Koke (footballer, born 1983)

Koke
Koke playing for Jahn Regensburg in 2013
Personal information
Full name Sergio Contreras Pardo
Date of birth (1983-04-27) 27 April 1983
Place of birth Málaga, Spain
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Forward
Youth career
Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2004 Málaga B 43 (5)
2002–2003 Málaga 6 (1)
2004–2006 Marseille 43 (6)
2006 → Sporting CP (loan) 6 (2)
2006–2011 Aris 138 (30)
2011 Houston Dynamo 7 (1)
2011–2012 Rayo Vallecano 5 (1)
2012 Baku 10 (2)
2013 Jahn Regensburg 9 (3)
2013–2014 Blooming 26 (2)
2014–2015 NorthEast United 12 (4)
2015 Veria 0 (0)
2015–2016 Aris 3 (1)
Total 308 (58)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Sergio Contreras Pardo (born 27 April 1983), known as Koke, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a forward.

In a much-travelled career, he represented clubs in Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, the United States, Azerbaijan, Germany, Bolivia and India. He was best known for his tenure at Aris, which lasted six seasons over two separate spells.[1][2]

Football career

Málaga

Born in Málaga, Koke started his football career at hometown club Málaga CF, being essential as the B-team reached the second division for the first time its history, in 2003.

On 23 February 2003, he scored a late equalizer in a 1–1 home draw against Celta de Vigo in La Liga,[3] where he appeared in six games, five from the bench, totalling 176 minutes for the Andalusians during the 2002–03 season.

Marseille

Koke playing for Marseille

In January 2004, after seeing very little playing time in the first team, barred by veteran Salva, Koke joined Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille,[4] playing ten times without scoring the remainder of the season. The following one was much better, with him netting five goals in 24 appearances.

In the 2005–06 campaign, with the arrival of Mamadou Niang (in August 2005) and Toifilou Maoulida (in January 2006), Koke was deemed surplus to requirements, scoring one goal in nine league matches and, in January 2006, was sent on loan to Sporting Clube de Portugal where he played almost no part in the club's season, although he did find the net twice as a substitute against Gil Vicente F.C. on 5 March, in a 2–0 home win.[5]

Aris

The arrival – initially on loan – of Djibril Cissé in August 2006 meant the end of Koke's adventure in France. He would eventually sign for Aris Thessaloniki FC, a team that was filled with Spanish players, in a three-year deal.[6] He produced the best football of his career in years, scoring ten league goals for a team that finished fourth in the league after being promoted the previous season.

In 2007–08, Koke netted another ten in the league's regular season, adding one in the UEFA Cup group stage game against Red Star Belgrade. In July 2008, he signed a new five-year contract while also attaining vice-captaincy, second to Konstantinos Nebegleras, and becoming himself captain in the 2009–10 campaign.[7]

Houston Dynamo

Koke signed with Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo on 15 April 2011. He joined the team officially 11 days later, after being awarded his international transfer certificate.[8]

On 29 April 2011, Koke made his debut for his new team, coming on as a late substitute in a 4–1 win against D.C. United.[9] However, after failing to settle in Houston and struggling in the league, he had his contract termination request accepted by the club on 30 May, leaving the club after little more than a month.[10]

Return to Spain

Koke returned to Spain in September 2011, signing with Rayo Vallecano, freshly promoted to the top division.[11] On 23 October, in his very first game, he scored his first goal for the club: after having replaced Piti midway through the second half of the away match against Real Betis, he netted the final 2–0 in the 88th minute, through a penalty kick.[12]

Koke was released by the Madrid club in the 2012 January transfer window.[13]

FK Baku

In February 2012, Koke joined Azerbaijan Premier League side FC Baku.[14] He appeared in a total of 15 games in his only season and scored four goals, including one in the final of the Azerbaijan Cup which was won.[15]

Koke was released in the summer.[16]

Later years

On the last day of the 2013 January transfer window, Koke joined SSV Jahn Regensburg in the 2. Bundesliga.[17] On 26 July, he changed clubs and countries again, signing a one-year contract with Club Blooming from the Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano.[18]

On 15 September 2014, Koke moved to NorthEast United FC.[19][20] He scored the game's only goal against the Kerala Blasters to mark his Indian Super League debut, and The Times of India subsequently wrote about the match: "The roar of the crowd could be heard a kilometre away from the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium".[21]

On 11 September 2015, Koke was released on a free transfer and signed with Veria FC.[22] The following month, without having appeared in any competitive games, he re-joined former club Aris.[23]

Club statistics (incomplete)

[24]

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
USA League Open Cup League Cup North America Total
2011Houston DynamoMajor League Soccer71———71
Spain League Copa del Rey Supercopa de España Europe Total
2011–12Rayo VallecanoLa Liga5110——61
Azerbaijan League Azerbaijan Cup League Cup Europe Total
2011–12BakuAzerbaijan Premier League10252——154
Germany League DFB-Pokal DFL-Supercup Europe Total
2012–13Jahn Regensburg2. Bundesliga9300——93
Bolivia League - - Copa Sudamericana Total
2013–14BloomingLFPB26200—20282
India League Federation Cup Super Cup Asia Total
2014NorthEast UnitedIndian Super League12400——124
Total USA 71———71
Spain 5110——61
Azerbaijan 10252——154
Germany 9300——93
Bolivia 262——20282
India 12400——124
Career total 691362—207715

Honours

Málaga
Marseille
Aris
FK Baku

References

  1. ↑ "Koke redebuta con el Aris, que ahora juega en Tercera" [Koke makes re-debut with Aris, who now play in Tercera]. Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 23 November 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  2. ↑ "Koke: El trotamundos del fútbol español" [Koke: The globetrotter of Spanish football]. Diario Sur (in Spanish). 2 May 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "El Celta paga su falta de ambición ante el Málaga" [Celta pay for lack of ambition against Málaga]. El País (in Spanish). 24 February 2003. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "Koke in the can for Marseille". UEFA. 2 February 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Sporting-Gil Vicente, 2–0: Um jogo da vida real" [Sporting-Gil Vicente, 2–0: A real life game]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 March 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  6. ↑ "Koke is it for Aris". UEFA.com. 15 August 2006. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Koke mete al Aris en la final de Copa" [Koke puts Aris in Cup final]. Marca (in Spanish). 25 March 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  8. ↑ "Houston, we have a Koke...and a Watson". SB Nation. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Bruin leads explosive Dynamo offense in rout of DC". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011.
  10. ↑ de Jesus Ortiz, Jose (30 May 2011). "Koke's short stint with Dynamo comes to an end". Chron. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "El Rayo ficha a Koke" [Rayo sign Koke]. Marca (in Spanish). 3 September 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  12. ↑ "Real Betis 0–2 Rayo Vallecano". ESPN Soccernet. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  13. ↑ "Koke se desvincula del Rayo" [Koke cuts ties with Rayo]. Marca (in Spanish). 20 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  14. ↑ "Bakú, destino final para Koke" [Bakú, final destination for Koke]. Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 13 February 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "Del primer título de Torres a los goles exóticos de Rafa Jordá o 'Koke'" [From Torres' first honour to exotic goals by Rafa Jordá or 'Koke']. Marca (in Spanish). 6 May 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  16. ↑ "Koke deja el Baku de Azerbaiyán para firmar por el Pescara italiano" [Koke leaves Baku from Azerbaijan to sign for Italy's Pescara]. La Opinión de Málaga (in Spanish). 31 October 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  17. ↑ "Regensburg holt de Guzman, Hendl und Koke" [Regensburg get de Guzman, Hendl and Koke] (in German). kicker. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  18. ↑ "Koke se marcha al Blooming boliviano" [Koke goes to Bolivia's Blooming]. Marca (in Spanish). 26 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  19. ↑ "Koke signs for NorthEast United FC". The Times of India. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  20. ↑ "Koke signs with NorthEast United FC". Goal. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  21. ↑ Ganguily, Abhishek (13 October 2014). "ISL: NorthEast United ride high on Koke, beat Kerala Blasters 1–0". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  22. ↑ ""Υπέγραψε" στη ΒΕΡΟΙΑ ο Σέρχιο Κόκε!" [Sergio Koke signs with Veria!] (in Greek). Kerkida Sport. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  23. ↑ ""Όνειρο η επιστροφή μου στον ΑΡΗ"" ["My return to Aris is a dream"] (in Greek). All About Aris. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  24. ↑ "Koke". Soccerway. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
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