Arthur Boka facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Etienne Arthur Boka | ||
| Date of birth | 2 April 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | ||
| Height | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2002 | ASEC Mimosas | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2004 | Beveren | 59 | (4) |
| 2004–2006 | Strasbourg | 66 | (2) |
| 2006–2014 | VfB Stuttgart | 154 | (5) |
| 2014–2016 | Málaga | 37 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Sion | 3 | (0) |
| 2022 | Atlético de Marbella | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2004–2015 | Ivory Coast | 82 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:30, 22 March 2017 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:00, 17 November 2015 (UTC) |
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Etienne Arthur Boka (born on April 2, 1983) is a former professional footballer from Ivory Coast. He was a speedy left-back who played for the national team.
Arthur Boka was known for his incredible speed on the field, even though he wasn't a very tall player. He represented his country in two FIFA World Cup tournaments and five Africa Cup of Nations competitions between 2006 and 2013. His last club was Atlético de Marbella.
Contents
Arthur Boka's Club Journey
Starting in Ivory Coast
Like many talented players from Ivory Coast, Arthur Boka began his football journey at a famous club called ASEC Abidjan. He joined their youth academy, which is known for training many future stars. Some famous players who also came from this academy include Kolo Touré and Emmanuel Eboué.
Arthur Boka actually walked in from the streets of Abidjan, the capital city, and asked for a tryout. He impressed the coaches and was accepted into the academy.
Playing in Europe
After finishing his training at ASEC Abidjan in 2002, Arthur Boka moved to Europe. His first European club was K.S.K. Beveren in Belgium. He played very well there, which caught the attention of other teams.
In 2004, he moved to France to play for RC Strasbourg. He continued to impress with his skills. After Strasbourg was relegated in 2006, Arthur Boka joined VfB Stuttgart, a top team in Germany.
Winning the Bundesliga Title
At VfB Stuttgart, Arthur Boka became known for his attacking style of play from the left-back position. His impressive runs and speed earned him the nickname "The African Roberto Carlos", after the famous Brazilian defender.
In the 2006–07 season, Arthur Boka and his team, VfB Stuttgart, achieved a great success. They won the Bundesliga title, which is the top football league in Germany. This was a major highlight of his club career.
Later Club Moves
Arthur Boka stayed with VfB Stuttgart for many years, signing new contracts in 2009 and 2012. He mostly played as a left-back, but in the 2012–13 season, he also started playing as a defensive midfielder.
In 2014, Arthur Boka moved to Spain to play for Málaga CF in La Liga, the top Spanish league. He played for Málaga for two seasons. After that, he joined the Swiss team FC Sion in 2016, but he left the club in early 2017.
Arthur Boka's International Career
Arthur Boka played many times for the Ivory Coast national team, earning 72 appearances and scoring one goal. He was a key player for his country in several major tournaments.
FIFA World Cup Appearances
Arthur Boka was selected to play for Ivory Coast in two FIFA World Cup tournaments:
- The 2006 FIFA World Cup: He played in all three group games for his team, showing impressive performances and even getting one assist.
- The 2010 FIFA World Cup: He played in the final group match against North Korea and provided two assists in that game.
Africa Cup of Nations
Arthur Boka also represented Ivory Coast in five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments:
- 2006 Africa Cup of Nations
- 2008 Africa Cup of Nations
- 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
- 2012 Africa Cup of Nations
- 2013 Africa Cup of Nations
He helped Ivory Coast reach the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in both 2006 and 2012. However, they unfortunately lost both finals in penalty shootouts.
Arthur Boka's Achievements
Arthur Boka won several awards and reached important finals during his career.
Club Honours
- Beveren
- Belgian Cup runner-up: 2003–04
- Strasbourg
- Coupe de la Ligue (French League Cup) winner: 2004–05
- VfB Stuttgart
- Bundesliga (German League) winner: 2006–07
- DFB-Pokal (German Cup) runner-up: 2006–07, 2012–13
International Honours
- Ivory Coast
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2006, 2010
Images for kids
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Arthur Boka playing for Ivory Coast against Colombia at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
See also
In Spanish: Arthur Boka para niños
