Bachirou Salou
Encyclopedia
Bachirou Salou is a former Togo
lese footballer, who played as a centre forward.
Due to the many years (over a decade) spent in Germany
, where he played for five clubs, he possessed double nationality.
, Salou was spotted at the age of 19 by former Czech Republic national player
Anton Ondruš
, who was on holiday in Cameroon
, and saw the player appear for a provincial team. With the help of Ondruš, Salou moved to the German first division
with Borussia Mönchengladbach
in 1990, where he quickly became a fan favourite.
In his time at Mönchengladbach, Salou helped the team win the 1995 domestic cup
, netting 13 times in 86 league contests, during a five-year spell; in 1992–93, he went scoreless in 21 matches but, in the following campaign, scored five in only nine outings.
In 1995, Salou moved to the second division
with MSV Duisburg
, winning promotion in his first year, and experiencing his best years in the country overall, as he added 28 goals in the next two topflight seasons combined.
Salou's steady performances for Duisburg earned him a transfer to former Champions League winner Borussia Dortmund
, where he fared well in a single season, mostly as a backup. After another solid year with Eintracht Frankfurt
, he agreed to take a 50% pay cut and joined, in January 2001, F.C. Hansa Rostock, scoring three league goals in his short stint with the former East Germany club.
After a brief time in Belgium
, with lowly SC Kapellen-Erft, Salou returned to Germany in January 2004, signing with level two's Alemannia Aachen
. He then returned to Belgium, seeing out his career with K.A.S. Eupen
and Erft again; he played 14 years in both major levels of German football
, totalling exactly 300 games and 62 goals.
for Togo
during a nine-year span, making his international debut at age 19. Incidentally, he retired from football the year before the nation reached its first ever
FIFA World Cup
.
.
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
lese footballer, who played as a centre forward.
Due to the many years (over a decade) spent in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where he played for five clubs, he possessed double nationality.
Club career
Born in LoméLomé
Lomé, with an estimated population of 737,751, is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels...
, Salou was spotted at the age of 19 by former Czech Republic national player
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
Anton Ondruš
Anton Ondruš
Anton Ondruš is a former Slovak football player and considered one of the best defenders of the seventies.- Early club career :He started to play regularly for Slovan Bratislava in th fall of 1972...
, who was on holiday in Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, and saw the player appear for a provincial team. With the help of Ondruš, Salou moved to the German first division
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
with Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
in 1990, where he quickly became a fan favourite.
In his time at Mönchengladbach, Salou helped the team win the 1995 domestic cup
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
, netting 13 times in 86 league contests, during a five-year spell; in 1992–93, he went scoreless in 21 matches but, in the following campaign, scored five in only nine outings.
In 1995, Salou moved to the second division
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
with MSV Duisburg
MSV Duisburg
MSV Duisburg is a German association football club based in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia. Nicknamed "the Zebras" for their traditional striped jerseys, the club was one of the original members of the Bundesliga when it was formed in 1963.-Early years:...
, winning promotion in his first year, and experiencing his best years in the country overall, as he added 28 goals in the next two topflight seasons combined.
Salou's steady performances for Duisburg earned him a transfer to former Champions League winner Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
, where he fared well in a single season, mostly as a backup. After another solid year with Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
, he agreed to take a 50% pay cut and joined, in January 2001, F.C. Hansa Rostock, scoring three league goals in his short stint with the former East Germany club.
After a brief time in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, with lowly SC Kapellen-Erft, Salou returned to Germany in January 2004, signing with level two's Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen is a German football club from the western city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. A long term fixture of the country's second division, Alemannia enjoyed a three-year turn in the top flight in the late 1960s and, after a successful 2005–06 campaign, returned to first division play...
. He then returned to Belgium, seeing out his career with K.A.S. Eupen
K.A.S. Eupen
Königliche Allgemeine Sportvereinigung Eupen is a Belgian association football club based in the city of Eupen in the German-speaking Community of Belgium, in the province of Liège. They are a Belgian German-speaking club. They first reached the Belgian Pro League in the 2010–11 season. Eupen...
and Erft again; he played 14 years in both major levels of German football
German football league system
The German football league system, or league pyramid, refers to a series of hierarchically interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Germany that consists of over 2,300 men's divisions, in which all leagues are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation...
, totalling exactly 300 games and 62 goals.
International career
Salou gained 38 capsCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Togo
Togo national football team
The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks, is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football.They played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Their team bus...
during a nine-year span, making his international debut at age 19. Incidentally, he retired from football the year before the nation reached its first ever
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
.
Honours
- German CupDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 1994–95; Runner-up 1991–92, 1997–98, 2003–04
Personal
After retiring, Salou became involved with the initiative Go for Children - Momentum for Change!, as an ambassadorAmbassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
.