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8 Things You Didn’t Know About Serge Aurier

8 Things You Didn’t Know About Serge Aurier

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Ivorian footballer Serge Aurier has been a force to be reckoned with at club level and internationally, producing excellent performances for the Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire and Paris Saint-Germain in the French Ligue 1.

It is difficult to believe that he is still only 23, as he seems like a veteran of the game in some ways, but the youngster is certainly a player to watch in years to come, as he will develop into an even more valuable defender for club and country.

Here are 8 things you didn’t know about Serge Aurier.

Sources: FootballTop.com, Metro.co.uk, SkySports.com, ItsRoundAndItsWhite.co.uk, ModernGhana.com, TheGuardian.com, FourFourTwo.com

This is an updated version of a slideshow that was originally published Jun. 19, 2014. Peter Pedroncelli contributed to this report.

Cote D'Ivoire Afcon Winners
Cote D’Ivoire Afcon Winners – imatin.net

He is an AFCON champion

The powerful defender was a crucial element of his team’s successful 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title victory last year, providing phenomenal defensive performances and contributing in attack. Cote D’Ivoire finally managed to win the tournament in Equatorial Guinea, beating rivals Ghana in the final thanks to a tense penalty shootout that went the way of the Elephants, 9-8.

Serge Aurier
Serge Aurier – 101greatgoals.com

He has French citizenship

After moving to the Northeast suburbs of Paris to live with his parents, Aurier was granted French citizenship when he was young. He was born in Cote d’Ivoire and plays for the Ivorian national team, the Elephants, but he would have qualified to represent either of the two countries on the international stage.

Serge Aurier
Serge Aurier – planetepsg.com

Aurier started his career at 16

Making his debut in 2009, Aurier was only 16 when he started playing for RC Lens in the French Ligue 1. He played for RC Lens for 47 matches before he moved to Toulouse FC in January 2012. His early start to a professional football career is the reason why he shows great maturity on the pitch.

football-serge-aurier-ivory-coast_3126297

He is nicknamed “Serge the Bison”

Due to his physical presence on the pitch, Aurier was named “Serge the Bison” during his time at RC Lens. His power has grown, and the nickname has followed him through his career.

express.co.uk
express.co.uk

Aurier is comfortable playing in numerous positions

Though his natural position is right full back, Aurier has played a variety of positions for both RC Lens and Toulouse FC, including left back, wing back, defensive midfielder, and right winger. Aurier’s strong physique and versatility made him an invaluable player for every team he has taken the pitch for.

moguldom.com
moguldom.com

He modeled his game after Roberto Carlos

Retired defender Roberto Carlos had a phenomenal career during his time with Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team, and is known as one of the best left-back’s in the history of the game, with a flair for attacking down the wing. Aurier modeled his game after Carlos, possessing a similar explosive power going forward, and posing a formidable threat with his pace and powerful strikes.

Illustration: Bombasticelement.org
Aurier has had his fair share of issues on Twitter – Illustration: Bombasticelement.org

He has taken a fair amount of heat for his lack of tact on Twitter

Aurier has a reputation for mouthing off on Twitter, and often plays up the Arsenal rumors, much to the consternation of Toulouse followers. After retweeting a picture that a fan had photoshopped of Aurier wearing an Arsenal shirt, he began to get called out by international media outlets for self-promotion and a lack of loyalty.

cote divoire

He originally intended to represent France internationally

Aurier originally planned to play for the French national team, as he had the option to join either France or Côte d’Ivoire due to his dual citizenship. France was not able to get him a passport quickly enough, however, and Aurier made his international debut for Côte d’Ivoire in June 2013 in a game against Gambia.