Geoffrey Kondogbia

Footballer (born 1993) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Geoffrey Edwin Kondogbia (born 15 February 1993) is a professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Marseille, which he captains. Primarily a defensive midfielder, he has also played centre-back on occasion.[4]

Full name Geoffrey Edwin Kondogbia[1]
Date of birth (1993-02-15) 15 February 1993 (age 33)[2]
Place of birth Nemours, France
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Quick facts Personal information, Full name ...
Geoffrey Kondogbia
Kondogbia warming up for Marseille in 2024
Personal information
Full name Geoffrey Edwin Kondogbia[1]
Date of birth (1993-02-15) 15 February 1993 (age 33)[2]
Place of birth Nemours, France
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Position Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Marseille
Number 19
Youth career
1999–2003 Nandy
2003–2004 Sénart-Moissy
2004–2010 Lens
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Lens B 18 (1)
2010–2012 Lens 35 (1)
2012–2013 Sevilla 33 (1)
2013–2015 Monaco 49 (2)
2015–2018 Inter Milan 50 (2)
2017–2018Valencia (loan) 31 (4)
2018–2020 Valencia 51 (2)
2020–2023 Atlético Madrid 73 (1)
2023– Marseille 61 (0)
International career
2008–2009 France U16 5 (1)
2009 France U17 6 (0)
2010–2011 France U18 12 (5)
2011–2012 France U19 12 (1)
2012–2013 France U20 14 (2)
2013–2014 France U21 9 (1)
2014–2015 France 5 (0)
2018– Central African Republic 22 (3)
Medal record
Men's Football
Representing  France
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Winner2013 Turkey
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 March 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 24 March 2025
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Kondogbia started his career at Lens,[5] then signed with Sevilla at the age of 19. In 2013 he was bought by Monaco for €20 million, and then by Inter Milan for €31 million two years later. He returned to Spain in 2017 to play for Valencia, winning the Copa del Rey in 2019. In 2020 he moved to Atlético Madrid, winning La Liga in his first season.

Kondogbia earned 57 caps for his birth country of France across its youth levels,[5] before making his debut for the senior team in 2014. In August 2018, he was cap-tied to the Central African Republic by switching his allegiance, and made his debut for its national team in an official match shortly after.[6]

Early and personal life

Kondogbia was born in Nemours, France, to Central African parents. He is a Muslim.[7] He acquired French nationality on 27 March 2007, through the collective effect of his mother's naturalization.[8]

Kondogbia's older brother, Evans, was also a footballer. He spent most of his career in Belgium, and represented the Central African Republic internationally.[5][9]

Club career

Lens

Kondogbia joined Lens' youth system at the age of 11. On 11 April 2010 he signed his first professional contract, agreeing to a four-year deal.[10] He made his debut in Ligue 1 on 21 November, appearing as a late substitute against Olympique Lyonnais.[11]

Kondogbia spent the 2011–12 season in Ligue 2 after the Sang et Or's relegation. He scored his only official goal for the team on 13 April 2012, netting the opener in a 3–0 success at Tours FC.[12]

Sevilla

On 24 July 2012, Kondogbia signed with Spanish club Sevilla FC for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of 3 million.[13][14] He first appeared in La Liga on 15 September, replacing goalscorer Piotr Trochowski in the 82nd minute of the 1–0 defeat of reigning champions Real Madrid, at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.[15] He scored his first goal for the Andalusians on 28 January 2013, heading home the first for his team in an eventual 3–0 home derby win against Granada CF.[16]

In Sevilla's semi-final second leg tie of the Copa del Rey against eventual winners Atlético Madrid, on 27 February 2013, Kondogbia picked up a red card as his team ended the match with nine men in the 2–2 home draw, and fell to a 3–4 aggregate loss.[17][18]

Monaco

Kondogbia returned to the French top division on 31 August 2013, signing a five-year contract with newly promoted AS Monaco FC worth a reported 20 million.[19] He contributed with 26 games and one goal in his first season, helping the club finish second and return to the UEFA Champions League after one decade.

In the Champions League round-of-16's first leg, on 25 February 2015, Kondogbia put his team ahead at Arsenal in an eventual 3–1 win.[20]

Inter Milan

On 22 June 2015, Inter Milan announced that they had signed Kondogbia[21] on a five-year deal[22][23] for an initial fee of 31 million,[24][25] subject to a medical,[22][26] beating a reported €40m bid from city rival A.C. Milan.[22] He scored his first goal for his new team on 8 November, the only away against Torino FC.[27] On 14 February of the following year, he was sent off at the conclusion of a bad-tempered 1–2 loss at ACF Fiorentina for sarcastically applauding the referee; he received a two-match ban.[28]

In June 2016, the Serie A club announced the total cost of Kondogbia was €40.501 million.[29]

Valencia

Kondogbia playing for Valencia in 2019

On 21 August 2017, Valencia CF announced that they reached an agreement with Internazionale for the loan of Kondogbia until 30 June 2018, with an option to make the deal permanent.[30] The deal was part of a loan exchange, with João Cancelo moving in the other direction.[31] He scored on his debut six days later, playing the full 90 minutes of an away fixture against Real Madrid and helping the team to a 2–2 draw.[32]

On 24 May 2018, Valencia redeemed the buyout clause of Kondogbia and the player signed a four-year contract.[33]

Atlético Madrid

Kondogbia with Atlético Madrid in 2022

On 3 November 2020, Kondogbia joined Atlético Madrid on a four-year contract.[34] The club was granted an exception to sign him outside of the transfer window after Arsenal had met the release clause of Thomas Partey on deadline day.[35] He was mainly used as a substitute in his first season as the team won the league, not starting a game until February.[36]

In 2021–22, Kondogbia played 28 league games, with only minor muscular injuries preventing more.[37] He scored his only goal of 93 appearances for the Rojiblancos on 9 January, equalising in a 2–2 draw at Villarreal CF in which he was also sent off.[38]

Marseille

On 30 June 2023, Kondogbia returned to Ligue 1 for the first time in eight years, signing for Olympique de Marseille for four seasons for a fee of €8 million.[39] He made his debut on 9 August in a Champions League third qualifying round first leg away to Panathinaikos F.C. in which he was sent off; his first yellow card came within 30 seconds of kick-off.[40]

International career

France

Kondogbia and Spain's José Campaña at the 2012 European Under-19 Championship

Kondogbia was selected to the French squad for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[41] In the nation's first group match against Ghana, on 21 June, he scored the opening goal in an eventual 3–1 victory,[42] being chosen by some publications as man of the match for his all-around performance.[43] He netted for the second time in the tournament against hosts Turkey in the round-of-16, leading to a 4–1 victory.[44]

Kondogbia made his debut for the senior team on 14 August 2013 at the age of 20, playing 63 minutes in a 0–0 friendly draw away to Belgium.[45]

Central African Republic

As all five matches he played for France at senior level were not in competitive matches, Kondogbia was never cap-tied and was thus still eligible to represent the Central African Republic, for which he qualified through his parents. He received an official call on 31 August 2018[6] and made his debut on 12 October, starting and acting as captain in a 4–0 away loss to Ivory Coast in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.[46] On 18 November in the same competition, he scored an added-time equaliser in a 2–2 draw away to Rwanda.[47]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 22 March 2026[48]
More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lens B 2010–11 CFA 181181
Lens 2010–11 Ligue 1 30000030
2011–12 Ligue 2 3210040361
Total 3510040391
Sevilla 2012–13 La Liga 31160381
2013–14 20001[c]030
Total 3316010411
Monaco 2013–14 Ligue 1 2614110312
2014–15 23120008[d]1332
Total 492611081644
Inter Milan 2015–16 Serie A 26140301
2016–17 2412000261
Total 5026000562
Valencia (loan) 2017–18 La Liga 31450364
Valencia 2018–19 La Liga 191307[e]0291
2019–20 271105[d]11[f]0342
2020–21 500050
Valencia total 82690121101047
Atlético Madrid 2020–21 La Liga 2502000270
2021–22 281109[d]01[f]0391
2022–23 200403[d]0270
Total 7317012010931
Marseille 2023–24 Ligue 1 2601014[g]1411
2024–25 25010260
2025–26 100204[d]01[h]0170
Total 6104018110841
Career total 40114381505133049918
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  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. One appearance in UEFA Champions League, thirteen appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 24 March 2025[49][50]
More information National team, Year ...
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
France 201310
201540
Total50
Central African Republic 201831
202010
202140
202352
202470
202520
Total223
Career total273
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As of match played 24 March 2025[51][50]
Scores and results list Central African Republic goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kondogbia goal.
More information No., Date ...
List of international goals scored by Geoffrey Kondogbia
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
118 November 2018Stade Huye, Butare, Rwanda Rwanda2–22–22019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
217 June 2023Stade de la Réunification, Douala, Cameroon Angola1–11–22023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
320 November 2023Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali Mali1–11–12026 FIFA World Cup qualification
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Honours

References

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