Hervé Zengue

Hervé Zengue
Xavier with FC Terek Grozny in 2011
Personal information
Full name Hervé Xavier Zengue[1]
Date of birth (1984-01-22) 22 January 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Yaoundé, Cameroon
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
2001–2002 Fovu Baham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Coton Sport – (–)
2004–2006 Ankaragücü 43 (0)
2006–2007 Leixões 5 (0)
2007–2010 Viktoria Žižkov 67 (2)
2010–2012 Terek Grozny 30 (1)
International career
2011–2012 Burkina Faso 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Hervé Xavier Zengue (born 22 January 1984)[2] is a former professional footballer. Born in Cameroon, he represented Burkina Faso at international level.

His participation in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game caused controversy in 2011. The Confederation of African Football's rejection of an appeal from the Namibian Football Association was the subject of an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in December 2011. Namibia had initially appealed to the Confederation of African Football as Zengue was not eligible to play in international fixtures for Les Étalons, their appeal was rejected on a technicality. Namibia later appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have CAF's rejection overturned. The Court ruled in favour of the African Football Governing body.[3]

Zengue's participation in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification game in June 2012 was investigated by FIFA who ruled him ineligible to represent Burkina Faso subject to appeal.

International career

Zengue made his international début for Burkina Faso against Namibia in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match on 26 March 2011.

He played in his first FIFA-organised game in June 2012 versus Congo.[4]

Contested eligibility

On 4 June 2011, he played again for Burkina Faso against Namibia. Burkina Faso coach Paulo Duarte said that the player is eligible as he has a Burkinabé wife which entitles him to citizenship.[5]

Namibian football officials formally complained about Zengue's participation because it was thought he was not eligible to represent Burkina Faso, as he did not meet the conditions set out in FIFA's statutes which would have enabled him to become eligible for the Burkina Faso national team.[note 1]

On 28 October, the day before the group stage draw for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, BBC reported that the player was ineligible and the player had not been granted clearance by FIFA.[7] However, CAF chose to dismiss Namibia's complaint as it was not counter-signed by Burkina Faso's captain as per article 37.1 of CAF's statutes.[8] The Namibian FA appealed against CAF's decision but lost. The NFA lodged a complaint with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have CAF's decision to reject Zengue overturned.

On 10 January 2012, CAS released a statement that said Namibia's appeal had been rejected. A press released by CAS stated that Zengue had taken residency in Burkina Faso in 1994, before receiving a Burkinabe nationality certificate in 2006 (whilst a player at Ankaragücü in Turkey) and a Burkinabe passport in March 2011 (the day before his début against Namibia).[3] At no point did CAS decide whether or not Zengue was to be considered eligible for international football with Burkina Faso.

In December 2012, FIFA chose to punish Burkina Faso for fielding the ineligible Zengue in their World Cup qualifying game versus The Congo. Congo were awarded a 3–0 victory and 3 points.[9]

Career statistics

Club

As of 18 March 2014[10][11]
Club statistics
Season Club League League Cup Continental Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
2004–05 Ankaragücü[12] Süper Lig 27 0 1 0 — 27 0
2005–06 16 0 3 0 — 16 0
2006–07 Leixões Segunda Liga 5 0 — 5 0
2007–08 Viktoria Žižkov Gambrinus Liga 15 0 — 15 0
2008–09 25 0 — 25 0
2009–10 Czech 2. Liga 27 2 — 27 2
2010 Terek Grozny Russian Premier League 5 0 0 0 — 5 0
2011–12 25 1 1 0 — 26 1
Total Turkey 43 0 4 0 — 47 0
Portugal 5 0 — 5 0
Czech Republic 67 2 — 67 2
Russia 30 1 1 0 — 31 1
Career total 145 2 5 0 — 150 3

International

Burkina Faso national team
Year Apps Goals
2011 5 0
2012 2 0
Total 7 0

Statistics accurate as of match played 2 June 2012[13]

Notes

  1. ^ FIFA statutes on player eligibility:[6]
    • He was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
    • His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
    • His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
    • He has lived continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18 on the territory of the relevant Association.

References

  1. ^ Hervé Zengue at the Turkish Football Federation
  2. ^ HERVE XAVIER Zengue – FK VIKTORIA ŽIŽKOV – oficiální stránky Archived 2 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b "Soccer-Namibia's Nations Cup protest is rejected". reuters.com. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  4. ^ Hervé Zengue – FIFA competition record (archived)
  5. ^ "Namibia play Burkina Faso under protest". SuperSport. 4 June 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  6. ^ "FIFA statutes" (PDF). FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  7. ^ "Burkina cleared for Africa Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. 28 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Decisions of sub-organising committee of the Africa Cup of Nations". CAFonline.com. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Congo benefit as Burkina Faso docked points by Fifa". BBC Sport. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  10. ^ "H. ZENGUE". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Hervé Zengué". National Football Teams. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  12. ^ "HERVE XAVİER ZENGUE". TFF. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  13. ^ "Hervé Zengué". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 24 December 2014.

External links

  • Hervé Zengue at ForaDeJogo (archived) Edit this at Wikidata
  • Hervé Zengue at National-Football-Teams.com Edit this at Wikidata