Rudy Gestede

Reidy Gestede

Gestede playing for Aston Villa in 2016
Personal information
Full name Reidy Philippe Michel Camille Gestede[1]
Date of birth (1988-10-10) 10 October 1988[2]
Place of birth Essey-lès-Nancy, France
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Aston Villa
Number 14
Youth career
2004–2007 Metz
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2010 Metz B 27 (3)
2007–2011 Metz 28 (3)
2009–2010 → Cannes (loan) 22 (4)
2011–2014 Cardiff City 55 (7)
2013–2014 → Blackburn Rovers (loan) 16 (1)
2014–2015 Blackburn Rovers 66 (32)
2015– Aston Villa 43 (8)
National team‡
2006–2008 France U19 17 (0)
2013– Benin 7 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 September 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 December 2015

Rudy Philippe Michel Camille Gestede (born 10 October 1988) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club Aston Villa and the Benin national team.

After coming through the youth ranks at Metz, Gestede spent a year on loan gaining experience with Cannes, scoring four goals in 22 appearances, before returning to Metz in 2010. In the summer of 2011, he joined Cardiff City, helping the club to secure promotion to the Premier League. However, he found first team chances limited with Cardiff at the start of 2013–14, prompting a loan move to Blackburn Rovers in 2013. In January 2014, he made a permanent transfer to Blackburn and established himself in the first team, forming a prolific partnership with Jordan Rhodes in attack.

Gestede played internationally for France at under-19 level before switching international allegiance to Benin.

Club career

Early career

Born in Essey-lès-Nancy, Gestede started at youth level at the age of 16, in 2004, where he played for Metz. A year later, he signed a professional contract with Metz's B Team. In 2007, he was promoted to play for the first team, whilst still also continuing to play for the B Team, but in 2010, he ended his five years playing for the B team when he was sent on loan to Cannes.

Cardiff City

Gestede joined Football League Championship side Cardiff City on a week-long trial during City's training camp in Seville, Spain. He scored his first goal for the Bluebirds in the 25th minute against Charlton Athletic[3][4] On 23 July 2011, Gestede passed his medical and was unveiled as a Cardiff City player three days later.[5] On 7 August 2011, he came on for his debut against West Ham United, in the 68th minute in place of Robert Earnshaw, setting up Kenny Miller for the match's only goal. Gestede's first start came the following game against Oxford United in the League Cup.[6] He made his 50th appearance in a 5–3 victory over Huddersfield Town, putting in a man of the match performance. Gestede scored his first goal for Cardiff City and in English football against Leicester City in the League Cup, where he later scored a penalty in a shoot out to help Cardiff to a 7–6 victory.[7]

Gestede's first league goal came on 15 October, his first league start, against Ipswich Town. During the following game, however, he suffered another hamstring injury, which meant he would be out for a few weeks.[8] He returned in a goalless draw at Millwall on 10 December. Gestede found his third Cardiff goal in a 3–1 win over Peterborough United. He would come on and score a penalty in Cardiff City's semi-final victory against Crystal Palace in the League Cup. Gestede scored his third goal for Cardiff on 14 February 2012, in a 3–1 win over Peterborough. In the Carling Cup Final against Premier League club Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on 26 February, City went down 3–2 on penalties, with Gestede missing one of the Bluebirds' spot-kicks. On 19 April, Gestede signed a two-year deal keeping him at Cardiff City Stadium until 2014.[9]

Gestede suffered a pre-season injury which kept him out of the first two months of the 2012–13 campaign. He made his return on 6 October coming on in the second half against Ipswich Town, where he helped the Bluebirds to come back from a one-goal deficit. Gestede's first goal of the season came on 15 December in a 2–1 loss against Peterborough United. In what has been described as his finest performance yet in a Cardiff City shirt, Gestede scored two headers as City beat Nottingham Forest 3–0 at Cardiff City Stadium. He collected a winners' medal as City won the Championship title and were promoted to the Premier League in April 2013.

Blackburn Rovers

Gestede playing for Cardiff City in 2012

On 26 November 2013, Gestede joined Blackburn Rovers on loan until the end of 2013 under an emergency loan arrangement after he found his playing time at Cardiff reduced since their promotion to the Premier League.[10] Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer stated that Gestede was the type of player the team needed to assist talisman Jordan Rhodes in an important season for the club.

Gestede scored his first goal for Rovers on 1 January 2014 against Leeds United via a header in a 2–1 victory.[11]

On 1 January 2014, Gestede signed for the club permanently, on a three-and-a-half-year deal, along with Tom Cairney, who was also on loan at Blackburn at the same time as him.[12] On 21 April, Gestede scored a first-half hat-trick, against Birmingham City.[13] He won the Championship Player of the Month Award for April after scoring six goals in the seven games in that month.[14]

Aston Villa

On 31 July 2015, after intense speculation, Gestede signed for Premier League side Aston Villa on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £6 million.[15] He made his debut as a substitute away at AFC Bournemouth, heading the winning goal in a 1–0 victory.[16] On 22 September 2015, he scored the winner in a 1–0 League Cup victory over archrivals Birmingham City.[17] On 26 September 2015, he scored a brace in a 3–2 defeat to Liverpool away at Anfield.[18]

International career

Gestede played for the France under-19 national team between 2006 and 2008. He was called up for the Benin national team in February 2013 for the World Cup qualifiers due to a parent being of Beninois origin; he was also eligible for the United States through a grandparent.[19] He scored both his first and second international goals in 3–1 losses to Algeria on 26 March and 9 June 2013.

Personal life

In the summer of 2012, Rudy's wife, Hawa, gave birth to their first child, Elijah Gestede.[20]

Career statistics

Gestede playing for Cardiff City in 2011
As of match played on 26 November 2016
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Metz 2010–11[21] Ligue 21132111–145
Total 1132111–145
Cardiff City 2011–12[22] Championship2521051—313
2012–13[23] Championship2750000—275
2013–14[24] Premier League300021—51
Total 5571072—639
Blackburn Rovers (loan) 2013–14[24] Championship611000—71
Blackburn Rovers 2013–14[24] Championship21121000—2212
2014–15[25] Championship39204210—4422
Total 66336210—7335
Aston Villa 2015–16 Premier League2450011—256
2016–17 Championship1340010—134
Total 3790021—3810
Career total 1695293114—18959

Honours

Cardiff City

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Player shirt numbers for 20 Barclays Premier League clubs released". Premier League. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Premier League Player Profile Rudy Gestede". Barclays Premier League. 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "New French striker set to make Cardiff City debut against Charlton Athletic". South Wales Echo. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  4. ↑ "City start pre-season with win". Cardiff City Football Club. 15 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Rudy Gestede deal completed". Cardiff City Football Club. 26 July 2011. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "Oxford Utd 1 – 3 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  7. ↑ "Cardiff 2 – 2 Leicester". BBC Sport. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  8. ↑ "Gestede in fresh injury blow at City". South Wales Echo. 21 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  9. ↑ "Cardiff City extend striker Rudy Gestede's contract until 2014". BBC Sport. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  10. ↑ "Rudy Gestede: Blackburn Rovers sign Cardiff City striker on loan". BBC. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  11. ↑ "Leeds United 1–2 Blackburn Rovers". BBC. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "Blackburn Rovers sign Tom Cairney and Rudy Gestede". BBC. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "Birmingham 1–4 Blackburn". BBC. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  14. ↑ http://www.football-league.co.uk/championship/news/20140502/rudy-gestede-named-sky-bet-championship-player-of-the-month_2293322_3798904
  15. ↑ "Breaking news: Villa welcome Gestede". Aston Villa Football Club. 31 July 2015.
  16. ↑ "Bournemouth 0–1 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. 8 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "Aston Villa 1–0 Birmingham City". BBC Sport. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  18. ↑ "Liverpool 3–2 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. 26 September 2015.
  19. ↑ "Cardiff City Star Rudy Gestede Called Up by Benin". Wales Online. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  20. ↑ "Cardiff City star Rudy Gestede promises players will not forget club's history after re-branding". South Wales Echo. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  21. ↑ http://int.soccerway.com/players/-rudy-gestede/37908/
  22. ↑ "Matches played by Rudy Gestede in 2011–12". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  23. ↑ "Matches played by Rudy Gestede in 2012–13". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  24. 1 2 3 "Matches played by Rudy Gestede in 2013–14". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  25. ↑ "Matches played by Rudy Gestede in 2014–15". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
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