Neeskens Kebano

Neeskens Kebano
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-03-10) 10 March 1992
Place of birth Montereau, France
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Fulham
Number 7
Youth career
1996–2006 ASA Montereau
2006–2011 Paris Saint-Germain
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2013 Paris Saint-Germain 8 (1)
2012–2013 → Caen (loan) 9 (1)
2013–2015 Charleroi 77 (36)
2015–2016 Genk 16 (7)
2016– Fulham 7 (0)
National team‡
2008–2009 France U17 5 (1)
2009–2010 France U18 8 (2)
2010–2011 France U19 10 (1)
2011–2012 France U20 6 (0)
2014– DR Congo 12 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10:46, 8 October 2016 (UTC)

Neeskens Kebano (born 10 March 1992 in Montereau) is a French-born Congolese football player who currently plays for the English club Fulham. He plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger. Kebano is a French youth international having earned caps at under-17, under-18 level, and under-19 level. He made his youth international debut at the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship.

Club career

Early career

Kebano was born in the commune of Montereau-Fault-Yonne, Île-de-France. He was given the first name Neeskens as a homage to the former Dutch international midfielder Johan Neeskens whom his father, Nestor Kebano, was a big admirer of.[1][2][3] Kebano was immersed into football at an early age and began his career playing for hometown club ASA Montereau.[1] While at Montereau, he also competed in judo before opting to focus on football.[2] In 2004, Kebano was among a host of players attempting to earn selection to the Clairefontaine academy.[4] While at the academy's detection camp, he drew interest from Paris Saint-Germain scout Pierre Reynaud. The club contacted the player and offered him a trial at the club, which he accepted. After spending the 2005 season playing at Montereau, Kebano was contacted again by Paris Saint-Germain who brought him in for a second trial in December 2005. In the following January, the club signed him on an aspirant (youth) contract and he joined the club in July 2006.[4]

Paris Saint-Germain

Kebano began his Paris Saint-Germain career at the club's youth academy in the Camp des Loges. He was placed on the club's under-14 team and formed friendships with youth and international teammates Jimmy Kamghain, Alassane Tambe, and Bastien Héry.[2] The combination of the four were particularly instrumental in their youth team's success. With the under-14 team, Kebano won the Championnat Fédéraux de 14 ans.[4] In the next season with the club's under-15 team, he played on the team that won the league and cup double. The team won its league, the Division d'Honneur, and also captured the Coupe de Paris.[4] At under-16 level, Paris Saint-Germain and Kebano won the Championnat National des 16 ans. Though, he is still eligible to compete at youth level, ahead of the 2010–11 season, Kebano was promoted to the club's Championnat de France amateur team in the fourth division. He was also placed onto the club's squad for the UEFA Europa League being assigned the number 38 shirt by manager Antoine Kombouaré.

Kebano made his amateur debut on 8 August 2010 in a 1–0 victory over Bourg-Péronnas.[5] The following week, he scored his first amateur goal in a 4–1 win over Monts d'Or Azergues.[6] After rotating between the club's reserve and Coupe Gambardella teams in the fall campaign, in December 2011, Kebano was called up to the senior team for the first time to participate in the club's final Europa League group stage match against Ukrainian club Karpaty Lviv. He appeared on the substitute's bench, but failed to make his debut as Paris Saint-Germain and Karpaty drew 1–1.[7] After the winter break, Kebano returned to the club's reserve team and spent January playing with the team. In February 2011, he was called back up to the senior team after being named to the 18-man roster to play amateur club Martigues in the Coupe de France. On 2 February, Kebano made his professional debut in the match appearing as a substitute for Mevlüt Erdinç in a 4–1 victory.[8][9] He scored his first professional goal for the club on 2 March 2011 in a 2–0 win over Le Mans in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France.[10]

On 14 August 2012, Kebano was loaned to Ligue 2 side SM Caen. As the 2012-13 season ended, Kebano was released to Charleroi.

Fulham FC

On 26 August 2016, Kebano signed for Fulham FC on a three-year contract, with a Club option for an additional 12 months. Believed to be in the region of £3.8 million with add on if Fulham get promoted to the top division. The next day on 27 August 2016, Kebano made his debut in a victory against Blackburn Rovers, The winger terrorised the Blackburn Rovers defence, and almost opened the scoring in the first half with a rasping strike from long range, only for Jason Steele to make a fine save to deny him.

International

Kebano is now a DR Congo international player. His first game was against Ivory Coast in Abidjan on October 15, 2014. His team won 3-4 and he scored the very first goal of the game after 23 minutes. In the past he was a French youth international having earned caps at under-17, under-18 level, and under-19 level. With the under-17 team, he went unnoticed by coach Philippe Bergeroo until the Elite Round of qualification for the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship when he was finally called up to the team.[11] Kebano made his youth international debut on 24 March 2009 in the team's first Elite Round group stage match against Belarus.[12] He appeared in the team's next group stage match against Norway and, after France qualified for the competition, was named to the team to participate in the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship.[13] Kebano appeared in all three group stage matches as France were eliminated without procuring a victory. In the team's final group stage match against Italy, Kebano scored the opening goal in a 2–1 defeat.[13]

With the under-18 team, Kebano made his debut on 27 October 2009 in a friendly match against Denmark.[14] He scored his first goal for the team on 10 December in a 1–1 draw with the Ukraine.[15] At the 2010 edition of the Copa del Atlantico on the Canary Islands, Kebano scored the second goal in a 4–2 rout of Spain.[16] He finished the under-18 campaign with eight appearances and two goals. Kebano was called up to the under-19 team in August 2010 to play in the Sendai Cup in Japan. He appeared in all three matches as France finished in third place. In October 2010, he played in qualification matches for the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. On 10 October, in the team's second group stage match against Montenegro, Kebano scored the opening goal in a 2–0 victory.[17]

Career statistics

Club

(Correct as of 6 January 2013)
Club Season League Cup[nb 1] Europe[nb 2] Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Paris Saint-Germain 2010–11 300210100610
2011–12 000000200200
Total 300210300810
Caen 2012–13 9104100001320
Total 9104100001320
Career total 12106203002130

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, Trophée des champions
  2. ↑ Includes UEFA Super Cup

References

  1. 1 2 "Neeskens Kebano: "le PSG est une fierté teintée de lucidité"" (in French). Montereau-Fault-Yonne. 25 September 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "Kebano: "Etre digne de cette convocation"" (in French). French Football Federation. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  3. ↑ "Neeskens Kebano en hommage à Johan Neeskens". Espoirs du Football (in French). 26 March 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Interview N°213: Neeskens Kebano" (in French). Les Titis du PSG. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  5. ↑ "Paris SG B v. Bourg-Péronnas Match Report". Foot-National. 8 August 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  6. ↑ "Monts d'Or Azergues v. Paris SG B Match Report". Foot-National. 15 August 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  7. ↑ "Karpaty and PSG make their point" (in French). Union of European Football Associations. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  8. ↑ "Neeskens Kebano débute en pro". Espoirs du Football (in French). 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  9. ↑ "Martigues v. Paris Saint-Germain Match Report". Ligue de Football Professionnel (in French). 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  10. ↑ "La jeunesse parisienne au pouvoir". RMC Sport (in French). 2 March 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  11. ↑ "Un nouveau Kebano". French Football Federation. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  12. ↑ "Late goals add gloss to France's winning start". Union of European Football Associations. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  13. 1 2 "France step on to Group 7 summit". Union of European Football Associations. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  14. ↑ "France v. Denmark Match Report". French Football Federation. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  15. ↑ "Ukraine v. France Match Report". French Football Federation. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  16. ↑ "Spain v. France Match Report". French Football Federation. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  17. ↑ "France v. Montenegro Match Report". Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
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