Felix Dja Ettien
Encyclopedia
Félix Dja Ettien is a retired Ivorian
professional footballer.
A midfielder
with great stamina and strength, he also holds a Spanish
passport due the years spent in the country, all with Levante UD
, where he played in more than 300 official matches - 81 of those in La Liga
.
. While representing Côte d'Ivoire
in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
, Ettien caught the eyes of Spanish side Levante UD
, who snapped up Ettien and his compatriot Idrissa Keita
. While Keita flopped at Levante, Ettien became one of the side's most important players – despite suffering racist abuse early on in his career in Spain. In his first season, however, he only appeared in seven games (308 minutes) as the club was relegated from Segunda División
.
As the Valencian Community
team were twice promoted and relegated
during his 11-year stay, Ettien was an everpresente fixture, appearing in all but four matches in the 2006–07 season, with two goals, in a narrow escape from relegation in La Liga
. In July 2008, he left the club.
In September 2009, after more than one year out of football, Ettien was in trial with Romania
n side FC Astra Ploieşti
. However, he left the club after only a few weeks.
and Madagascar
, for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
qualification
.
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
professional footballer.
A midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
with great stamina and strength, he also holds a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
passport due the years spent in the country, all with Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
, where he played in more than 300 official matches - 81 of those in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
.
Club career
Ettien was born in AbidjanAbidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
. While representing Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship was the 11th staging of the FIFA World Youth Championship. It was held from June 16 to July 5, 1997 in Malaysia.-Venues:-Qualification:The following 24 teams qualified for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship...
, Ettien caught the eyes of Spanish side Levante UD
Levante UD
Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:...
, who snapped up Ettien and his compatriot Idrissa Keita
Idrissa Keita
Idrissa Keita is a retired Ivorian footballer who played as a midfielder.-Football career:After starring for Ivory Coast at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, Keita, alongside countryman Félix Dja Ettien, was bought by Spanish side Levante UD...
. While Keita flopped at Levante, Ettien became one of the side's most important players – despite suffering racist abuse early on in his career in Spain. In his first season, however, he only appeared in seven games (308 minutes) as the club was relegated from Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
.
As the Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
team were twice promoted and relegated
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
during his 11-year stay, Ettien was an everpresente fixture, appearing in all but four matches in the 2006–07 season, with two goals, in a narrow escape from relegation in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
. In July 2008, he left the club.
In September 2009, after more than one year out of football, Ettien was in trial with Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n side FC Astra Ploieşti
FC Astra Ploieşti
Fotbal Club Astra Ploieşti is a Romanian professional football club from Ploieşti, Prahova County, Romania. They were founded in 1934 and spent their vast majority in the lower leagues, but are currently playing in the country's top league, Liga I, after obtaining the promotion in 2009.The...
. However, he left the club after only a few weeks.
International career
After the U-20 exploits, Ettien played six times (one goal) for the Ivorian full side, appearing twice against both Congo DRCongo DR national football team
The Congo DR national football team is the national team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is controlled by the Fédération Congolaise de Football-Association , and are nicknamed The Leopards.Congo have been ranked as high as 51 in the FIFA Rankings...
and Madagascar
Madagascar national football team
The Madagascar national football team, nicknamed Les Guerriers Zébus , is the national team of Madagascar and is controlled by the Fédération Malagasy de Football. It has never qualified for the finals of the World Cup or the African Nations Cup...
, for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
qualification
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the African Zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification....
.
Club statistics
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997/98 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
Segunda División Segunda División The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:... |
7 | 0 |
| 1998/99 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
Segunda División B Segunda División B Segunda División B is the third level of the Spanish football league system. It is administered by the RFEF. The top two levels are La Liga, also referred to as the Primera División, and the Segunda División. Immediately below Segunda División B is the Tercera Division... |
31 | 3 |
| 1999/00 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
Segunda División Segunda División The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:... |
38 | 2 |
| 2000/01 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
Segunda División Segunda División The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:... |
36 | 1 |
| 2001/02 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
Segunda División Segunda División The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:... |
34 | 3 |
| 2002/03 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
Segunda División Segunda División The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:... |
33 | 3 |
| 2003/04 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
Segunda División Segunda División The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:... |
17 | 1 |
| 2004/05 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
La Liga La Liga The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system... |
34 | 2 |
| 2005/06 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
Segunda División Segunda División The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:... |
31 | 3 |
| 2006/07 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
La Liga La Liga The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system... |
34 | 2 |
| 2007/08 | Levante Levante UD Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.Founded in 1909, it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadi Ciutat de València.-Early years:... |
La Liga La Liga The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system... |
13 | 1 |
| Total | Levante | 308 | 21 | |