Kolo Touré vs Serge Aurier
Côte d’Ivoire against Côte d’Ivoire. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Kolo Touré
Côte d’Ivoire · 2002–15 · CB
- Almanac rating
- 88
- Rank in Côte d’Ivoire
- #3 of 33
- Caps
- 120 · 7 goals
- Clubs
- Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool
His 2002 Arsenal trial is remembered for a two-footed tackle on Arsène Wenger, who signed him anyway and later called it enthusiasm. The unbeaten 2003-04 season at Arsenal took in 37 of his league appearances, a second Premier League followed with Manchester City in 2012, and 120 caps for Côte d'Ivoire ended with the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, decided 9-8 on penalties against Ghana. Career record: 120 caps and 7 goals for Côte d’Ivoire; club career at Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool.
Serge Aurier
Côte d’Ivoire · 2015–23 · RB
- Almanac rating
- 84
- Rank in Côte d’Ivoire
- #9 of 33
- Caps
- 60 · 2 goals
- Clubs
- R.C. Lens, Toulouse, Tottenham Hotspur
Côte d'Ivoire had used all five substitutes when their goalkeeper went down in the last seconds against Sierra Leone on 16 January 2022, so Aurier pulled on the gloves and finished the game between the posts. He won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 and again in 2023, made the 2015 team of the tournament, and took two Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain plus three Coupes de France, captaining his country from 2017. Career record: 60 caps and 2 goals for Côte d’Ivoire; club career at R.C. Lens, Toulouse, Tottenham Hotspur.
The verdict
The almanac puts Kolo Touré ahead by 4 rating points, 88 against 84.
Fans have not settled this one yet. Cast the first vote in the duels.