Benoit Assou-Ekotto French-Cameroonian footballer Date of Birth: 24.03.1984 Country: France

Biography of Benoît Assou-Ekotto

Benoît Assou-Ekotto is a French-Cameroonian footballer who currently plays for the English club, Tottenham Hotspur, as well as the Cameroon national team. He began his football career at the youth academy of the French club, Lens, where he joined at the age of 10. His older brother, Mathieu, also trained at Lens.

Assou-Ekotto was promoted to the first team of Lens in the 2003/04 season, making his debut in the French league. In the following season, he became the club's first-choice left-back. During his time at Lens, Assou-Ekotto played a total of 73 matches (66 in the French league) and was considered one of the most promising full-backs in Europe after three years with the team.

After the 2005/06 season, Assou-Ekotto attracted interest from London clubs Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. In early June 2006, he made the move to Tottenham Hotspur, with the transfer fee estimated at £3.5 million. He began his first season in England as a regular starter, displacing South Korean player Lee Young-pyo. However, in February 2007, he suffered a serious knee injury, which sidelined him for the rest of the season.

At the start of the 2007/08 season, Assou-Ekotto played two matches for Tottenham Hotspur but missed the rest of the season due to a recurrence of his injury. In October 2008, after the arrival of manager Harry Redknapp, Assou-Ekotto publicly expressed his desire to return to France and play for Paris Saint-Germain. However, after receiving more playing time, he changed his mind.

In the 2008/09 season, Assou-Ekotto performed well, playing in 36 matches for Tottenham Hotspur. He received praise from the team's management and supporters, who recognized him as the most improved player of the season. In the first match of the 2009/10 Premier League season, Assou-Ekotto scored his first career goal, securing a 2-1 victory for Tottenham Hotspur against Liverpool. On August 19, 2009, he signed a new contract with the club, extending his stay until 2013.

Although Assou-Ekotto was born in France, his father is originally from Cameroon, which allowed him to represent the national team. On February 11, 2009, he made his debut for the Cameroon national team in a friendly match against Guinea.