Souleymane Doukara (born 29 September 1991) is a professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who plays as a
striker or a
winger for
Super League Greece
The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...
club
Levadiakos
Levadiakos Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ Λεβαδειακός) is a Greek professional football club that plays in the Super League Greece. Based in Livadeia, Greece, the club was promoted to the Alpha Ethniki, forerunner of the Super League, afte ...
. He is nicknamed ''Dudu'' or ''The Duke''.
Born in France, he represents the
Mauritania national team.
Club career
Early career
Doukara was born in
Meudon
Meudon () is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris. The city is known for many historic monuments and some extraordinary trees. One of t ...
, Hauts-de-Seine.
[ He started his professional career during the 2008–09 season, playing for ]Rovigo Calcio
Rovigo Calcio is an Italian association football club from Rovigo, Veneto.
History
The club was founded in 1893.
In the 2005–06 season of Serie D, Rovigo finished first in Girone D, winning direct promotion to Serie C2, returning to a pro ...
in the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione was the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consisted of 36 teams, but in the 2011–12 season, there were 41 teams divided geographically into two divisions of 2 ...
. Making his first team debut at the age of 16 he played seven games that season, without scoring goals. Doukara was scouted by A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan (), commonly referred to as AC Milan or simply Milan, is a professional Association football, football club in Milan, Italy, founded in 1899. The club has spent its entire history, with the exception of the 1980–81 ...
who had an option to sign him from Rovigo
Rovigo (, ; egl, Ruig) is a city and ''comune'' in the Veneto region of Northeast Italy, the capital of the eponymous province.
Geography
Rovigo stands on the low ground known as Polesine, by rail southwest of Venice and south-southwest of P ...
, he even played for Milan's's youth team on a trial spell during a youth tournament in Milan, but the club decided against signing him. His club participated in the 2009–10 Serie D
The Serie D () is the top level of semi-professional football in the country. The fourth tier of the Italian league system, the competition sits beneath the third professional league, Serie C. It is administered by the Lega Nazionale Dilettant ...
season and Doukara had his first chance to play as a regular starter; at the end of the championship he had made 36 appearances. His form earned him a trial spell at Grasshopper Club Zürich
Grasshopper Club Zürich, commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshoppers, is a multisports club based in Zürich, Switzerland. The oldest and best known department of the club is its football team. With 27 titles, Grasshopper holds the ...
in the Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League (known as the Credit Suisse Super League for sponsorship reasons) is a Swiss professional league in the top tier of the Swiss football league system and has been played in its current format since the 2003–04 season ...
but he was unable to earn a contract.
Prior to the 2011–12 Lega Pro season, Doukara was transferred to Seconda Divisione club Vibonese, in which he played 37 out of 42 league matches, scoring 13 goals.
Catania
After impressing scouts in the Italian fourth tier, Doukara officially signed with Serie A
The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa ...
outfit, Calcio Catania
Catania S.S.D., commonly known as Catania, is an Italian football club based in the city of Catania, Sicily, that plays in .
Originally founded in 1908 as ''Associazione Sportiva pro Educazione Fisica'', the club boasts 17 appearances in the ...
. He made his Serie A debut on 16 September 2012, when he came on as a substitute for Alejandro Gómez against Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as Fiorentina (), is an Italian professional football club based in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. The original team was founded by a merger in August 1926, while the actual club was refounded in August 2002 fo ...
in a 2–0 loss after goals from Luca Toni
Luca Toni (; born 26 May 1977) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a striker. A prolific goalscorer, Toni scored over 300 goals throughout his career, and is one of the top-five highest scoring Italians in all competition ...
and Stevan Jovetić
Stevan Jovetić ( cnr, Стеван Јоветић, ; born 2 November 1989) is a Montenegrin footballer who plays as a striker for Bundesliga club Hertha BSC and captains the Montenegro national team.
Jovetić's primary position is a second s ...
. Doukara primarily served as a back-up to Argentine international's Gonzalo Bergessio
Gonzalo Rubén Bergessio (; born 20 July 1984) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for Club Atlético Platense.
Club career Early career
Born in Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Bergessio started his career in the lower ...
and Maxi López
Maximiliano Gastón López (born 3 April 1984) is an Argentine former professional association football, footballer who played as a second striker. He holds both an Argentine passport, Argentine and an Italian passport. He is known as ''El Rubio ...
, though he made 12 Serie A appearances in his maiden top flight season. Additionally, he made two Coppa Italia appearances that season in Catania's quarter-final run. Doukara failed to score for the Sicilian outfit in his debut season at the club.
On 1 September 2013, Doukara played in the 3–0 defeat of Catania by Serie A side Internazionale
Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Inter is ...
.
Loan to Juve Stabia
On 2 September, the last day of the transfer window, Doukara joined Serie B
The Serie B (), currently named Serie Balkrishna Industries, BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 ...
side Juve Stabia on loan. Subsequently, he scored six goals in 20 games during the 2013–14 season. However this wasn't enough to keep Juve Stabia in the division as they were relegated, finishing bottom.
Leeds United
2014–15
On 11 July 2014, it was confirmed by Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire in England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of England's football league system, and plays its home matches at Elland Road S ...
owner Massimo Cellino
Massimo Cellino (; born 28 July 1956) is an Italian entrepreneur and football club owner. Through his family trust Eleonora Sport Ltd he is the owner of Italian club Brescia Calcio, and is the former owner of italian club Cagliari, and English cl ...
that the club would sign him on season-long loan with the option for a permanent deal. On 12 July, Doukara's signing to Leeds was confirmed on the club's official Twitter page. On 1 August, Doukara was assigned the Leeds number 29 shirt for the 2014–15 season. Doukara made his debut for Leeds on 9 August against Millwall
Millwall is a district on the western and southern side of the Isle of Dogs, in east London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the immediate south of Canary Wharf and Limehouse, north of Greenwich and Deptford, east ...
.
Doukara's first goal for Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire in England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of England's football league system, and plays its home matches at Elland Road S ...
came on 12 August 2014, in a League Cup match against Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley Football Club is a professional association football club based in Accrington, Lancashire, England. The club competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. They have spent their complete history ...
with fellow newcomer Gaetano Berardi
Gaetano Michel Berardi (born 21 August 1988) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a defender for Swiss club AC Bellinzona. He can also operate at left-back and centre-back. He has been capped at international level by Switzerland.
...
getting the assist. He scored his second less than twenty minutes later to make it 2–0 to the home side.
However, on 16 August, Doukara tore his ankle ligaments in the 1–0 victory over Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area.
Until the early 1800s, the a ...
. The injury would rule him out for 4–5 weeks.
On 1 September 2014, Doukara's loan deal was made permanent, signing a three-year deal at the club. On 16 September 2014 he scored his first league goal for Leeds and his third in all competitions against Bournemouth
Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the Southern ...
in a 3–1 win. On 20 September, Doukara scored his fourth goal of the season and his first league goal at Elland Road
Elland Road is a football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Premier League club Leeds United since the club's formation in 1919. The stadium is the 14th largest football stadium in England.
The g ...
in a 3–0 win over local rivals Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . The team have played home games at the Kirklees Stadium since moving from Leeds Road in 1994. The ...
. Doukara scored his 5th goal of the season in a 1–1 draw against Norwich City
Norwich City Football Club (also known as The Canaries or The Yellows) is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. The club competes in the EFL Championship following their relegation from the Premier League in the 20 ...
, with teammate Adryan providing an assist. The same game saw him pick up a suspension for receiving his 5th yellow card of the season. Doukara returned from suspension and scored his 6th goal of the season against Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...
in a 3–1 win on 8 November.
On 18 April 2015, Doukara was one of six Massimo Cellino
Massimo Cellino (; born 28 July 1956) is an Italian entrepreneur and football club owner. Through his family trust Eleonora Sport Ltd he is the owner of Italian club Brescia Calcio, and is the former owner of italian club Cagliari, and English cl ...
signings (including Mirco Antenucci, Giuseppe Bellusci, Marco Silvestri, Dario Del Fabro and Edgar Çani
Edgar Junior Çani (born 22 July 1989) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Legnano.
Club career
Early career
Çani was born in Tirana, Albania but grew up in Città della Pieve in the Perugia central Italy, afte ...
) who controversially pulled out of the squad with an 'injury' the day before a 2–1 loss against Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, south-east London, which compete in . Their home ground is The Valley, where the club have played since 1919. They have also played at The Mount in C ...
.
On 2 May 2015, Doukara's strike against Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...
was nominated for Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire in England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of England's football league system, and plays its home matches at Elland Road S ...
's goal of the season at the end of the 2014–15 season awards ceremony, but lost out to eventual winner Rudy Austin's goal against Watford.
2015–16
On 31 July 2015, Doukara was given the number 11 shirt for the upcoming 2015–16 season. He scored against Rotherham United
Rotherham United Football Club, nicknamed The Millers, is a professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . The club's colours were initially yellow and black, but changed to red and white around 1 ...
on 9 January 2016 in a 2–0 win to help Leeds advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup. He scored his fourth goal in five games in a 2–1 victory over Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Football Club () is a professional football club based in Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in . The club played at Burnden Park for 102 years from 1895 after moving from their original home at Pike's ...
in the FA Cup on 30 January. On 31 March 2016, Doukara was banned for eight matches after biting Fernando Amorebieta
Fernando Gabriel Amorebieta Mardaras (born 29 March 1985) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender.
He spent most of his career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 253 competitive matches over eight La Liga seasons and scorin ...
during Leeds' home game with Fulham on 23 February 2016.
After being banned for eight matches, Doukara returned to the Leeds squad upon the expiry of his ban in the final game of the season in Leeds' 1–1 draw against Preston North End
Preston North End Football Club, commonly referred to as Preston, North End or PNE, is a professional football club in Preston, Lancashire, England, who currently play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league syste ...
.
2016–17
Doukara made his first start of the season for Leeds on 23 August 2016, starting in Leeds' League Cup fixture against Luton Town
Luton Town Football Club () is a professional association football club based in the town of Luton, Bedfordshire, England, that competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1885, it is nicknam ...
. He came on as a substitute on 29 October 2016 against Burton Albion
Burton Albion Football Club is a professional association football club in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England. The team compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. The club moved its home groun ...
, making an immediate impact by winning the penalty scored by teammate Chris Wood which was followed by Doukara's first goal of the season to seal the game at 2–0 deep into stoppage time.
After reclaiming his place in the squad, becoming a regular on the Left Wing for Leeds, On 26 November, Doukara scored the winner for Leeds against Rotherham United in a 2–1 victory. On 9 December in a 2–0 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club (), commonly referred to simply as Brighton, is an English professional football club based in the city of Brighton and Hove. They compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league ...
, Doukara was converted to an unfamiliar Central Midfield role due to injuries to Liam Bridcutt
Liam Robert Bridcutt (born 8 May 1989) is a professional association football, footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Blackpool F.C., Blackpool. Born in England, he represented the Scotland national football team, Scotland national t ...
, Eunan O'Kane
Eunan Charles O'Kane ( ; born 10 July 1990) is a professional footballer who most recently played as a midfielder for Leeds United.
Born in Northern Ireland, he represented the country at various youth international levels before switching to t ...
and the red card of Kalvin Phillips
Kalvin Mark Phillips (born 2 December 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Manchester City and the England national team.
A Leeds United academy graduate, Phillips made his first-team debut in 2015 ...
in the same game. He continued in the Central Midfield role, starting against Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club ( ) is a professional football club based in Reading, Berkshire, England. The team play in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. The club is managed by Paul Ince.
Reading are nicknamed ...
with Kalvin Phillips
Kalvin Mark Phillips (born 2 December 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Manchester City and the England national team.
A Leeds United academy graduate, Phillips made his first-team debut in 2015 ...
suspended, Doukara scored his third goal of the season in the same game in a 2–0 victory.
He scored his fourth of the season in a 4–1 victory against Preston North End
Preston North End Football Club, commonly referred to as Preston, North End or PNE, is a professional football club in Preston, Lancashire, England, who currently play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league syste ...
on 26 December 2016.
On 25 January 2017, Doukara scored a powerful long range volley in a 2–0 win over Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. Nottingham Forest was founded in 1865 and have been playing their home games at the City Ground, on the banks of the River Tren ...
with his first touch of the ball after coming on a substitute. Many drew comparisons of the goal to that of Leeds legend Tony Yeboah
Anthony Yeboah (born 6 June 1966) is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as a striker.
He is considered one of the most prominent and prolific goal scorers in Ghanaian and African football history and gained a reputation for sc ...
's famous volley against Liverpool.
On 30 April 2017, Doukara's volley against Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. Nottingham Forest was founded in 1865 and have been playing their home games at the City Ground, on the banks of the River Tren ...
was named Goal Of The Season at Leeds United's end of season awards.
2017–18
After not featuring during the 2017–18 season under new Head Coach Thomas Christiansen
Thomas Christiansen Tarín (born 11 March 1973) is a former Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football)#Striker, striker, currently the Manager (association football), manager of Panama national football team ...
, Doukara was set to start in Leeds' 5–1 EFL Cup
The EFL Cup (referred to historically, and colloquially, as the League Cup), currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual knockout competition and major trophy in men's domestic football in England. Organised by the ...
victory against Newport County on 22 August, however Christiansen revealed that Doukara was in talks with a club so was dropped out of the lineup. On 23 August his contract with Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire in England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of England's football league system, and plays its home matches at Elland Road S ...
was terminated by mutual consent.
Osmanlıspor
On the same day following his release from Leeds, he joined Turkish Süper Lig
The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), officially known as Spor Toto Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a Turkish professional league for association football clubs. It is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system and is run by the ...
side Osmanlıspor
Ankaraspor Kulübü (), formerly known as Osmanlıspor (), is a Turkish professional football club based in the country's capital Ankara. Founded in 1978, the club competes in the TFF Second League.
History
Ankaraspor was founded as "Ankara Bele ...
on a two-year deal.
Antalyaspor
He joined fellow Turkish Süper Lig
The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), officially known as Spor Toto Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a Turkish professional league for association football clubs. It is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system and is run by the ...
side Antalyaspor
Antalyaspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club located in the city of Antalya. The club's colours are red and white. They play their home matches at the Antalya Stadium. In Turkey, the club won the First League twice in 1982 and 1 ...
on 31 January 2018 for an undisclosed fee from Osmanlıspor
Ankaraspor Kulübü (), formerly known as Osmanlıspor (), is a Turkish professional football club based in the country's capital Ankara. Founded in 1978, the club competes in the TFF Second League.
History
Ankaraspor was founded as "Ankara Bele ...
. He scored 6 goals in his first 13 games for the club.
Ettifaq
On 22 August 2019, Al-Ettifaq
Al Ettifaq Football Club ( ar, نادي الاتفاق لكرة القدم) is a professional football club in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Al-Ettifaq was established after the merging of three clubs in the city of Dammam at the year 1944. Al Ettifaq i ...
has signed Doukara for one seasons from Antalyaspor
Antalyaspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club located in the city of Antalya. The club's colours are red and white. They play their home matches at the Antalya Stadium. In Turkey, the club won the First League twice in 1982 and 1 ...
.
Giresunspor
On 31 March 2022, Turkish club Giresunspor
Giresunspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club based in Giresun. It was founded in 1925 and re-formed in 1967 after the merger of Yeşiltepespor, Akıngençlikspor, and Beşiktaşspor. The football club is playing in the Turkish S ...
unilaterally terminated their contract with Doukara for "the displays of joy and behavior contrary to the loyalty obligation" during a game against his earlier club Antalyaspor
Antalyaspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club located in the city of Antalya. The club's colours are red and white. They play their home matches at the Antalya Stadium. In Turkey, the club won the First League twice in 1982 and 1 ...
on 20 March.
International career
Doukara was born in France and is of Senegalese and Mauritanian descent. On 5 April 2014, he declared that he wanted to play for Senegal. He was called up to represent the Mauritania national team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (also referred to as AFCON 2021 or CAN 2021), known as the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial international men's foo ...
. He debuted with the Mauritania national team in a 0–0 friendly tie with Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the ...
on 30 December 2021.
Style of play
Doukara plays as a striker but he can also play as a winger. He revealed in a 2013 interview that his favourite player was Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Sébastien Anelka (; born 14 March 1979) is a French professional Manager (association football), football manager and retired Football player, player who played as a Forward (association football), forward. As a player, he regularly fe ...
due to his style of play.
Career statistics
Club
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doukara, Souleymane
1991 births
Living people
People from Meudon
Citizens of Mauritania through descent
Mauritanian footballers
Mauritania international footballers
French footballers
Mauritanian people of Senegalese descent
Sportspeople of Senegalese descent">Sportspeople of Senegalese descent
French sportspeople of Senegalese descent
French sportspeople of Mauritanian descent
Association football wingers
Association football forwards
Serie A players
Serie B players
U.S. Vibonese Calcio players
Catania S.S.D. players
S.S. Juve Stabia players
Leeds United F.C. players
Ankaraspor footballers
Antalyaspor footballers
Ettifaq FC players
Giresunspor footballers
Levadiakos F.C. players
Süper Lig players
Super League Greece players
Saudi Professional League players
2021 Africa Cup of Nations players
Expatriate footballers in Italy
Mauritanian expatriate footballers
French expatriate footballers
French expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Mauritanian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Expatriate footballers in England
French expatriate sportspeople in England
Mauritanian expatriate sportspeople in England
Expatriate footballers in Turkey
French expatriate sportspeople in Turkey
Mauritanian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey
Expatriate footballers in Saudi Arabia
French expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia
Mauritanian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia
Expatriate footballers in Greece
French expatriate sportspeople in Greece
Mauritanian expatriate sportspeople in Greece
Footballers from Hauts-de-Seine