Yakou Méïté
Yakou Méïté (born 11 February 1996) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a winger and striker for Championship side Reading and Ivory Coast.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 11 February 1996 | ||
Place of birth | Paris, France | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Playing position(s) | Winger[1] | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Reading | ||
Number | 19 | ||
Youth career | |||
2009–2014 | Paris Saint-Germain | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2013–2016 | Paris Saint-Germain II | 45 | (8) |
2015–2016 | Paris Saint-Germain | 1 | (0) |
2016– | Reading | 82 | (21) |
2017–2018 | → Sochaux (loan) | 31 | (3) |
National team‡ | |||
2013 | Ivory Coast U17 | 5 | (1) |
2015 | Ivory Coast U20 | 4 | (0) |
2018– | Ivory Coast U23 | 1 | (0) |
2018– | Ivory Coast | 2 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 March 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 October 2019 |
Club career
Paris Saint Germain
Born in Paris, Méïté started his professional career at Paris Saint-Germain. He made his professional debut on 9 April 2016 in the Ligue 1 against Guingamp replacing Jean-Kévin Augustin after 91 minutes in a 0–2 away win.[2]
Reading
On 29 July 2016, Méïté signed a three-year contract with English side Reading.[3] Méïte made his debut for Reading as a substitute in an EFL Cup tie against Plymouth Argyle on 9 August 2016,[4] with his first goal for the club coming on 21 January 2017, during a 3–2 defeat to Derby County in the Championship.[5]
On 8 July 2017, Méïté moved to Sochaux on a season-long loan deal.[6]
On 3 October 2018, Reading announced that Méïte had signed a new contract with Reading, until the summer of 2022.[7] On his return to Reading he became a mainstay as the club's striker and scored 6 goals in 5 games, impressing manager Paul Clement.[8]
In August 2019 Méïté spoke out about racist abuse he received on social media.[9] He said he chose to do so due to the impact it had on players.[10]
International career
Méïté was born and raised in France to Ivorian parents. He has played for the Ivory Coast U17s and the U20s.[11] He debuted for the Ivory Coast U23s in a friendly 5–0 win over the Togo U23s on 27 March 2018.[12]
Méïté was also called up to the senior Ivory Coast squad for a friendly against Togo in March 2018.[13] He was selected for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Guinea on 18 November 2018.[14] He made his debut for Ivory Coast on 26 March 2019 in a 1–0 victory over Liberia, playing 73 minutes before being replaced by eventual goalscorer Jonathan Kodjia.[15]
Style of play
Méïté is a physically strong player. He has impressive strength, ability in the air, speed and tireless stamina. Paul Clement praised him for his workrate and willingness to battle for every ball. [8]
Career statistics
- As of matches played 7 March 2020[11]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Paris Saint-Germain | 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2014–15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2015–16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Paris Saint-Germain II | 2013–14 | CFA | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||||
2014–15 | 20 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 20 | 6 | ||||||
2015–16 | 24 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 24 | 2 | ||||||
Total | 45 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 45 | 8 | ||
Reading | 2016–17 | Championship | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
2017–18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||||
2018–19 | 37 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 40 | 13 | ||||
2019–20 | 31 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 36 | 12 | ||||
Total | 82 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 91 | 26 | ||
Sochaux (loan) | 2017–18 | Ligue 2 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 35 | 5 | ||
Career total | 159 | 32 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 172 | 39 |
International
Ivory Coast national team | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Apps | Goals |
2018 | 1 | 0 |
2019 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 2 | 0 |
Statistics accurate as of match played 13 October 2019[16]
References
- "Yakou Meïté". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
- "Guingamp vs. PSG - 9 April 2016 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- "Royals swoop to sign Yakou Meite". reading.co.uk. Reading F.C. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
- "Reading 2-0 Plymouth". BBC. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
- "Derby 3-2 Reading". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- "Meite returns to France for loan season at Sochaux". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 8 July 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- "Méïté pens new long-term deal as a Royal". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
- ""Fighting spirit and attitude… Yakou has that in abundance!"". www.readingfc.co.uk.
- "Yakou Meite: Reading striker calls out racist abuse". BBC Sport. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- "Yakou Meite: Reading striker chose to share racist abuse to demonstrate impact on players". BBC Sport. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- Yakou Méïté at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
- Ewan. "Yakou Méïté et les U23 de la Côte d'Ivoire s'imposent face au Togo". fcsochaux.fr.
- "Togo vs Ivory Coast". ESPN. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- http://www.fifciv.com/?q=elim-can-2019-5%C3%A8-j-guiciv-voici-les-23-el%C3%A9phants-s%C3%A9lectionn%C3%A9s
- "CÔTE D'IVOIRE 1-0 LIBERIA". soccerway.com/. Soccerway. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "Yakou Méïté". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 13 October 2019.