Geoffrey Kondogbia

Geoffrey Edwin Kondogbia (born 15 February 1993) is a professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Marseille and the Central African Republic national team, which he captains.

Primarily a defensive midfielder, he can also play as a centre-back or left-back.

Kondogbia started his career at Lens, then signed with Sevilla at the age of 19.

He acquired French nationality on 27 March 2007, through the collective effect of his mother's naturalization.

Kondogbia's older brother, Evans, was also a footballer.

He spent most of his career in Belgium, and represented the Central African Republic internationally.

Kondogbia joined Lens' youth system at the age of 11.

On 11 April 2010 he signed his first professional contract, agreeing to a four-year deal.

He made his debut in Ligue 1 on 21 November, appearing as a late substitute against Olympique Lyonnais.

Kondogbia spent the 2011–12 season in Ligue 2 after the Sang et Or's relegation.

He scored his only official goal for the team on 13 April 2012, netting the opener in a 3–0 success at Tours FC.

On 24 July 2012, Kondogbia signed with Spanish club Sevilla FC for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of €3 million.

In 2013 he was bought by Monaco for €20 million, and then by Inter Milan for €31 million two years later.

Kondogbia earned 57 caps for his birth country of France across its youth levels, before making his debut for the senior team in 2013.

He scored his first goal for the Andalusians on 28 January 2013, heading home the first for his team in an eventual 3–0 home derby win against Granada CF.

In Sevilla's semi-final second leg tie of the Copa del Rey against eventual winners Atlético Madrid, on 27 February 2013, Kondogbia picked up a red card as his team ended the match with nine men in the 2–2 home draw, and fell to a 3–4 aggregate loss.

Kondogbia returned to the French top division on 31 August 2013, signing a five-year contract with newly promoted AS Monaco FC worth a reported €20 million.

He contributed with 26 games and one goal in his first season, helping the club finish second and return to the UEFA Champions League after one decade.

He first appeared in La Liga on 15 September, replacing goalscorer Piotr Trochowski in the 82nd minute of the 1–0 defeat of reigning champions Real Madrid, at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.

In the Champions League round-of-16's first leg, on 25 February 2015, Kondogbia put his team ahead at Arsenal in an eventual 3–1 win.

On 22 June 2015, Inter Milan announced that they had signed Kondogbia on a five-year deal for an initial fee of €31 million, subject to a medical, beating a reported €40m bid from city rival A.C. Milan.

He scored his first goal for his new team on 8 November, the only away against Torino FC.

On 14 February of the following year, he was sent off at the conclusion of a bad-tempered 1–2 loss at ACF Fiorentina for sarcastically applauding the referee; he received a two-match ban.

In June 2016, the Serie A club announced the total cost of Kondogbia was €40.501 million.

He returned to Spain in 2017 to play for Valencia, winning the Copa del Rey in 2019.

On 21 August 2017, Valencia CF announced that they reached an agreement with Internazionale for the loan of Kondogbia until 30 June 2018, with an option to make the deal permanent.

The deal was part of a loan exchange, with João Cancelo moving in the other direction.

He scored on his debut six days later, playing the full 90 minutes and helping to a 2–2 away draw against Real Madrid.

In August 2018, he was cap-tied to the Central African Republic by switching his allegiance, and made his debut for its national team in an official match shortly after.

Kondogbia was born in Nemours, France, to Central African parents.

He is a Muslim.

On 24 May 2018, Valencia redeemed the buyout clause of Kondogbia and the player signed a four-year contract.

In 2020 he moved to Atlético Madrid, winning La Liga in his first season.

On 3 November 2020, Kondogbia joined Atlético Madrid on a four-year contract.

The club was granted an exception to sign him outside of the transfer window after Arsenal had met the release clause of Thomas Partey on deadline day.

He was mainly used as a substitute in his first season as the team won the league, not starting a game until February.

In 2021–22, Kondogbia played 28 league games, with only minor muscular injuries preventing more.

He scored his only goal of 93 appearances for the Rojiblancos on 9 January, equalising in a 2–2 draw at Villarreal CF in which he was also sent off.

On 30 June 2023, Kondogbia returned to Ligue 1 for the first time in eight years, signing for Olympique de Marseille for four seasons for a fee of €8 million.

He made his debut on 9 August in a Champions League third qualifying round first leg away to Panathinaikos F.C. in which he was sent off; his first yellow card came within 30 seconds of kick-off.