Emerse Faé (born 24 January 1984) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and is currently the manager of the Ivory Coast national football team. Born in France, he played for France national teams at youth level and for the Ivory Coast national team at senior international level. He is the first manager in history to win a tournament, while being appointed during the tournament.

Emerse Faé
Personal information
Full name Emerse Faé[1]
Date of birth (1984-01-24) 24 January 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Nantes, France
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Ivory Coast (manager)
Youth career
1990–1994 Malakoff
1994–1995 Toutes-Aides
1995–2003 Nantes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2007 Nantes 106 (7)
2007–2009 Reading 8 (0)
2008–2009Nice (loan) 32 (3)
2009–2012 Nice 57 (7)
Total 203 (17)
International career
2001 France U17 5 (0)
2004 France U21 2 (0)
2005–2012 Ivory Coast 41 (1)
Managerial career
2021–2022 Clermont B
2022–2024 Ivory Coast U23
2024– Ivory Coast
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Ivory Coast (as manager)
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 2023
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Youth career

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Born in Nantes, Faé started his youth career with FC Toutes Aides, before moving to Nantes in 1999.[2]

Nantes

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Faé's senior career started in 2003 with his home town club, Nantes, who were then in Ligue 1. He made his European debut on 26 July 2003, in a 3–2 loss in the third round of the UEFA Intertoto Cup.[3] In August 2003, he debuted in Ligue 1, in a 0–0 draw against Bordeaux.[4] In the Coupe de la Ligue Final 2004, he started for Nantes, which eventually lost on penalties.[5] He went on to play over 100 league games for them. On 9 May 2007, Nantes were relegated from Ligue 1 and he handed in a transfer request.[6]

Reading

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During the summer 2007 transfer window, Faé was strongly linked with a move to Premier League club Reading, and eventually completed a £2.5m move on 2 August 2007,[7] signing a three-year contract, with the option of a fourth. He was given the number 20 shirt.[8] He made his Premier League debut for Reading as a makeshift right midfielder in the 3–0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers on 25 August 2007.[9]

Faé contracted malaria while on Africa Cup of Nations duty, and fell ill in the buildup to Reading's match away to Middlesbrough on 1 March 2008. He flew back south for medical treatment and had blood tests on 2 March, which revealed the disease.[10]

After failing to break into the Reading first team, Faé refused to play for the reserve team against Tottenham Hotspur reserves along with Ibrahima Sonko. Both were fined two weeks wages and suspended for two weeks, therefore missing the last two league games of the season, which ended with Reading being relegated.[11]

Faé then flew back to France with both Steve Coppell and said that he would never play for Reading again.[12]

During his time with Reading, he started in only six games.[13]

Nice

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In June 2008, he was loaned to Ligue 1 side Nice,[14][15] with a view to a permanent transfer.[16] He made his debut for his new club on 9 August, in a 1–0 defeat to Le Havre, and on 20 September, he scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against Le Mans.[17]

On 29 January 2009, it was confirmed that Faé had completed a permanent move to Nice for an undisclosed fee.[13] On 18 October 2009, Faé was sent off with a second yellow card, after he directed abusive language towards the referee in a 4–1 loss against Lorient.[18] He was suspended for three matches by the league.[19] Nice also promised to discipline him internally.[20]

On 1 February 2012, Faé announced his retirement from football at age 28, due to ongoing problems with phlebitis.[21]

International career

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As a teenager, Faé played football for the French U17 and U21 teams. He debuted for the French U17 team in an 8–0 win over Liechtenstein on 26 February 2001,[3] and was in the team that won the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Trinidad and Tobago.

However, in 2005, following a FIFA rule change concerning national team eligibility, Faé switched allegiances from France to Ivory Coast, the country from which his parents had come.[22] He received his first call up to the Ivory Coast national team for a World Cup qualifier against Benin on 27 March 2005.[23] He made his debut in the 3–0 win.[24]

Faé scored his first goal for the Ivory Coast in a 1–1 draw against Switzerland on 27 May 2006, when he fired in a 30-yard shot, two minutes after coming on.[25]

Faé went on to play at the 2006 African Cup of Nations, appearing at every match for a total of 452 minutes.[24] He also played for the country in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was called up to the Ivory Coast 23-man squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations,[26] and made his first appearance at the tournament in the Elephants' 3–0 victory over Mali on 29 January 2008.[27] He was also selected for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, in which he appeared twice as a substitute.[28]

Faé was also selected in the preliminary Ivory Coast squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but was eventually dropped along with Bakari Koné and Gilles Yapi Yapo, who played with him in the 2006 World Cup.[29][30]

Managerial career

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During the 2012–13 season, Faé joined the training center of his former club Nice in order to obtain his football coaching diplomas. After three seasons, he coached their under-17, and then the under-19 in 2018–19.[31] On 8 July 2021, he became the head coach of Clermont reserve team.[32]

On 20 May 2022, he became the manager of Ivory Coast U23, and assistant coach of Ivory Coast senior team under Jean-Louis Gasset.[33] On 24 January 2024, Faé was appointed as caretaker of Ivory Coast starting from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, following the dismissal of Gasset.[34] He then led his country to defeat the defending champions Senegal on penalties, Mali after extra-time, and DR Congo in the semi-finals.[35] Eventually, Ivory Coast clinched the title after a 2–1 victory over Nigeria in the final.[36] He was also awarded the Best Coach of the 2023 AFCON tournament.[37]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[38][39]
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nantes 2003–04 Ligue 1 25 1 2 0 4 0 1 0 32 1
2004–05 28 1 2 0 1 0 2 0 33 1
2005–06 29 4 3 0 1 0 0 0 33 4
2006–07 24 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 28 1
Total 106 7 10 0 7 0 3 0 126 7
Reading 2007–08 Premier League 8 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 11 0
Nice (loan) 2008–09 Ligue 1 32 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 34 3
Nice 2009–10 Ligue 1 29 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 30 4
2010–11 24 3 4 0 1 0 0 0 29 3
2011–12 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Total 57 7 4 0 2 0 0 0 63 7
Career total 203 17 15 0 13 0 3 0 234 17

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[40]
National team Year Apps Goals
Ivory Coast 2005 4 0
2006 11 1
2007 4 0
2008 12 0
2009 2 0
2010 7 0
2011 1 0
Total 41 1
Scores and results list Ivory Coast's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Faé goal.
List of international goals scored by Emerse Faé[40]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 27 May 2006 Basel, Switzerland    Switzerland 1–1 1–1 Friendly

Manager

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As of match played 15 October 2024
Team From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win%
Ivory Coast 24 January 2024 Present 12 8 3 1 19 8 +11
Career Total 12 8 3 1 19 8 +11

Honours

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Player

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France U-17

Ivory Coast

Manager

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Ivory Coast

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  2. ^ "17/04/09 – FC Nantes – OGC Nice Les échos de la rencontre (17/04/09 – FC Nantes – OGC Nice The echoes of the meeting)". FC Nantes (in French). Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Emerse Fae". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  4. ^ "FAÉ". Football Database. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  5. ^ "FEUILLE DE MATCH (MATCH)". Coupe de la ligue (in French). Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  6. ^ "Reading sign Emerse Fae". BBC Berkshire. 2 August 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  7. ^ "Fae joins for club record fee". Reading F.C. 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 16 June 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2007.
  8. ^ "Fae squad number confirmed". Reading F.C. 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2007.
  9. ^ "Emerse Fae". Reading FC. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  10. ^ "Reading's Fae is out with malaria". BBC Sport. 4 March 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  11. ^ Neil McLeman (2 May 2008). "Emerse Fae won't play for 'stupid' Reading boss Coppell". The Mirror. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  12. ^ "No way back for Fae". getreading. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  13. ^ a b "Fae leaves; Bennett extends loan". Reading FC. 29 January 2009. Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  14. ^ Dall, James (1 August 2008). "Fae seals Nice loan". Sky Sports. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Emerse Fae : " Niçois à 100% "". OGC Nice. 27 June 2008. Archived from the original on 15 November 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  16. ^ "Reading flop Emerse Fae on his way back to France with a Nice loan deal". Evening Standard. 11 June 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  17. ^ "Le temps de jeu de Emerse FAE en Ligue 1 – Carrière – 2008/2009" (in French). Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 1 October 2010.[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ "Les Merlus go sixth after Nice rout". ESPN Soccernet. 18 October 2009. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  19. ^ "Makelele suspendu un match, Fae trois (Makelele suspended one game, Fae three)". FIFA (in French). 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  20. ^ Massaer Ndiaye (21 October 2009). "Nice Midfielder Emerse Fae Will Be Sanctioned After Lorient Incident". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  21. ^ "Illness forces Nice midfielder Emerse Fae to retire". 12 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  22. ^ "Fae chooses Ivory Coast". BBC Sport. 24 January 2005. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  23. ^ "Fae gets Ivorian call-up". BBC Sport. 19 March 2005. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  24. ^ a b "Player Profile: Emerse Fae (Cote d Ivoire)". MTN Football. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  25. ^ "Switzerland 1–1 Ivory Coast". BBC Sport. 27 May 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  26. ^ "Drogba named in Ivory Coast squad". BBC Sport. 4 January 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2008.
  27. ^ "Ivory Coast 3–0 Mali". BBC Sport. 29 January 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
  28. ^ "Emerse Fae". ESPN Soccernet. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  29. ^ "Sven Goran-Eriksson settles on his Ivory warriors". Daily Telegraph. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  30. ^ "Eriksson announces attacking squad". FIFA.com. 1 June 2010. Archived from the original on 4 June 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  31. ^ "FC Nantes. Emerse Faé : "L'impression de revivre mes années nantaises"" (in French). Ouest-France. 30 April 2016.
  32. ^ "Emerse Faé nommé entraîneur de la réserve du Clermont Foot (National 3)" (in French). L'Équipe. 8 July 2021.
  33. ^ "Ivory Coast Picks Gasset As Manager Of National Football Team". The Will News. 20 May 2022.
  34. ^ "AFCON: Ivory Coast sack head coach Jean-Louis Gasset despite host nation's hopes of last-16 place in balance". Eurosport. 24 January 2024.
  35. ^ "Host nation Ivory Coast continues miraculous run to AFCON final to set up a matchup against Nigeria". CNN. 11 February 2024.
  36. ^ "Nigeria 1–2 Ivory Coast". BBC Sport. 11 February 2024.
  37. ^ a b @CAF_Online (11 February 2024). "[The man who won it all! 🏆 The #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 Best Coach award goes to Côte d'Ivoire's leader Emerse Faé 🇨🇮 ]" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 February 2024 – via Twitter.
  38. ^ "Emerse Faé » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  39. ^ "La Fiche de Emerse FAĂŠ , Football - L'Equipe.fr". L'Équipe. 30 August 2003. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  40. ^ a b Emerse Faé at National-Football-Teams.com
  41. ^ "FIFA U-17 World Championship Trinidad and Tobago 2001 - Matches - France-Nigeria". 23 September 2017. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  42. ^ "African Nations Cup 2006".
  43. ^ Stevens, Rob (11 February 2024). "Nigeria 1–2 Ivory Coast". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
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