Jonathan Zongo Explained

Jonathan Zongo
Full Name:Jonathan Sundy Zongo
Birth Date:6 April 1989
Birth Place:Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Height:1.83 m
Position:Winger, forward
Youthclubs1:Ouagadougou
Years1:2009–2010
Years2:2010–2013
Caps2:52
Goals2:11
Years3:2011–2017
Caps3:102
Goals3:6
Years4:2019
Years5:2019–2020
Caps5:1
Goals5:0
Totalcaps:155
Totalgoals:17
Nationalyears1:2013–2017
Nationalcaps1:22
Nationalgoals1:2

Jonathan Sundy Zongo (born 6 April 1989) is a Burkinabé former professional footballer who played as a winger or forward. He was a Burkina Faso international, appeared between 2013 and 2017.

He spent the better part of his 11-year senior career in Spain, appearing in 111 competitive matches for Almería and taking part in two La Liga seasons with the club. He also played professionally in Thailand.

Club career

Almería

Born in Ouagadougou, Zongo began his career with hometown club US Ouagadougou. In October 2010, he moved to Spain and joined UD Almería, being initially assigned to the reserve team in the Segunda División B. One month after arriving he suffered a knee injury, going on to miss several weeks.[1]

Zongo made his official debut with the Andalusians' main squad on 13 January 2011, coming on as a second-half substitute for Kalu Uche in a 1–0 home win against Deportivo de La Coruña in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.[2] He played his first game in the Segunda División on 29 January of the following year, against Gimnàstic de Tarragona.[3]

Again coming from the bench, Zongo scored his first goals for Almería on 19 May 2012, netting a late brace in a 2–0 home victory over AD Alcorcón.[4] For the 2012–13 season he was promoted to the first team, and appeared mostly from the bench in the early stages. However, in January, after the departures of Aarón Ñíguez and Leonardo Ulloa, he began being more utilised in manager Javi Gracia's starting XI as a winger, keeping his place under Gracia's successor Francisco.[5]

On 28 June 2013, Zongo was definitely promoted to Almería's main squad, with the club in La Liga.[6] In August, however, he declined a first-team contract, being again demoted to the reserves.[7] On 12 November he finally agreed to a deal, running until 2017.[8]

Zongo played his first match in the Spanish top division on 4 January 2014, featuring the last 19 minutes in a 3–0 home defeat of Granada CF[9] and becoming the first Burkinabé footballer to appear in the competition.[10] He scored his first league goal late in the month, the only in a win over Getafe CF also at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos.[11]

On 16 December 2014, in a 2–1 home win against Real Betis in the Copa del Rey, Zongo scored from 50 metres to lob goalkeeper Dani Giménez.[12] He was regularly used during the campaign, but the side suffered relegation.[13]

Zongo suffered a knee injury while on international duty in January 2017 and was sidelined for several months.[14] His contract expired before he was fully recovered, and he left the club.

Later years

On 8 January 2019, following a lengthy period as a free agent, Zongo signed for Thai League 2 side Army United FC.[15] He returned to Spain on 16 August, agreeing to a deal at CF Badalona of the third tier.[16]

Zongo announced his retirement from professional football on 23 December 2020 at the age of 31, after failing to completely recover from his 2017 injury.[17]

International career

On 7 August 2013, Zongo was called up to the Burkina Faso national team for a friendly with Morocco.[18] He made his debut seven days later, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 away win.[19] On 21 May of the following year he scored his first international goal, the equaliser in a 1–1 draw against Senegal.[20]

In January 2017, during a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations match against Gabon, Zongo suffered a severe knee injury.[14]

Career statistics

Club

[21]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Almería B2010–11Segunda División B186186
2011–12225225
2012–132020
2013–14100100
Total521100005211
Almería2010–11La Liga002020
2011–12Segunda División14210152
2012–132513130312
2013–14La Liga18110191
2014–1527211283
2015–16Segunda División12010130
2016–17300030
Total99692301117
Career total15117923016319

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Burkina Faso201340
201481
201541
201640
201720
Total222
Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 21 May 2014 align=center 1–1 align=center 1–1 Friendly
2 13 June 2015 align=center 2–0 align=center 2–0 2017 ACN qualifiers[22]

Notes and References

  1. http://udalmeria.ideal.es/noticias/2010-11-05/jonathan-operado-ripoll-baja-20101105.html Jonathan, operado por Ripoll, baja para ocho semanas en el Almería B (Jonathan, operated by Ripoll, out for eight weeks in Almería B)
  2. http://www.europapress.es/deportes/futbol-00162/noticia-futbol-copa-cronica-almeria-deportivo-coruna-20110113220130.html Crónica del Almería-Deportivo de La Coruña, 1–0 (Almería-Deportivo de La Coruña match report, 1–0)
  3. http://www.marca.com/2012/01/29/futbol/2adivision/1327869794.html La fortuna del Almería mete en la UVI al Nàstic (Almería's luck sends Nàstic to ICU)
  4. http://www.marca.com/2012/05/19/futbol/2adivision/1337455288.html Jonathan mete otra vez al Almería en la lucha (Jonathan puts Almería back in the hunt)
  5. https://diariouda.com/web/el-curioso-caso-de-jonathan-zongo/ El curioso caso de Jonathan Zongo (The curious case of Jonathan Zongo)
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20130701034227/http://www.udalmeriasad.com/uda/index.php/inicio/noticias/5481-dieceiseis-jugadores-tiene-actualmente-contrato-en-vigor-con-la-primera-plantilla-de-la-ud-almeria Dieciséis jugadores tienen actualmente contrato en vigor con la primera plantilla de la UD Almería (Sixteen players actually have a contract with Almería's first team)
  7. http://www.udalmeriasad.com/-/jonathan-se-incorpora-al-filial Jonathan se incorpora al filial (Jonathan added to reserves)
  8. http://www.udalmeriasad.com/-/jonathan-se-incorpora-a-la-primera-plantilla-de-la-ud-almeria Jonathan se incorpora a la primera plantilla de la UD Almería (Jonathan added to UD Almería's first team)
  9. http://espnfc.com/en/report/373043/report.html?soccernet=true Almeria in cruise control
  10. http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2014/01/07/primera/1389066732_505619.html Zongo, primer jugador de Burkina Faso en Primera (Zongo, first Burkina Faso player in Primera)
  11. http://espnfc.com/en/report/373011/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=null Almeria 1 Getafe 0
  12. http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20141217/futbol/2-1-jim-se-estrena-ganando-y-el-almeria-sella-su-pase-con-un-golazo-de-zongo_54421900777.html 2–1: El Almería sella su pase con un golazo de Zongo (2–1: Almería seal qualification with a great goal from Zongo)
  13. News: Descenso con un claro responsable (2–3). Relegation has a clear guilty party (2–3). Diario de Almería. es. 23 May 2015. 28 July 2020.
  14. Web site: Jonathan Zongo sufre una grave lesión de rodilla que le tendrá de baja entre 6 y 8 meses. Jonathan Zongo suffers a severe knee injury which will keep him sidelined between 6 and 8 months. UD Almería. es. 23 January 2017. 1 July 2017.
  15. Web site: Army United signe le burkinabè Jonathan Zongo. Army United sign Burkinabé Jonathan Zongo. Africa Foot United. fr. 8 January 2019. 20 June 2020.
  16. Web site: FITXATGE / Jonathan Zongo. SIGNING / Jonathan Zongo. CF Badalona. ca. 16 August 2019. 20 June 2020.
  17. News: Jonathan Zongo cuelga las botas a sus 31 años. Jonathan Zongo hangs up boots at the age of 31. Diario AS. es. 23 December 2020. 25 December 2020.
  18. https://archive.today/20130808155312/http://www.udalmeriasad.com/uda/index.php/inicio/noticias/5573-jonathan-convocado-por-la-seleccion-absoluta-de-su-pais Jonathan, convocado por la selección absoluta de su país (Jonathan, called up by his country's full side)
  19. http://www.afrik.com/amical-le-burkina-faso-surprend-le-maroc Amical: Le Burkina Faso surprend le Maroc (Friendly: Burkina Faso surprise Morocco)
  20. http://news.aouaga.com/h/27051.html Match Amical International, Burkina Faso # Sénégal: 1–1 – Manque de réalisme des Etalons (International friendly, Burkina Faso # Senegal: 1–1 – Unrealistic Etalons)
  21. Web site: Jonathan Zongo. Soccerway. 20 September 2014.
  22. Web site: Burkina leave it late to break down Comoros. African Football. 13 June 2015. 7 July 2015.