Youssouf Fofana (French footballer) explained

Youssouf Fofana
Full Name:Youssouf Fofana
Birth Date:10 January 1999
Birth Place:Paris, France
Height:1.85 m[1]
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:AC Milan
Clubnumber:29
Youthyears1:2005–2013
Youthclubs1:Espérance Paris 19ème
Youthyears2:2013–2014
Youthclubs2:Red Star
Youthyears3:2014–2017
Youthclubs3:Drancy
Youthyears4:2017–2018
Youthclubs4:Strasbourg
Years1:2017–2018
Clubs1:Strasbourg B
Caps1:34
Goals1:4
Years2:2018–2020
Clubs2:Strasbourg
Caps2:30
Goals2:3
Years3:2020–2024
Clubs3:Monaco
Caps3:143
Goals3:6
Years9:2024–
Clubs9:AC Milan
Caps9:0
Goals9:0
Nationalyears1:2018
Nationalteam1:France U19
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2018–2019
Nationalteam2:France U20
Nationalcaps2:9
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:2019
Nationalteam3:France U21
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2022–
Nationalteam4:France
Nationalcaps4:21
Nationalgoals4:3
Club-Update:23:15, 19 May 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:23:31, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Youssouf Fofana (born 10 January 1999) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club AC Milan and the France national team.

Early life

Youssouf Fofana[2] was born on 10 January 1999 in Paris.[3] He is of Malian and Ivorian descent.[4]

Club career

Strasbourg

Fofana began his career with various youth academies in Paris, before joining the youth academy of Strasbourg on 21 February 2017.[5] He made his professional debut with Strasbourg in a 2–0 Ligue 1 loss to Lyon on 24 August 2018.[6]

Monaco

Fofana played his final game for Strasbourg on 25 January 2020, a 3–1 away win over Monaco.[7] Four days later, he was signed by Monaco for €15 million,[8] [9] and made his debut on 1 February, playing 71 minutes of a 3–1 away defeat to Nîmes.[10] On 25 November 2021, Fofana scored his first goal for Monaco, the winning goal in a 2–1 UEFA Europa League victory at home over Real Sociedad.[11] He scored his first league goal with the club in a 4–2 home defeat to Troyes on 31 August 2022.[12]

AC Milan

On 17 August 2024, Fofana completed his move to Serie A club AC Milan, signing a four-year contract until 30 June 2028. He chose the kit number 29.[13]

International career

Fofana was a youth international for France from under-19 to under-21 level.[14]

On 15 September 2022, Fofana received his first call-up to the France national team for two UEFA Nations League matches against Austria and Denmark.[15] In November, he was called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar by Didier Deschamps.[16] At the tournament, he played in six of France's seven matches, starting the ones against Tunisia in the group stage (1–0 loss) and Morocco in the semi-finals (2–0 win).[17] [18] In the final against Argentina on 18 December, Fofana came on as a 96th-minute substitute in extra time for Adrien Rabiot. The game ended with a score of 3–3, and Argentina came out victorious on penalties.[19]

On 18 November 2023, Fofana scored his first goal with France, the seventh goal of a 14–0 win over Gibraltar in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying.[20] In the following match against Greece, he scored in a goal from twenty-five metres out in a 2–2 draw.[21]

Style of play

Fofana usually plays as a box-to-box midfielder with primarily defensive duties. His main qualities are his physical strength, stamina, and the ability to press opponents to win back possession of the ball.[22]

Career statistics

Club

[23]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Strasbourg B2017–18National 3293293
2018–19National 35151
Total344344
Strasbourg2018–19Ligue 11721041223
2019–20Ligue 1131102030191
Total303206130414
Monaco2019–20Ligue 17070
2020–21Ligue 135050400
2021–22Ligue 13304091461
2022–23Ligue 136210100472
2023–24Ligue 132430354
Total14361301911757
AC Milan2024–25Serie A00000000
Career total207131506122125015

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
France202280
202372
202461
Total213

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Fofana goal.

No.!scope=col
Datescope=colVenuescope=colCapscope=colOpponentscope=colScorescope=colResultscope=colCompetition
1 18 November 2023 Allianz Riviera, Nice, France 14 7–0 14–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
2 21 November 2023 Agia Sophia Stadium, Athens, Greece 15 2–2 2–2 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
3 26 March 2024 Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France 17 1–1 3–2 Friendly

Honours

Strasbourg

2018–19[24]

Monaco

France

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Youssouf Fofana . AS Monaco FC . 7 November 2022.
  2. Web site: Squad List: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: France (FRA) . FIFA . 12 . 18 December 2022 . 10 May 2023.
  3. News: Youssouf Fofana . L'Équipe . Paris . 7 November 2022 . fr.
  4. Web site: Joueurs maliens ou d'origines maliennes à travers le monde du 08/09/2017 . 2024-05-26 . reference14sport . fr.
  5. Web site: Youssouf FOFANA s'engage en faveur de STRASBOURG – JA Drancy . 21 February 2017.
  6. Web site: Olympique Lyonnais vs. Strasbourg – 24 August 2018 . Soccerway . Perform Group.
  7. Web site: Rainbot . Arthur . 25 January 2020 . Monaco - RC Strasbourg: Le RC Strasbourg bat Monaco 1-3 à l'extérieur . 30 December 2022 . . Fr.
  8. Web site: Chirat . Antoine . 29 January 2020 . AS Monaco : Youssouf Fofana signe à son tour ! . 30 December 2022 . Onze Mondial . Fr.
  9. Web site: Borne . Fabien . 30 January 2020 . Officiel : Youssouf Fofana signe lui aussi à Monaco . 30 December 2022 . Dailymercato . Fr.
  10. Web site: 1 February 2020 . NÎMES / AS MONACO - (3 / 1) - J22 - 2019-2020 . 30 December 2022 . . Fr.
  11. Web site: 25 November 2021 . Monaco vs. Real Sociedad . 30 December 2022 . Soccerway.
  12. Web site: September 2022 . VIDÉO : Le premier but de Youssouf Fofana en Ligue 1 . 30 December 2022 . BeSoccer . Fr.
  13. Web site: 17 August 2024 . OFFICIAL STATEMENT: YOUSSOUF FOFANA . 17 August 2024 . AC Milan.
  14. Web site: Youssouf FOFANA convoqué en équipe de FRANCE U19 – JA Drancy . 15 February 2018 . 25 August 2018 . 26 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190526232515/http://www.ja-drancy.com/index.php/youssouf-fofana-convoque-en-equipe-de-france-u19-2018/ . dead .
  15. Web site: 15 September 2022 . France Nations League squad: Badiashile, Fofana and Kolo Muani receive first-ever call-up, Dembele and Giroud return . 15 September 2022 . Football Today . en-GB.
  16. Web site: 11 November 2022 . Youssouf Fofana sur sa sélection pour la Coupe du monde : « On ne peut pas faire plus grand » . 11 December 2022 . . Fr.
  17. Web site: 14 December 2022 . France-Maroc : Fofana et Konaté titulaires à la place de Rabiot et Upamecano, malades . 30 December 2022 . . Fr.
  18. Web site: 14 December 2022 . CdM : France 2-0 Maroc (fini) . 30 December 2022 . Maxifoot.fr . Fr.
  19. Web site: 18 December 2022 . ARGENTINE - FRANCE COMPOSITIONS . 30 December 2022 . . Fr.
  20. Web site: 2023-11-18 . Équipe de France : soir de record pour les Bleus, sans pitié face à Gibraltar . 2023-11-18 . Le Figaro . fr.
  21. Web site: Les Bleus accrochés par la Grèce et privés d'un grand chelem en qualifications pour l'Euro 2024 . 2023-11-21 . L'Équipe . fr.
  22. Web site: Potenza fisica, recupera palloni e tanta corsa: Alla scoperta di Youssouf Fofana, il mediano difensivo che piace al Milan .
  23. Web site: Y. Fofana: Summary . Soccerway . Perform Group . 7 November 2022.
  24. Web site: Kezzouf . Youmni . 31 March 2019 . Strasbourg remporte la Coupe de la Ligue aux tirs au but . 30 December 2022 . . Fr.
  25. Web site: Monaco 0–2 Paris Saint Germain: PSG win sixth French Cup in seven years. BBC Sport. 19 May 2021. 19 May 2021.
  26. News: Argentina 3–3 France . Phil . McNulty . BBC Sport . 18 December 2022 . 18 December 2022.