Biography
Who is Arouna Koné?
Early life and career
Arouna Koné was born in Anyama, Côte d'Ivoire. He started his football path in his home country playing for Rio Sport d'Anyama. He represented the Ivory Coast under-20 team during the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. During that tournament, he scored three goals, including one against Mexico and two against the Republic of Ireland. FIFA officials noted his physical strength, aerial ability, and ball control during these matches.
Professional club career
Arouna played for several European clubs throughout his career. His path in the Eredivisie included time with Lierse S.K., Roda JC Kerkrade, and PSV Eindhoven. He won the Eredivisie league title twice with PSV in 2005-06 and 2006-07. In 2007, he moved to the Spanish club Sevilla, where he won the Copa del Rey in the 2009-10 season. He also spent time on loan at Hannover 96 and Levante while contracted to Sevilla.
In 2012, Arouna signed a three-year contract with Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League. He helped the team win the FA Cup in 2013, playing the full match against Manchester City. Following his time at Wigan, he joined Everton in 2013, where he played until 2017. His stint at Everton included a hat-trick against Sunderland in November 2015. Later, he moved to the Turkish club Sivasspor, where he helped secure the Turkish Cup in 2021-22. He finished his professional career with a short spell at the Belgian club VK Weerde in 2022.
International play
Arouna Koné played for the Ivory Coast national team between 2004 and 2013. He was part of the squad that appeared at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, which marked the first time the African nation qualified for the tournament. He also participated in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Over his international career, he earned 39 caps and scored 9 goals for his country. He was an Africa Cup of Nations runner-up in 2006.
Personal life and statistics
Arouna Koné is a Muslim and is married with two sons and three daughters. His father passed away when he was nine years old. He has stated that his football heroes were George Weah and Ronaldo. He also attributes his past hairstyle to the former basketball player Dennis Rodman. Standing 182 centimeters tall, he maintained a long career in professional sports before retiring in 2022. He remains connected to the game through his history as a top scorer for Sivasspor and his extensive experience in major European leagues.
Birthday and age
Arouna Koné was born on November 11, 1983, which makes Arouna 43 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Arouna shares the date with 62 other famous people.
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