Christian Kouamé
Christian Michael Kouamé Kouakou is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for club Fiorentina and the Ivory Coast national team.
Club career
Kouamé started playing football on the streets of Bingerville, a suburb of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. At the age of 16, he moved with other Ivorian teenagers to Italy to participate in trials with several clubs. Eventually he was signed by Prato and as still a minor at that time, grew up with an Italian foster family he is still close with.Prato
Kouamé made his professional debut in the Lega Pro for Prato on 6 September 2015 in a game against Pisa.Genoa
On 13 July 2018, he signed with Genoa for a fee of five million euros. After playing in Serie C and Serie B, he finally discovered Serie A, the top tier of Italian football.He scored his first goal in his first official match for Genoa, at home against Empoli on 26 August 2018 in Serie A. The match ended in a 2–1 victory for the Rossoblu. He netted his second goal on 10 November 2018, opening the scoring against Napoli, one of the league’s strongest sides. However, Napoli ultimately won the match 2–1, in a game made difficult by heavy rain that left the pitch barely playable.
Kouamé emerged as one of the revelations of the 2018–2019 season alongside his teammate Krzysztof Piątek, with whom he formed an effective partnership in a 3–5–2 system, occupying the two forward positions.
In November 2019, Kouamé suffered a serious injury while playing for the Ivory Coast under-23 team, tearing a ligament in his left knee, which sidelined him for several months.
Fiorentina
In January 2020, Kouamé was announced to be joining Fiorentina on a loan deal until the end of the season, with an obligation to buy. The move was officially completed on 31 January 2020. He made his debut for Fiorentina on 8 July 2020, coming on as a substitute for Dušan Vlahović in a Serie A match against Cagliari Calcio, which ended in a 0–0 draw.Loan to Anderlecht
On 21 August 2021, he joined Belgian club Anderlecht on a one-year loan from Fiorentina, with no option to buy.Kouamé made his first appearance for Anderlecht on 29 August 2021 in a league match against Genk. He came on as a substitute as his team lost 1–0. He made an immediate impact in his second match on 12 September against KV Mechelen, scoring his first two goals for the club in a 7–2 victory. On 30 November 2021, he recorded another brace, this time against RFC Seraing in the Belgian Cup. The match ended in a 3–3 draw before Anderlecht won the ensuing penalty shootout.
Loan to Empoli
On 3 February 2025, Kouamé was loaned to Empoli until the end of the season, remaining in Serie A. Five days later, he made his debut for the club in a home defeat against AC Milan, coming on as a substitute for Liam Henderson. On 29 March, he scored his first goal for Empoli, securing the 1–1 draw away at Como.International career
Kouamé debuted for the Ivory Coast U23s in a pair of 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification matches in March 2019. He was called-up for the final tournament in November 2019, suffering a knee injury.He made his debut for the Ivory Coast senior national team on 13 October 2019 in a friendly against DR Congo.
Selected by coach Patrice Beaumelle, Kouamé took part in his first international tournament at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, where the Ivory Coast were eliminated in the round of 16 by Egypt in a penalty shoot-out.
Kouamé scored his first goal for the Ivory Coast on 3 June 2022, in a match against Zambia. He started the game and contributed to his team’s 3–1 victory.
On 28 December 2023, he was included in the squad of twenty-seven Ivorian players selected by Jean-Louis Gasset to compete in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Career statistics
International
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 3 June 2022 | Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 2 | 24 March 2023 | Stade de la Paix, Bouaké, Ivory Coast | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 3 | 20 November 2023 | National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Fiorentina- Coppa Italia runner-up: 2022–23
- UEFA Europa Conference League runner-up: 2022–23, 2023–24
- Africa U-23 Cup of Nations runner-up: 2019