Youssouf Hersi

Youssouf Hersi
Hersi with the Western Sydney Wanderers at the end of season parade in Parramatta
Personal information
Date of birth (1982-08-20) 20 August 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2001 Ajax 9 (0)
2001–2002 NAC Breda 33 (3)
2002–2004 NEC 61 (19)
2004–2005 Heerenveen 9 (0)
2005–2007 Vitesse 69 (15)
2007–2009 Twente 46 (8)
2009–2010 AEK Athens 21 (1)
2010–2011 De Graafschap 22 (2)
2012–2014 Western Sydney Wanderers 47 (8)
2014–2015 Perth Glory 8 (0)
Total 325 (56)
International career
2001–2003 Netherlands U21 8 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Youssouf Hersi (born 20 August 1982) is a retired professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.[1] Born in Ethiopia, Hersi represented the Netherlands at youth international level.

Club career

Youssouf Hersi with FC Twente.

Hersi played in the Netherlands for Ajax, NAC Breda, NEC, Heerenveen, Vitesse, Twente and De Graafschap.[2] He also played for the Greek side AEK Athens.[3]

On 11 September 2012, Hersi signed with A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers.[4] He scored his first goal for the club in the Sydney Derby on 15 December 2012.[5] In February 2013, Hersi re-signed with the Wanderers for another season.[6] On 10 March 2013, against Wellington Phoenix Hersi broke the Australian football record for most consecutive wins for a player (14) beating Matt Horsley's 13 wins for the Wollongong Wolves from April to December 2001.[7] Hersi was sent off with a second yellow card in the Wanderers' Grand Final qualifier against Brisbane Roar and subsequently missed the 2013 A-League Grand Final in which the Wanderers lost 2–0 to Central Coast Mariners.[8]

In May 2014 Hersi signed with Perth Glory.[9] He requested a release from the club in May 2015, which was granted despite having another year to run on his contract.[10]

Hersi was set to sign for the Central Coast Mariners in February 2016, but the deal was scuppered at the last minute after he travelled to Australia on the wrong type of visa.[11]

International career

Hersi played with the Dutch under-21 team at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship.[12][13]

He was never capped for the Dutch full national side, although he had expressed an interest in representing the nation of his birth Ethiopia at the international level,[14]

References

  1. ^ Youssouf Hersi at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Profile" (in Dutch). Voetbal International.
  3. ^ "Hersi signs 1+2-year deal". AEK Athens F.C. official website. 30 August 2009. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  4. ^ "FourFourTwo | Football News, Features and Statistics". Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Western Sydney Wanderers exact derby revenge with 2-0 win over Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium". AAP. 15 December 2012.
  6. ^ "Hersi extends A-League stay with Wanderers".
  7. ^ FourFourTwo | Football News, Features and Statistics
  8. ^ "Motorsport Video |Motorsport Highlights, Replays, News, Clips".
  9. ^ "HERSI HEADS FOR GLORY". Football Federation Australia. 13 May 2014. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  10. ^ Bossi, Dominic (22 May 2015). "Youssouf Hersi granted release from Perth Glory". WAtoday.
  11. ^ "11th-hour visa issue thwarts Hersi's Mariners deal".
  12. ^ Youssouf Hersi – FIFA competition record (archived)
  13. ^ "Journeyman Hersi smiling Down Under". FIFA.com. 25 February 2014. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  14. ^ Nicolas White (4 February 2005). "Hersi keen on Ethiopia". BBC Sport.