Richard Kone (born 15 July 2003) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Wycombe Wanderers.

Career

In 2019, after arriving in the United Kingdom to play in the Homeless World Cup, Kone began playing for Lopes Tavares, later to be renamed Athletic Newham, scoring 20 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions for the club in his first season at the club. In 2021, Athletic Newham were promoted to the Essex Senior League. During the club's first season in the league, Kone scored 42 goals in 48 games in all competitions, finishing as the league's top scorer with 31 goals. That season, he had trials with Colchester United as well as with a Premier League club. The following season, Kone scored 40 goals in all competitions. Despite the interest from teams in higher tiers, Kone's visa status prevented him from playing professional football. After scoring a further 21 goals for Newham from the start of the 2023–24 season, Kone joined Wycombe Wanderers in January 2024 on a permanent contract, after an extended trial. He had started his trial with Wycombe in the summer of 2023, and scored in friendly matches against Aldershot Town and

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. He made a goalscoring debut for Wycombe Wanderers on 9 January 2024, in the

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quarter finals against West Ham United's under-21's, scoring the second goal in a 2–1 victory. Later that month, Kone made his league debut against Lincoln City and scored his first league goal against Fleetwood Town.

International career

Kone represented the Ivory Coast at the Homeless World Cup in 2019.

Personal life

Kone has a young daughter and, as of 2024, a girlfriend. He said he was gay publicly as a teenager during the Homeless World Cup, explaining that he had become homeless after coming out to his family. He reconciled with his mother prior to playing in the Homeless World Cup in 2019. When he became a professional footballer in 2024, representatives said he did not want to comment on his personal life; no clarifications were made for his previous statements.

Career statistics

Honours

Wycombe Wanderers *

runner-up: 2023–24

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kone, Richard Living people 2003 births Footballers from Abidjan Ivorian men's footballers Ivorian expatriate men's footballers Men's association football forwards Ivorian LGBTQ people Gay sportsmen LGBTQ association football players Athletic Newham F.C. players Wycombe Wanderers F.C. players Essex Senior Football League players Ivorian expatriate sportspeople in England Homeless people English Football League players