Charles Gbeke facts for kids
Gbeke in 2010
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charles Patrick Gbeke | ||
| Date of birth | March 15, 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998 | Vancouver 86ers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2000 | Troyes B | ||
| 2000 | Comercial | ||
| 2001 | S. E. Matsubara | ||
| 2001 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 3 | (0) |
| 2002 | Seattle Sounders | 1 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Ottawa Wizards | 18 | (10) |
| 2004 | → Toronto Lynx (loan) | 16 | (6) |
| 2004 | → Hamilton Thunder (loan) | 5 | (2) |
| 2005 | Herfølge | 8 | (0) |
| 2005 | Toronto Lynx | 6 | (2) |
| 2005 | Montreal Impact | 9 | (2) |
| 2006 | Rochester Raging Rhinos | 22 | (2) |
| 2007–2008 | Montreal Impact | 40 | (11) |
| 2008 | → Trois-Rivieres Attak (loan) | 2 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 42 | (15) |
| 2010 | Guangzhou Evergrande | 21 | (9) |
| National team | |||
| 2008–2009 | Canada | 3 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2016 | Cascavel | ||
|
|||
Charles Gbeke (born March 15, 1978) is a former professional soccer player. He played as a forward, which means he was a goal scorer. Charles was born in Ivory Coast. He played three games for the Canadian national team.
Charles Gbeke started his career with short times at the Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps. At first, he played as a defender. But he didn't play much in those teams. Later, when he joined the Ottawa Wizards in the Canadian Professional Soccer League, he changed to playing as a forward. With the Wizards, his team won their division and had a perfect season without any losses.
He then joined the Toronto Lynx on a temporary transfer. There, he showed he was a strong forward. After playing a short time in Europe, he joined the Montreal Impact. He scored two goals in six games. Charles Gbeke was the top scorer for his team in the playoffs. He scored all three of their goals. However, his team lost to the Seattle Sounders. The next year, he moved to the Rochester Raging Rhinos.
Charles Gbeke found success again when he returned to Montreal. He scored 10 goals and won the Golden Boot award for the first time. After a slow start, he was traded back to Vancouver. There, he helped the Whitecaps win their first USL First Division Championship. He scored both goals in their 2–1 win against the Puerto Rico Islanders. In 2009, he won the Golden Boot award again, scoring 12 goals. In 2010, he was named one of the best players of the past ten years in the USL First Division.
In 2010, he moved to China to play for Guangzhou Evergrande. He helped his team get promoted to the top league in China. After that season, he stopped playing professional soccer.
Contents
Playing Career
Early Years
Charles Gbeke was born in Ivory Coast. But he grew up in Montreal and is a citizen of Canada. From 1999 to 2001, Charles played soccer in France for Troyes AC's reserve team. He also played in Brazil for clubs like Comercial and S. E. Matsubara. In 2001, he played for the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Seattle Sounders.
On May 2, 2003, he signed with the Ottawa Wizards in the CPSL. During the 2003 CPSL season, he helped his team have a perfect season. They won their division title for the third time in a row. Charles was the top scorer for the Wizards that season with 10 goals.
In 2004, Charles Gbeke was loaned to the Toronto Lynx. He played his first game for them on June 13, 2004. This game marked his return to the A-League. He scored his first goal for the Lynx against his old team, the Vancouver Whitecaps. Even though he was with Toronto for a short time, he was a very good forward. He scored six goals, making him the team's second-highest scorer.
He finished that season with the Hamilton Thunder. He scored in his very first game for them. He helped Hamilton win their division and make it to the playoffs. In 2005, Charles Gbeke played briefly in Denmark for Herfølge. But his team was moved to a lower league, so he left. He tried out for a team in Croatia, but then returned to the Toronto Lynx. His second time with the Lynx was not as good, and he was traded.
Montreal Impact and Rochester
On August 1, 2005, the Montreal Impact got Charles Gbeke. In his first game with the Impact, he scored a goal and helped with another. This helped his team win 2–0. In the playoffs, he scored all three goals for his team in the semifinals. The next season, Charles Gbeke left Montreal to join the Rochester Rhinos. He didn't score many goals for Rochester, only two in 22 games. But he did help them reach the USL First Division Championship finals. However, they lost to his old team, the Whitecaps.
In 2007, Charles Gbeke rejoined the Impact. He was the top scorer in the United Soccer Leagues First Division with 10 goals. He was named to the All-League second team. He was also named Player of the Week once and made the Team of the Week five times. The Impact gave him the Offensive Player of the Year award. In 2008, he played a few games for the Impact's farm team, the Trois-Rivières Attak. He scored his first goal for Attak on June 28.
Back at Vancouver Whitecaps
On June 30, 2008, Charles Gbeke was traded back to Vancouver. He scored both goals in Vancouver's 2–1 win in the USL First Division final. This win gave the Whitecaps their second USL Championship. It was also Charles Gbeke's first USL Championship.
Charles Gbeke won the USL First Division Golden Boot award in 2008–2009. He scored 12 goals. He also helped the Whitecaps reach the Championship finals again. This time, they played against the Montreal Impact. It was the first time two Canadian clubs played in the final. Charles Gbeke's team lost the series. He left the Whitecaps at the end of the 2009 season to find new teams to play for.
Move to China
In February 2010, Charles Gbeke moved to China. He signed a contract with Guangzhou F.C.. This team had just been moved to a lower league.
Charles Gbeke played his first game in China on April 3. He helped his teammate score a goal from a penalty kick. He scored his first goal for the club on April 10. In the 2010 season, Charles Gbeke scored 9 goals in 21 games. Guangzhou finished first in their league. They won promotion back to the top league right away.
International Career
On February 1, 2008, Charles Gbeke played his first game for Canada. It was a 1–0 win against Martinique. He played a total of three games for Canada in 2008. He did not score any goals for the national team. He played in two FIFA World Cup qualification matches. He was also on the team for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup but did not play in any games.
Managerial Career
In 2015, Charles Gbeke became the head coach for Futebol Clube Cascavel in Brazil. He left this job in 2016.
Personal Life
Charles Gbeke is a teacher at a soccer school. The school is called BK Football Academy. It is located in Laranjeiras do Sul, Brazil.
Awards and Achievements
Ottawa Wizards
- Canadian Professional Soccer League Eastern Conference: 2003
Vancouver Whitecaps
- USL First Division: 2008
Guangzhou Evergrande
- China League One: 2010
Individual Awards
- USL First Division top scorer: 2007, 2009
