José Kanté Martínez (born 27 September 1990) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward.

José Kanté
Personal information
Full name José Kanté Martínez[1]
Date of birth (1990-09-27) 27 September 1990 (age 33)[1]
Place of birth Sabadell, Spain
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
PB Manresa
2007–2009 Gimnàstic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Manresa
2011–2012 Rubí 27 (5)
2012–2013 Prat 14 (5)
2013 Málaga B 11 (2)
2013–2014 Prat 35 (11)
2014–2015 AEK Larnaca 29 (5)
2016 Górnik Zabrze 16 (0)
2016–2018 Wisła Płock 62 (19)
2018–2021 Legia Warsaw 43 (12)
2019Gimnàstic (loan) 14 (3)
2021–2022 Kairat 32 (15)
2022 Cangzhou Mighty Lions 16 (14)
2023 Urawa Red Diamonds 24 (8)
International career
2016–2024 Guinea 30 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:58, 19 December 2023 (UTC)

Born in Spain, he played for the Guinea national team, representing the country in three Africa Cup of Nations.

Club career edit

Born in Sabadell, Province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, Kanté only played lower league or amateur football in his country of birth initially,[2] representing CE Manresa, UE Rubí, AE Prat (all in his native region)[3][4] and Atlético Malagueño.[5] He scored his first goal in the Segunda División B while at the service of the third club, in a 2–1 away win against CF Badalona on 11 November 2012.[6]

In June 2014, Kanté signed with Cypriot First Division side AEK Larnaca FC,[7] where he shared teams with a host of compatriots.[2] He played his first top-flight game on 31 August of that year, coming on as a second-half substitute in the 0–2 home loss to APOEL FC.

Kanté moved to the Polish Ekstraklasa in January 2016, going on to remain several years in the country with Górnik Zabrze[8] and Wisła Płock.[9] In the 2016–17 season he scored ten goals, helping to a final ninth-place finish.[10]

On 18 June 2018, Kanté signed for Legia Warsaw in the same league.[11] The following 31 January, he joined Gimnàstic de Tarragona on loan for the remainder of the campaign in the Segunda División.[12]

Kanté terminated his Legia contract by mutual consent on 23 February 2021.[13] On 10 March, he moved to Kazakhstan Premier League club FC Kairat on a deal until December 2022,[14] but left four months after it expired.[15]

On 27 August 2022, Kanté joined Cangzhou Mighty Lions F.C. on a free transfer.[16] On 24 September, in his third appearance and first start in the Chinese Super League, he scored all of his team's goals in a 4–3 victory over leaders Wuhan Three Towns FC, which ended the opponent's 17-game unbeaten run since getting promoted the previous season.[17]

In 2023, Kante signed for J1 League club Urawa Red Diamonds. On 27 November that year, having scored 12 times in all competitions, the 33-year-old announced his retirement at the end of the campaign.[18]

International career edit

Of Guinean descent, Kanté opted to represent that nation even though he did not speak French nor any of the local dialects when he was first summoned by manager Kanfory Lappé Bangoura in November 2016.[19] He earned his first cap on the 13th, playing 25 minutes in a 1–2 home defeat against DR Congo for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[20]

Kanté was included in the squads for Guinea at the 2019,[21] 2021[22] and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.[23]

Career statistics edit

Club edit

As of match played 22 December 2023[24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Prat 2011–13 Segunda División B 14 5 2 0 16 5
2013–14 Segunda División B 35 11 35 11
Total 49 16 2 0 51 16
AEK Larnaca 2014–15 Cypriot First Division 17 3 4 1 21 4
2015–16 Cypriot First Division 12 2 1 1 2[c] 0 15 3
Total 29 5 5 2 2 0 36 7
Górnik Zabrze 2015–16 Ekstraklasa 16 0 16 0
Wisła Płock 2016–17 Ekstraklasa 32 10 0 0 32 10
2017–18 Ekstraklasa 30 9 1 0 31 9
Total 62 19 1 0 63 19
Legia Warsaw 2018–19 Ekstraklasa 16 2 2 0 6[d] 3 1[e] 0 25 5
2019–20 Ekstraklasa 23 10 4 3 0 0 27 13
2020–21 Ekstraklasa 4 0 0 0 3[f] 1 0 0 7 1
Total 43 12 6 3 9 4 1 0 59 19
Gimnàstic (loan) 2018–19 Segunda División 14 3 14 3
Kairat 2021 Kazakhstan Premier League 22 9 5 4 11[g] 4 38 17
2022 Kazakhstan Premier League 10 6 2 0 1[h] 0 1[i] 0 14 6
Total 32 15 7 4 12 4 1 0 52 23
Cangzhou Mighty Lions 2022 Chinese Super League 16 14 0 0 16 14
Urawa Red Diamonds 2022 J1 League 2[j] 0 2 0
2023 J1 League 24 8 3 0 8 1 5[j] 4 3[k] 1 43 14
Total 24 8 3 0 8 1 7 4 3 1 45 14
Career total 285 92 24 9 8 1 30 12 5 1 352 115
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, Cypriot Cup, Polish Cup, Kazakhstan Cup, Emperor's Cup
  2. ^ Includes J.League Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Four appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, two appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League
  5. ^ Appearance in Polish Super Cup
  6. ^ Two appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  7. ^ Three appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League, seven appearances and three goals in UEFA Europa Conference League
  8. ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa Conference League
  9. ^ Appearance in Kazakhstan Super Cup
  10. ^ a b Appearances in AFC Champions League
  11. ^ Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup

International edit

Appearances and goals by national team and year[25]
National team Year Apps Goals
Guinea 2016 1 0
2017 1 0
2018 4 1
2019 7 1
2021 8 2
2022 5 0
2023 2 0
2024 2 0
Total 30 4
Scores and results list Guinea goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kanté goal.[25]
List of international goals scored by José Kanté
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 16 October 2018 Stade Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali, Rwanda   Rwanda 1–0 1–1 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2 17 November 2019 Stade du 28 Septembre, Conakry, Guinea   Namibia 2–0 2–0 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3 8 June 2021 Arslan Zeki Demirci Sports Complex, Manavgat, Turkey   Kosovo 2–0 2–1 Friendly
4 9 October 2021 Adrar Stadium, Agadir, Morocco   Sudan 1–0 2–2 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours edit

Legia Warsaw

Kairat

Urawa Red Diamonds

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023™: List of Players: Urawa Reds" (PDF). FIFA. 6 December 2023. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b Maldonado, Juan Manuel (10 August 2015). "Conociendo al Spanish Larnaca" [Meeting Spanish Larnaca] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  3. ^ Fontanals, Marçal (2 August 2012). "José Kanté Martínez, sisena incorporació a l'AE Prat" [José Kanté Martínez, sixth addition to AE Prat]. La Premsa del Baix (in Catalan). Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  4. ^ "El Prat confirma el retorn de José Kanté" [Prat confirm the return of José Kanté] (in Catalan). AE Prat. 5 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  5. ^ "El Atlético Malagueño se refuerza con José Kante" [Atlético Malagueño bolster with José Kante] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Un Badalona poco peligroso pierde contra el Prat" [Tame Badalona lose against Prat]. El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 13 November 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  7. ^ "Jose Kante fitxa per l´AEK Larnaca de Xipre i Putxi marxa a l´Europa" [Jose Kante signs for AEK Larnaca of Cyprus and Putxi goes to Europa] (in Catalan). Regiò 7. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  8. ^ Witczyk, Łukasz (12 January 2016). "Oficjalnie: Jose Kante Martinez w Górniku Zabrze" [Official: Jose Kante Martinez to Górnik Zabrze] (in Polish). Sportowe Fakty. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  9. ^ "Jose Kante podpisał kontrakt z Wisłą Płock" [José Kante signed contract with Wisła Płock] (in Polish). Sport.onet. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Sezon 2016/17" [2016/17 season] (in Polish). 90 Minut. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  11. ^ "Jose Kante podpisał kontrakt z Legią" [Jose Kante signed a contract with Legia] (in Polish). Legia Warsaw. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Kanté llega cedido del Legia de Varsovia" [Kanté arrives on loan from Legia Warsaw] (in Spanish). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 31 January 2019. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Jose Kante rozwiązał kontrakt z Legią" [Jose Kante terminated contract with Legia] (in Polish). Legia Warsaw. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  14. ^ "ОФИЦИАЛЬНО: ХОСЕ КАНТЕ МАРТИНЕС ИГРОК КАЙРАТА" [Official: José Kanté Martínez a Kairat player] (in Russian). FC Kairat. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  15. ^ "СПАСИБО ХОСЕ!" [Thanks José!] (in Kazakh). FC Kairat. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  16. ^ "沧州雄狮官方:何塞-坎特&朱可夫加盟王鹏租借回归" [Cangzhou Lions official: José Kanté & Zhukov join Wang Peng who comes on loan] (in Chinese). Sina Sports. 27 August 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  17. ^ "中超-坎特上演大四喜加绝杀 三镇3–4负雄狮遇首败" (in Chinese). Sina Sports. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  18. ^ "ホセ カンテ選手 現役引退のお知らせ" [Announcement of José Kanté's retirement] (in Japanese). Urawa Red Diamonds. 27 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  19. ^ Mognouma, Lamine (10 November 2016). "Lappé-Martinez Kanté: Dialogue de sourd, langage mimique, intégration qui nécessite assez d'efforts" [Lappé-Martinez Kanté: Deaf men talking, sign language, hard-pressed integration.] (in French). Guinée Foot. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  20. ^ Touré, Lamine (13 November 2016). "Russie 2018 – Guinée-RD Congo: Deuxième défaite du Syli national devant la RD Congo" [Russia 2018 – Guinea-DR Congo: Second loss for Syli national team against DR Congo.] (in French). Guinée Foot. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  21. ^ "CAN 2019: Les 23 guinéens aves Keita et Kamano" [CAN 2019: 23 Guineans with Keita and Kamano] (in French). Eurosport. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  22. ^ "CAN 2022. Guinée: avec Saidou Sow, retrouvez la liste complète du Sily national" [CAN 2022. Guinea: with Saidou Sow, check out the National Elephants' full squad]. Ouest-France (in French). 4 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Les 25 sélectionnés pour la CAN 2023" [The 25 selected for CAN 2023] (in French). Guinean Football Federation. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  24. ^ José Kanté at Soccerway
  25. ^ a b "J. Kanté – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  26. ^ Kamieniecki, Piotr (11 July 2020). "Architekci mistrzostwa Legii. Kto poprowadził Wojskowych do tytułu?" [The architetcts of Legia's championship. Who took Armymen to title?] (in Polish). TVP Sport. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  27. ^ Kamieniecki, Piotr (28 April 2021). "Legijni architekci mistrzostwa. Kto odegrał największą rolę w zdobyciu tytułu?" [The architects of Legia's championship. Who played the biggest role in title conquest?] (in Polish). TVP Sport. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  28. ^ Gómez Juárez, Fernando (30 November 2021). "Kairat Almaty se proclama campeón de Copa" [Kairat Almaty crowned Cup champions] (in Spanish). Migrantes del Balón. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Urawa Reds edge Al Hilal for historic third title". Asian Football Confederation. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  30. ^ Orlowitz, Dan (6 May 2023). "Urawa beats Al Hilal to capture third Asian Champions League title". The Japan Times. Retrieved 6 May 2023.

External links edit