Serge Gakpé
Encyclopedia
Serge Gakpé is a French-born Togo
lese football midfielder who plays for French
club FC Nantes.
lese origin, Gakpé began his career playing with his local club UMS Pontault-Combault, whom AS Monaco share a partnership with. During his time in Pontault-Combault
, he regularly attended sessions at the Clairefontaine academy
. After being recommended to the Ligue 1
side by Pontault-Combault and Clairefontaine officials, he agreed to join the principality
-based side in 2001.
Despite not having a professional contract to his name, he joined the first-team squad following the winter break of the 2005–06 season
making his professional debut in a 1–1 draw against RC Lens
on 22 January 2006. Not only did he start the match, but he also scored his first professional goal, scoring it in just the 7th minute. He went on to play in 13 more matches and added another goal to his tally as well.
Serge then signed his first professional contract on 4 January 2007, inking a three-year deal with the club. He has since added another year to the contract, which ties him to Monaco until 2011. Over the next three seasons, his playing time dramatically increased making 76 appearances and scoring 11 goals. His performances have caught the attention of several prominent Europe
an clubs such as English
sides Sheffield Wednesday
, Chelsea
and Tottenham Hotspur
, and Spanish
giants Barcelona. He signed for French Ligue 2 club FC Nantes on 28 January 2011.
, and was called for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
against Morocco
on 6 September 2009.
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
lese football midfielder who plays for French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
club FC Nantes.
Playing career
Of TogoTogo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
lese origin, Gakpé began his career playing with his local club UMS Pontault-Combault, whom AS Monaco share a partnership with. During his time in Pontault-Combault
Pontault-Combault
Pontault-Combault is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the eastern suburbs of Paris from the center.-History:...
, he regularly attended sessions at the Clairefontaine academy
Clairefontaine
Le Centre Technique National Fernand Sastre , commonly referred to as INF Clairefontaine , INF, or simply Clairefontaine, is the national association football centre that specializes in training French football players...
. After being recommended to the Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
side by Pontault-Combault and Clairefontaine officials, he agreed to join the principality
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
-based side in 2001.
Despite not having a professional contract to his name, he joined the first-team squad following the winter break of the 2005–06 season
Ligue 1 season 2005/2006
Olympique Lyonnais won Ligue 1 season 2005/2006 of the French Association Football League with 84 points.-Participating teams:- Final table :Promoted from Ligue 2 , who will play in Ligue 1 season 2006/2007** Valenciennes FC : champion of Ligue 2...
making his professional debut in a 1–1 draw against RC Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
on 22 January 2006. Not only did he start the match, but he also scored his first professional goal, scoring it in just the 7th minute. He went on to play in 13 more matches and added another goal to his tally as well.
Serge then signed his first professional contract on 4 January 2007, inking a three-year deal with the club. He has since added another year to the contract, which ties him to Monaco until 2011. Over the next three seasons, his playing time dramatically increased making 76 appearances and scoring 11 goals. His performances have caught the attention of several prominent Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an clubs such as English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sides Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, and Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
giants Barcelona. He signed for French Ligue 2 club FC Nantes on 28 January 2011.
International career
Even though Gakpé was born in France, he choose to play for the Togolese national teamTogo national football team
The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks, is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football.They played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Their team bus...
, and was called for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
against Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
on 6 September 2009.