, Zokora announced his retirement from football.

Post Retirement

Since he had been released from Semen Padang, Didier Zokora is currently the assistant manager of the Ivorian football club, AFAD Djekanou. This Ivorian football club was a mid-table team last season and currently sit on the second place only separated by the goal scored in the 2019-2020 Cote d’Ivoire Ligue 1 season. With his expertise in this football game, Zokora will ensure he will help his team to reach a better ranking in the upcoming