Aruna Dindane

Club career

Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Dindane transferred from Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas to RSC Anderlecht in summer 2000 and helped the team to win the Belgian First Division Championship in 2001 and 2004, as well a Supercup in 2000 and 2001. In 2003, Dindane won both the Ebony Shoe as best player of African origin in the Belgian League and the Golden Shoe as the best player in the Belgian League. In November 2004, he was given a Swan D'Or Award for a spell of back-to-back hat-tricks.

In June 2005, Dindane signed for French Ligue 1 club Lens. In August 2009, he joined Premier League team Portsmouth on a one-year loan deal, with the option to sign him at the end of his loan spell. He scored his first goal for Portsmouth in a 3–1 League Cup win over Carlisle on 22 September 2009. and his first Premier League goal as part of a hat-trick in the 4–0 win over Wigan Athletic on 31 October. On 5 December 2009, he scored against Burnley with a header after missing a penalty earlier in the game. On 9 February 2010, Dindane scored a 95th-minute equaliser in the 1–1 draw with Sunderland at Fratton Park.

On 21 March 2010, it was revealed he was left out of Portsmouth's match squad the previous day as if he played one more game the club would have to pay a £4 million fee to his parent club Lens. With Portsmouth in administration, they could not afford to pay this fee, and so he was dropped. However, he subsequently played in the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur on 11 April 2010, and Portsmouth were aiming to negotiate terms with Lens that allow him to play in the FA Cup Final and the remaining Premier League games without incurring the £4 million fee.

On 4 April 2010 it was revealed that Blackburn Rovers were preparing to bid for the £2.5 million striker in time for the 2010–11 season and the player underwent and passed a medical at the club only for the transfer talk to cool due to financial disagreements between Blackburn Rovers and Aruna's club Lens. On 30 April 2010, Dindane reiterated his desire to stay in English football after the loan to Portsmouth had ended. However, on 24 May 2010, Dindane agreed a three-year deal with Lekhwiya of Qatar.

In January 2012 Dindane agreed to join Qatari club Al-Gharafa. After a short spell at Al-Gharafa, he signed a one-year deal with Al-Sailiya Sport Club on 27 May 2012. After half a season he was released and started training with Leeds United. On 23 March 2013, he signed for Crystal Palace until the end of the 2012–13 season. He was released just prior to the end of the season without having made a senior appearance & with doubts over his fitness

After his retirement, Dindane works as general secretary of the Association des Footballeurs Ivoiriens (Ivorian Footballers Association).

International career

Dindane made his debut for Côte d'Ivoire on 9 April 2000 against Rwanda. He participated in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he scored twice in a memorable comeback to win 3–2 in their last group match against Serbia and Montenegro. However, the team failed to reach the second round due to previous defeats against Argentina and the Netherlands.

Dindane represented his country at the 2006 African Cup of Nations, but left the tournament on 22 January 2006 following the death of one of his twin daughters. He was also selected in the Ivorian squad for the 2008 African Cup of Nations in Ghana. He currently has 67 international caps for his country.

After Dindane's successful season in England for Portsmouth, where he scored 10 goals in 24 appearances, he was called up to the Ivorian squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Dindane was a starter in their first two group games, against Portugal and Brazil.

Honours

ASEC Mimosas

R.S.C. Anderlecht

RC Lens

Individual