Mohammed Tchité
Encyclopedia
Mohammed 'Meme' Tchité is a Belgian
-Burundi
an footballer who plays for Standard Liège
in the Belgian First Division, as a striker.
He was born and brought up in Bujumbura
, the capital of Burundi
, but his parents come from neighbouring Rwanda
and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
in 2001, winning the Burundian League
and the Revelation Footballer of the Year award, also being the finalist in the Kagame Inter-Club Cup
. In 2002, he left for Mukura Victory Sports FC
in Rwanda
, where he would be noticed by scouts from Belgium
's Standard de Liège
.
In 2003, Tchité arrived in Liège
, where he became a regular member of the first team, scoring 21 goals in 58 matches during his three years with the club. During a brief, three-match loan to Juventus FC
during the 2004–05 post-season tour of Asia
, he made one appearance, against FC Tokyo, before he returned to Standard. In 2005–06, Tchité scored 16 Belgian First Division goals to help Standard finish as runners-up to R.S.C. Anderlecht
. That tally put him second in the goalscoring list, behind only Tosin Dosunmu
, who scored 18 for K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot. In the following season, he was named Belgium's Professional Footballer of the Year
, also being the recipient of the Belgian Ebony Shoe
.
On 31 August 2007, the last day of the summer transfer period, Racing de Santander
announced the signing of Tchité in order to replace Valencia CF
-bound Nikola Žigić
. In the November 11 match against Deportivo de La Coruña
, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 road win, repeating the feat on 24 February 2008, against UD Almería
(home fixture). The striker netted four times in his first twenty La Liga
matches at Santander, finishing the season at seven, squad best.
On 1 November 2008, Tchité scored a hat-trick
against Valencia at the Estadio Mestalla, in a 4–2 win that signified the Che side's first defeat in 2008–09. He appeared significantly less in his second year, but managed to score the same number of goals, adding one in the UEFA Cup, the 1–1 home draw against FC Schalke 04
.
In the 2009–10 season
, Tchité struggled initially, even though he started most of the games; however, in two consecutive matches in April 2010, he netted braces for Racing, at home against RCD Espanyol
(3–1) and at Xerez CD
(2–2) – three penalties
. On 16 May, he added two in the club's 2–0 home win against Sporting de Gijón
, taking his league tally to 11, a season-best in Spain, as Racing certified its permanence in the topflight for a further year.
On the very last hours of the 2010 August transfer window, after being targeted by West Bromwich Albion
in the Premier League, Tchité returned to former club Standard Liège, on a three-year contract.
National team coach René Vandereycken called him up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualifying campaign
, but FIFA
intervened and ruled the player ineligible because he had previously represented Burundi at senior level
in the CECAFA Cup
in 2000, also having appeared for the nation at under-20 level, and having changed international allegiances to Rwanda when he moved to Mukura Victory Sports in 2002, even though he never played for the Rwandan national side
, which meant Tchité remained eligible for the latter, according to FIFA
regulations.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
-Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
an footballer who plays for Standard Liège
Standard Liège
Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège (Dutch: Standard Luik [], German: Standard Lüttich , is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège....
in the Belgian First Division, as a striker.
He was born and brought up in Bujumbura
Bujumbura
-Education:The University of Burundi is located in Bujumbura.Hope Africa University is located in BujumburaUniversité du Lac Tanganyika is located in Bujumbura-External links:**...
, the capital of Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
, but his parents come from neighbouring Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Club career
Tchité started his footballing career with hometown club Dragon Super Rangers FC Nyakabiga (then known as AS Rangers FC). He joined Prince Louis FCPrince Louis FC
Prince Louis FC, is a football club from Bujumbura, Burundi. It is named in honour of the independence hero Prince Louis Rwagasore.-Achievements:*Burundi Premier League: 3*Burundian Cup: 1-Performance in CAF competitions:...
in 2001, winning the Burundian League
Burundi Premier League
The Burundi Premier League or as it is known Amstel Ligue is the highest division in football in Burundi. The league was formed in 1972. It has 16 teams that plays 30 rounds home and away.In 2009, the league was reduced to 12 teams....
and the Revelation Footballer of the Year award, also being the finalist in the Kagame Inter-Club Cup
Kagame Inter-Club Cup
The CECAFA Club Cup is a football club competition. It has been known as the Kagame Inter-Club Cup since 2002 due to sponsorship reasons as Rwandan President Paul Kagame has bankrolled the tournaments.It is played by clubs from East and Central Africa....
. In 2002, he left for Mukura Victory Sports FC
Mukura Victory Sports FC
Mukura Victory Sports FC is a football club from Butare in Rwanda.They were founded in May 1963 and play their home games at Stade Huye.-Performance in CAF competitions:*CAF Cup: 2 appearances*CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 5 appearances...
in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, where he would be noticed by scouts from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
's Standard de Liège
Standard Liège
Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège (Dutch: Standard Luik [], German: Standard Lüttich , is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège....
.
In 2003, Tchité arrived in Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, where he became a regular member of the first team, scoring 21 goals in 58 matches during his three years with the club. During a brief, three-match loan to Juventus FC
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
during the 2004–05 post-season tour of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, he made one appearance, against FC Tokyo, before he returned to Standard. In 2005–06, Tchité scored 16 Belgian First Division goals to help Standard finish as runners-up to R.S.C. Anderlecht
R.S.C. Anderlecht
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA , is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht in the Brussels Capital Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian Pro League and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions as well as in the...
. That tally put him second in the goalscoring list, behind only Tosin Dosunmu
Tosin Dosunmu
Tosin Dosunmu is a Nigerian footballer who currently plays for Royal Antwerp F.C. in Belgium.-Career:Before, he played for AS Nancy, KV Mechelen, K.V.C. Westerlo and Austria Wien. In the season 2005-2006, while he played for Beerschot, Dosunmu became top scorer in the Belgian First Division with...
, who scored 18 for K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot. In the following season, he was named Belgium's Professional Footballer of the Year
Belgian professional football awards
The Belgian professional football awards is a collection of awards given at the end of each season since 1983. The first year, the only award was the Manager of the Year. There are now 5 awards: Footballer, Young Footballer, Goalkeeper, Manager and Referee. The voters are all the players from...
, also being the recipient of the Belgian Ebony Shoe
Belgian Ebony Shoe
The Belgian Ebony Shoe is a football award given annually to the best African player in the Belgian Pro League. The jury is composed of the coaches of Jupiler League clubs, the Belgian national team manager, sport journalists, and honorary juror...
.
On 31 August 2007, the last day of the summer transfer period, Racing de Santander
Racing de Santander
Real Racing Club de Santander, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santander, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. Founded in 1913, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio El Sardinero, with a capacity for 22,400 spectators....
announced the signing of Tchité in order to replace Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
-bound Nikola Žigić
Nikola Žigic
Nikola Žigić is a Serbian footballer who plays for English club Birmingham City as a centre forward.At , Žigić is among the tallest professional players in the world...
. In the November 11 match against Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 road win, repeating the feat on 24 February 2008, against UD Almería
UD Almería
Unión Deportiva Almería, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1989 as Almería Club de Fútbol, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home games at Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, with a 22,000-seat...
(home fixture). The striker netted four times in his first twenty La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
matches at Santander, finishing the season at seven, squad best.
On 1 November 2008, Tchité scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
against Valencia at the Estadio Mestalla, in a 4–2 win that signified the Che side's first defeat in 2008–09. He appeared significantly less in his second year, but managed to score the same number of goals, adding one in the UEFA Cup, the 1–1 home draw against FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
.
In the 2009–10 season
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
, Tchité struggled initially, even though he started most of the games; however, in two consecutive matches in April 2010, he netted braces for Racing, at home against RCD Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
(3–1) and at Xerez CD
Xerez CD
Xerez Club Deportivo, S.A.D., usually just Xerez, is a Spanish football team based in Jerez de la Frontera, Province of Cádiz, in the autonomous community of Andalusia...
(2–2) – three penalties
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
. On 16 May, he added two in the club's 2–0 home win against Sporting de Gijón
Sporting de Gijón
Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club from Gijón, Asturias. Founded in 1 June 1905, it currently plays in Spanish first division....
, taking his league tally to 11, a season-best in Spain, as Racing certified its permanence in the topflight for a further year.
On the very last hours of the 2010 August transfer window, after being targeted by West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in the Premier League, Tchité returned to former club Standard Liège, on a three-year contract.
International career
Despite his African roots, Tchité announced his desire to play for Belgium once he obtained his citizenship having played for Standard Liège for over two years. He officially became a Belgian citizen on July 11, 2008.National team coach René Vandereycken called him up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifying campaign
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of...
, but FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
intervened and ruled the player ineligible because he had previously represented Burundi at senior level
Burundi national football team
The Burundi national football team, nicknamed Les Hirondelles , is the national team of Burundi and is controlled by the National Football Association of Burundi...
in the CECAFA Cup
CECAFA Cup
The CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup is the oldest football tournament in Africa. It is a tournament of FIFA and the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations , and includes national teams from Central and East Africa...
in 2000, also having appeared for the nation at under-20 level, and having changed international allegiances to Rwanda when he moved to Mukura Victory Sports in 2002, even though he never played for the Rwandan national side
Rwanda national football team
The Rwanda national football team, nicknamed Amavubi , is the national team of Rwanda and is controlled by the Fédération Rwandaise de Football Amateur...
, which meant Tchité remained eligible for the latter, according to FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
regulations.