Salomon Kalou
Salomon Kalou, 2010
Salomon Armand Magloire Kalou (* August 5, 1985 in Oumé, Côte d'Ivoire) is an Ivorian football player.
Clubs
ASEC Abidjan and Feyenoord Rotterdam
He began his career at ASEC Abidjan. From there he moved to the 2002/ 03 season at Feyenoord. In the meantime, he was on loan in the 2004/05 season to the partner Excelsior Rotterdam before he came into the first team again.
In the UEFA Cup and in the Dutch Eredivisie, the then 19 -year-old attacker has made in his first and second season sensation. Through his two goals against Schalke (2-1) Feyenoord owed him the knockout phase of the UEFA Cup 2004/ 05, but then retired from Sporting Lisbon. Until then, he had already scored two goals in the competition and nine in the Dutch league. He was named Footballer of the Year talent of the Netherlands in 2005.
Chelsea FC
On 30 May 2006 Kalou joined the English professional club Chelsea for about nine million pounds. He received the shirt number 21 and was highly praised by former boss Jose Mourinho. In the club he played with the Ivorian compatriot Didier Drogba and scored his first goal in the Premier League in December 2006 in the 3-2 win over Wigan Athletic. His first season with Chelsea ended with a victory in the League Cup final.
Under coach Avram Grant Kalou has also been used and shot in the Champions League final in Moscow in sixth penalty, but Chelsea lost 6-5 in the end.
In May 2009, Kalou won for the second time with Chelsea the FA Cup after a 2-1 win over Everton.
In the season 2011/12 he won with Chelsea both the FA Cup against Liverpool 2-1 as well as the Champions League 5-4 on penalties. However, in the Premier League he was only twelve inserts ( one goal), only twice he played 90 minutes. When Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich but Kalou was in the starting because Ramires blocked not able to participate, and was replaced in the 84th minute.
After a total of 60 goals in 251 games for Chelsea Kalou's contract expired in July 2012.
OSC Lille
On July 7, 2012 it was announced that Kalou returns to the French club Lille OSC. He received a contract until 2016. Schalke 04 also was interested in, among others, the winger, but the deal did not materialize.
National
On 6 February 2007 Kalou played his first game against Guinea for the Ivorian national team. His seven years older brother Bonaventure Kalou is also international.
Naturalization tests
Due to his playing style and his many goals and Bond coach Marco van Basten became aware of the Ivorians and supported him in the application for naturalization. Since Kalou had not yet played for the Ivorian national team, a convening of the Dutch team would have been possible, as soon as he could get a passport issued.
The Dutch Integration Minister Rita Verdonk was strictly against this legally possible, but relatively rare premature naturalization. Verdonk imputed Kalou that he only aimed at the Dutch nationality, to make it easier to change this to a foreign football club can. On 9 December 2005, the Court had the naturalization of Kalou allowed before Verdonk appealed within the six-week period.
Normally immigrants in the Netherlands are only " naturalized " if they stay there for at least five years without conflict and in addition have sufficient language skills and social forecasts. Then Kalou had opened in 2008 must receive a pass. However, the formal law of the royal Republic sees in exceptional cases where accelerated immigration process, if this national interests are promoted.
Before the Supreme Court in The Hague Kalou lost on 14 February 2006 final. Coach Marco van Basten testified as a witness in court for the player of Feyenoord Rotterdam, that he would consider Kalou once it got the ball. The player was " so very talented that we can not do without him," van Basten founded the national interest.
The Netherlands had to give final on the 20 -year-old Salomon Kalou at the World Cup. The immigration minister refused to last naturalization. A year later he made his debut for the Ivorian national football team, so that an application for naturalization in the Netherlands had become obsolete.
Achievements
With its clubs
- English Champion: 2010
- English Cup Winners: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012
- English League Cup Winners: 2007
- English Super Cup winner: 2009
- UEFA Champions League: 2012
Awards
- Footballing talent of the year in the Netherlands: 2005
- CAF Young Player of the Year: 2006