Kalidou Koulibaly
From TheChels.info - The Chelsea Football Club Wiki
| Kalidou Koulibaly | |
| |
| Full Name | Kalidou Koulibaly |
| Date of Birth | 20 June 1991 |
| Place of Birth | Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France |
| Position | Centre-back |
| Chelsea career | 2022 – 2023 |
| Debut | 6 August 2023 |
| Games (goals) | 32 (2) |
| Other clubs | Metz Genk Napoli Al-Hilal |
Kalidou Koulibaly is a Senegalese (French-born) international centre-back who played for Chelsea in the 2022-2023 season.
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Before Chelsea
Koulibaly began his professional career at FC Metz in France before moving to Genk in Belgium, where he impressed with his physical presence and ball-playing ability. His breakthrough came after joining Napoli in 2014. Over eight seasons in Italy, Koulibaly established himself as one of Europe’s top central defenders—renowned for his strength, anticipation, and leadership. He made over 300 appearances for Napoli, won the Coppa Italia in 2020, and became club vice-captain.
Chelsea career
Koulibaly arrived as part of Chelsea’s defensive rebuild following the departures of Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen. He started well, scoring a stunning volley on his home debut against Tottenham. However, the season soon became disjointed, both for the team and individually. Koulibaly struggled to adapt to the pace and demands of Premier League football, and inconsistent form, fitness concerns, and frequent managerial changes (Tuchel, Potter, and Lampard) affected his rhythm. Despite a few solid performances in Europe and domestic matches, he was often caught out of position or looked uncomfortable in Chelsea’s unstable defensive systems. He made 32 appearances in all competitions, scoring 2 goals.
By the end of the season, Koulibaly’s role had diminished amid competition from younger signings like Benoît Badiashile and Wesley Fofana. In June 2023, after just one season, he left the club to join Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Statistics
| Season | Prem | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| 2022-23 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 |
| Total | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 |
- Correct as of the end of the 2022-23 season"
Goals
| # | Season | Date | Year | Competition | Opponent | Score | Result | Venue |
| 1 | 2022-23 | 14 August | 2022 | Premier League | Tottenham Hotspur | 1-0 | 2-2 | Stamford Bridge |
| 2 | 2022-23 | 12 January | 2023 | Premier League | Fulham | 1-1 | 1-2 | Craven Cottage |
