Bruce Djite facts for kids
Djite with Australia
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bruce José Djité | ||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 March 1987 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Forward | ||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Northern Spirit | ||||||||||||
| 2005 | NSWIS | ||||||||||||
| 2006 | AIS | ||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Marconi Stallions | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Adelaide United | 20 | (6) | ||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Gençlerbirliği | 33 | (6) | ||||||||||
| 2010 | → Diyarbakırspor (loan) | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Gold Coast United | 23 | (10) | ||||||||||
| 2011–2016 | Adelaide United | 113 | (29) | ||||||||||
| 2011 | → Jiangsu Sainty (loan) | 13 | (4) | ||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Suwon FC | 39 | (11) | ||||||||||
| 2018 | PSM Makassar | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||
| Total | 259 | (66) | |||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||
| 2006 | Australia U-20 | 13 | (5) | ||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Australia U-23 | 13 | (2) | ||||||||||
| 2008–2015 | Australia | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Bruce José Djité (born 25 March 1987) is an Australian former professional soccer player. He was known for playing as a forward, scoring many goals for his teams.
Bruce Djité became famous playing in the AFC Champions League, where his team reached the final in 2008. He was also named the Australia League Young Footballer of the Year in 2008. He holds the record as the highest goal-scorer for Adelaide United.
He played for the Australian national team (the Socceroos) nine times. He also played for clubs in Turkey, China, Korea, and Indonesia. After retiring from soccer, he took on leadership roles in business. As of April 2024, he is an executive director for the Property Council of Australia in South Australia.
Contents
- Bruce Djité's Early Life and Education
- Bruce Djité's Club Soccer Career
- Bruce Djité's International Career
- Bruce Djité's Playing Style
- Bruce Djité's Other Roles and Career After Soccer
- Bruce Djité's Personal Life
- Career statistics
- Bruce Djité's Honours and Awards
Bruce Djité's Early Life and Education
Bruce José Djité was born on 25 March 1987 in Virginia, USA. When he was three, his family moved to Sydney, Australia. His father, Paulin, was a professor from Ivory Coast, and his mother, Lyn, was from Togo. Bruce has two brothers.
Bruce first played soccer in Ivory Coast in 1993, when he was six. He loved it and joined a local club. He later said that by age eight, he knew soccer was what he wanted to do. He joined the Marconi Stallions club in 2004 when he was 16. He also trained at the NSW Institute of Sport in Sydney.
After finishing school in Sydney, Bruce studied at Macquarie University for six months. Then, he received a special soccer scholarship from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). This took him to Canberra for nine months in 2006, where he trained with other talented young players.
Later, starting in 2011, he studied for a Bachelor of Business degree through Open Universities Australia. He did very well, even winning an award for his excellent grades.
Bruce Djité's Club Soccer Career
Playing for Adelaide United
Starting in 2006–07
In November 2006, when Bruce was 19, he tried out for a German club called SV Werder Bremen. It didn't work out, so he returned to Australia. He then signed with Adelaide United for the rest of the 2006–07 A-League season. He scored three goals and made one assist in 13 games.
Success in 2007–08
Bruce signed a three-year contract with Adelaide United in March 2007. He scored his first goal for the team in a big competition called the AFC Champions League on 11 April 2007. He showed great skill by controlling the ball and volleying it into the net.
He scored his first A-League goal for Adelaide United against Brisbane Roar in August 2007. Adelaide United then reached the 2008 AFC Champions League final. Bruce had a great season, scoring 10 goals in 22 matches.
Moving to Gençlerbirliği in Turkey
Bruce Djité was bought by a Turkish club called Gençlerbirliği. Later, he was brought back to Australia by Clive Palmer, who owned Gold Coast United.
First Season in Turkey (2008–09)
On 15 May 2008, Bruce left Adelaide United to play for a European club. On 21 May 2008, he signed a three-year contract with Gençlerbirliği in Turkey.
He played his first game in Turkey on 24 August 2008. He scored his first goal for the club on 25 October 2008. Bruce was known for his speed and strength in the penalty area. He finished the 2008–09 season with 6 goals and two assists in 28 matches.
Second Season in Turkey (2009–10)
During the break before the 2009–10 season, Bruce said that a Croatian club was interested in him, but he decided not to move. He played nine games on loan for another Turkish club, Diyarbakırspor, and five games for Gençlerbirliği.
Playing for Gold Coast United
The 2010–11 Season
On 28 August 2010, it was announced that Bruce would return to Australia to play for Gold Coast United. He was given the number 11 jersey. Bruce was a key player for Gold Coast United, using his speed, strength, and ability to score goals.
He scored 10 goals and made 3 assists in 23 matches. This included an amazing three goals (a hat-trick) in one game against Newcastle Jets on 22 January 2011. Gold Coast United won that game 5–1.
Returning to Adelaide United
The 2011–12 Season
On 23 March 2011, Bruce signed a new two-year contract with Adelaide United, the club where he started his A-League career.
He was given the number 11 jersey again. He scored his first goal back with Adelaide United on 19 November 2011. He showed his speed and strength to shoot past the goalkeeper. Bruce scored five goals and made two assists in 24 matches, helping Adelaide United qualify for the 2012 AFC Champions League.
Loan to Jiangsu Sainty in China
Because the A-League had a long break in 2011, Adelaide United allowed Bruce to play on loan for a Chinese club, Jiangsu Sainty.
He played his first game for Jiangsu Sainty on 3 April 2011. He scored his first goal for them on 30 April 2011, which was an equalizer in a 1–1 draw. He also scored the winning goal in a 1–0 win on 18 June 2011. Bruce scored 4 goals and made one assist in 13 Chinese Super League matches. He helped Jiangsu Sainty finish 4th in the league.
The 2012–13 Season
On 4 April 2012, Bruce scored a header in the last minute of a game for Adelaide United in the 2012 AFC Champions League. This goal helped Adelaide United finish first in their group and move on to the next round. He helped his team win against Nagoya Grampus and reach the quarter-finals.
On 1 December 2012, Bruce scored a goal for Adelaide United from far away against Central Coast Mariners. On 3 February 2013, he scored another impressive goal against Western Sydney Wanderers, dribbling past defenders before shooting.
He finished his two seasons back at Adelaide United with two goals and two assists in 17 A-League games. He also played 10 times in the 2012 AFC Champions League, scoring once.
Playing for Suwon FC in Korea
On 26 July 2016, after a great season where Adelaide United won the championship, Bruce signed with the Korean club Suwon FC. He joined another Australian player, Adrian Leijer, there.
Playing for PSM Makassar in Indonesia
In mid-2018, when he was 31, Bruce moved to Indonesia and played for PSM Makassar.
Bruce Djité's International Career
Bruce Djité is an American-Australian. He chose to play for Australia, even though he could have also played for Ivory Coast, the United States, or Togo.
Australia Under-20 National Team
Bruce was a key forward for the Young Socceroos. He scored five goals in 13 games during their 2006 tournament in South America. He was also chosen for the Australia Under-20 team that played in India.
Australia Olympic Team
Bruce was a main striker for the Australia Olympic football team, also known as the Olyroos. He helped them qualify for the Beijing Olympics by playing 13 games and scoring two goals.
Australia National Team (Socceroos)
Three days before his 21st birthday, on 22 March 2008, Bruce played his first game for the Australian national team, the Socceroos. The national coach, Pim Verbeek, saw him as a future star. Bruce came on as a substitute and had a good chance to score, but the Singapore goalkeeper blocked his shot.
Bruce's first game for Australia in a competitive match was on 1 June 2008, in a World Cup Qualifier against Iraq. He came on as a substitute for Harry Kewell. He also played in the next World Cup Qualifier against Qatar on 15 June 2008.
Overall, he played nine international games for Australia.
Bruce Djité's Playing Style
Bruce Djité was known for his speed, strength, and good height, which helped him with heading the ball. He played as a left forward or striker.
He was very quick and strong, often outrunning defenders. In the 2007–08 A-League season, he won the Rising Star Award after scoring 10 goals. In his first season in Turkey, he scored six goals and made two assists. In 2011, he was one of the top goal-scorers in the A-League, with 10 goals and three assists in 23 matches.
Bruce Djité's Other Roles and Career After Soccer
Bruce Djité was a member of the Professional Footballers Australia Board from 2012 to 2016. He helped with important agreements for soccer players. During this time, he also started investing his money and worked as a commentator for Fox Sports.
In 2016, while still playing for Adelaide United, he worked part-time at an accounting firm.
Bruce has also been an ambassador for charities. Before 2019, he supported All Together Now, a charity that works to stop racism. As of 2019, he was an ambassador for Little Heroes Foundation, which helps sick children and their families in South Australia. He also supported Roger Rasheed's Sports Foundation.
On 3 June 2019, Bruce returned to his old club, Adelaide United FC, as the director of football. In his first six months, the club won the FFA Cup. He also helped sign two talented young players, Al Hassan Toure and Louis D'Arrigo.
He left this role in July 2021 to become the CEO of the Committee for Adelaide, a group that works to improve the city.
On 30 November 2022, Bruce Djité was appointed as the executive director for the Property Council of Australia in South Australia. He still holds this important position as of April 2024.
Bruce Djité's Personal Life
Bruce Djité can speak several languages, including French, English, and Turkish.
He is married and has two young children.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Adelaide United | 2006–07 | A-League | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 1 |
| 2007–08 | A-League | 12 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 10 | |
| Total | 20 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 35 | 11 | ||
| Genclerbirligi | 2008–09 | Süper Lig | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 6 |
| 2009–10 | Süper Lig | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 6 | ||
| Diyarbakırspor (loan) | 2009–10 | Süper Lig | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Gold Coast United | 2010–11 | A-League | 23 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 10 |
| Jiangsu Sainty (loan) | 2011 | Chinese Super League | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 4 |
| Adelaide United | 2011–12 | A-League | 24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 5 |
| 2012–13 | A-League | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 29 | 3 | |
| 2013–14 | A-League | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 5 | |
| 2014–15 | A-League | 23 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 9 | |
| 2015–16 | A-League | 25 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 11 | |
| Total | 112 | 29 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 129 | 33 | ||
| Career total | 210 | 55 | 6 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 235 | 61 | ||
International
| Bruce Djite: Professional Career Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | Appearances | Goals | Goals per game |
| Clubs | 199 | 49 | 0.25 |
| Australia Olympic team | 13 | 2 | 0.15 |
| Australia National team | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 187 | 43 | 0.23 |
| Updated to games played and goals scored 8 July 2015 (UTC) | |||
Bruce Djité's Honours and Awards
With Adelaide United
- A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup: 2007
- FFA Cup: 2014
- A-League Premiership: 2015–16
- A-League Championship: 2015–16
Individual Awards
- A-League Young Footballer of the Year: 2007–08
- Rising Star Award: 2007–08
- Best Team Man Award: 2012–13
