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Nicolas Pépé

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Nicolas Pépé

Nicolas Pépé (born 29 May 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a right winger or forward for La Liga club Villarreal. Born in France, he plays for the Ivory Coast national team. Pépé began his senior club career with Poitiers in the Championnat de France Amateur 2. He signed for Angers in 2013, aged 18, and spent a season on loan at Orléans in 2015. He signed for Lille in 2017, and was named to the UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year in the 2018–19 season. That summer, Pépé joined Arsenal for a then club-record fee of £72 million, and won the FA Cup in his debut season. In 2022, he was loaned to Nice, and then left on a free transfer to Trabzonspor. Pépé, who was born in France to Ivorian parents, made his debut for the Ivory Coast national team in 2016. He was selected for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023, winning the 2023 tournament.

Infobox

Full name
Nicolas Pépé
Date of birth
(1995-05-29) 29 May 1995
Place of birth
Mantes-la-Jolie, France
Height
1 m (6 ft 0 in)
Positions
Right winger forward
Current team
Villarreal
Number
19
Years
Team
2012–2013
Poitiers
2013–2015
Angers II
2013–2017
Angers
2015–2016
→ Orléans (loan)
2017–2019
Lille
2019–2023
Arsenal
2022–2023
→ Nice (loan)
2023–2024
Trabzonspor
2024–
Villarreal
2016–
Ivory Coast

Tables

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition · Career statistics › Club
Division
Division
Club
Division
Season
Apps
League
Goals
League
Apps
League
Goals
National cup
Apps
National cup
Goals
League cup
Apps
League cup
Goals
Europe
Apps
Europe
Goals
Poitiers
Poitiers
Club
Poitiers
Season
2012–13
League
CFA 2
League
9
League
2
National cup
—
National cup
—
League cup
—
League cup
9
Europe
2
Angers II
Angers II
Club
Angers II
Season
2013–14
League
CFA 2
League
19
League
3
National cup
—
National cup
—
League cup
—
League cup
19
Europe
3
2014–15
2014–15
Club
2014–15
Season
CFA 2
League
22
League
6
League
—
National cup
—
National cup
—
League cup
22
League cup
6
Total
Total
Club
Total
Season
41
League
9
League
0
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
—
League cup
41
Europe
9
Angers
Angers
Club
Angers
Season
2014–15
League
Ligue 2
League
7
League
0
National cup
—
National cup
1
League cup
0
League cup
—
Europe
8
Europe
0
2016–17
2016–17
Club
2016–17
Season
Ligue 1
League
33
League
3
League
5
National cup
0
National cup
1
League cup
0
League cup
—
Europe
39
Europe
3
Total
Total
Club
Total
Season
40
League
3
League
5
League
0
National cup
2
National cup
0
League cup
—
League cup
47
Europe
3
Orléans (loan)
Orléans (loan)
Club
Orléans (loan)
Season
2015–16
League
Championnat National
League
29
League
7
National cup
2
National cup
1
League cup
1
League cup
0
Europe
—
Europe
32
Total
8
Lille
Lille
Club
Lille
Season
2017–18
League
Ligue 1
League
36
League
13
National cup
2
National cup
1
League cup
—
League cup
—
Europe
38
Europe
14
2018–19
2018–19
Club
2018–19
Season
Ligue 1
League
38
League
22
League
3
National cup
1
National cup
1
League cup
0
League cup
—
Europe
42
Europe
23
Total
Total
Club
Total
Season
74
League
35
League
5
League
2
National cup
1
National cup
0
League cup
—
League cup
80
Europe
37
Arsenal
Arsenal
Club
Arsenal
Season
2019–20
League
Premier League
League
31
League
5
National cup
5
National cup
1
League cup
0
League cup
0
Europe
6
Europe
2
Total
42
2020–21
2020–21
Club
2020–21
Season
Premier League
League
29
League
10
League
2
National cup
0
National cup
3
League cup
0
League cup
13
Europe
6
Europe
47
Total
16
2021–22
2021–22
Club
2021–22
Season
Premier League
League
20
League
1
League
0
National cup
0
National cup
3
League cup
2
League cup
—
Europe
23
Europe
3
Total
Total
Club
Total
Season
80
League
16
League
7
League
1
National cup
6
National cup
2
League cup
19
League cup
8
Europe
112
Europe
27
Nice (loan)
Nice (loan)
Club
Nice (loan)
Season
2022–23
League
Ligue 1
League
19
League
6
National cup
1
National cup
0
League cup
—
League cup
8
Europe
2
Europe
28
Total
8
Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor
Club
Trabzonspor
Season
2023–24
League
Süper Lig
League
19
League
5
National cup
4
National cup
1
League cup
—
League cup
—
Europe
23
Europe
6
Villarreal
Villarreal
Club
Villarreal
Season
2024–25
League
La Liga
League
28
League
3
National cup
0
National cup
0
League cup
—
League cup
—
Europe
28
Europe
3
2025–26
2025–26
Club
2025–26
Season
La Liga
League
35
League
8
League
2
National cup
0
National cup
—
League cup
8
League cup
0
Europe
45
Europe
8
Total
Total
Club
Total
Season
63
League
11
League
2
League
0
National cup
—
National cup
8
League cup
0
League cup
73
Europe
11
Career total
Career total
Club
Career total
Season
374
League
94
League
26
League
5
National cup
10
National cup
2
League cup
35
League cup
10
Europe
445
Europe
111
Club
Season
League
National cup
League cup
Europe
Total
Division
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Poitiers
2012–13
CFA 2
9
2
—
—
—
9
2
Angers II
2013–14
CFA 2
19
3
—
—
—
19
3
2014–15
CFA 2
22
6
—
—
—
22
6
Total
41
9
0
0
0
0
—
41
9
Angers
2014–15
Ligue 2
7
0
—
1
0
—
8
0
2016–17
Ligue 1
33
3
5
0
1
0
—
39
3
Total
40
3
5
0
2
0
—
47
3
Orléans (loan)
2015–16
Championnat National
29
7
2
1
1
0
—
32
8
Lille
2017–18
Ligue 1
36
13
2
1
—
—
38
14
2018–19
Ligue 1
38
22
3
1
1
0
—
42
23
Total
74
35
5
2
1
0
—
80
37
Arsenal
2019–20
Premier League
31
5
5
1
0
0
6
2
42
2020–21
Premier League
29
10
2
0
3
0
13
6
47
16
2021–22
Premier League
20
1
0
0
3
2
—
23
3
Total
80
16
7
1
6
2
19
8
112
27
Nice (loan)
2022–23
Ligue 1
19
6
1
0
—
8
2
28
8
Trabzonspor
2023–24
Süper Lig
19
5
4
1
—
—
23
6
Villarreal
2024–25
La Liga
28
3
0
0
—
—
28
3
2025–26
La Liga
35
8
2
0
—
8
0
45
8
Total
63
11
2
0
—
8
0
73
11
Career total
374
94
26
5
10
2
35
10
445
111
Appearances and goals by national team and year · Career statistics › International
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast
National team
Ivory Coast
Year
2016
Apps
1
Goals
0
2017
2017
National team
2017
Year
6
Apps
0
2018
2018
National team
2018
Year
4
Apps
3
2019
2019
National team
2019
Year
9
Apps
2
2020
2020
National team
2020
Year
4
Apps
0
2021
2021
National team
2021
Year
4
Apps
1
2022
2022
National team
2022
Year
9
Apps
4
2024
2024
National team
2024
Year
10
Apps
1
2025
2025
National team
2025
Year
6
Apps
0
2026
2026
National team
2026
Year
2
Apps
1
Total
Total
National team
Total
Year
55
Apps
12
National team
Year
Apps
Goals
Ivory Coast
2016
1
0
2017
6
0
2018
4
3
2019
9
2
2020
4
0
2021
4
1
2022
9
4
2024
10
1
2025
6
0
2026
2
1
Total
55
12
List of international goals scored by Nicolas Pépé · Career statistics › International
1
1
No.
1
Date
24 March 2018
Venue
Stade Pierre Brisson, Beauvais, France
Opponent
Togo
Score
1–0
Result
2–2
Competition
Friendly
2
2
No.
2
Date
2–0
3
3
No.
3
Date
27 March 2018
Venue
Stade Pierre Brisson, Beauvais, France
Opponent
Moldova
Score
2–0
Result
2–1
Competition
Friendly
4
4
No.
4
Date
23 March 2019
Venue
Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Opponent
Rwanda
Score
1–0
Result
3–0
Competition
2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
5
5
No.
5
Date
13 October 2019
Venue
Stade de la Licorne, Amiens, France
Opponent
DR Congo
Score
2–0
Result
3–1
Competition
Friendly
6
6
No.
6
Date
11 October 2021
Venue
Stade de l'Amitie, Cotonou, Benin
Opponent
Malawi
Score
1–0
Result
2–1
Competition
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
7
7
No.
7
Date
16 January 2022
Venue
Japoma Stadium, Douala, Cameroon
Opponent
Sierra Leone
Score
2–1
Result
2–2
Competition
2021 Africa Cup of Nations
8
8
No.
8
Date
20 January 2022
Venue
Japoma Stadium, Douala, Cameroon
Opponent
Algeria
Score
3–0
Result
3–1
Competition
2021 Africa Cup of Nations
9
9
No.
9
Date
25 March 2022
Venue
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France
Opponent
France
Score
1–0
Result
1–2
Competition
Friendly
10
10
No.
10
Date
16 November 2022
Venue
Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco
Opponent
Burundi
Score
4–0
Result
4–0
Competition
Friendly
11
11
No.
11
Date
11 October 2024
Venue
Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro, Ivory Coast
Opponent
Sierra Leone
Score
1–0
Result
4–1
Competition
2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
12
12
No.
12
Date
31 March 2026
Venue
Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, England
Opponent
Scotland
Score
1–0
Result
1–0
Competition
Friendly
No.
Date
Venue
Opponent
Score
Result
Competition
1
24 March 2018
Stade Pierre Brisson, Beauvais, France
Togo
1–0
2–2
Friendly
2
2–0
3
27 March 2018
Stade Pierre Brisson, Beauvais, France
Moldova
2–0
2–1
Friendly
4
23 March 2019
Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Rwanda
1–0
3–0
2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
5
13 October 2019
Stade de la Licorne, Amiens, France
DR Congo
2–0
3–1
Friendly
6
11 October 2021
Stade de l'Amitie, Cotonou, Benin
Malawi
1–0
2–1
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
7
16 January 2022
Japoma Stadium, Douala, Cameroon
Sierra Leone
2–1
2–2
2021 Africa Cup of Nations
8
20 January 2022
Japoma Stadium, Douala, Cameroon
Algeria
3–0
3–1
2021 Africa Cup of Nations
9
25 March 2022
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France
France
1–0
1–2
Friendly
10
16 November 2022
Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco
Burundi
4–0
4–0
Friendly
11
11 October 2024
Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro, Ivory Coast
Sierra Leone
1–0
4–1
2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
12
31 March 2026
Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, England
Scotland
1–0
1–0
Friendly

References

  1. Includes Coupe de France, FA Cup, Turkish Cup, Copa del Rey
  2. Includes Coupe de la Ligue, EFL Cup
  3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
  5. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  6. "Cote d'Ivoire"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190621010626/https://images.cafonline.com/image/upload/caf-prd/kpakgtavgq0lbzxizu89.pdf
  7. "Nicolas Pépé: Overview"
    https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/210397/nicolas-pepe
  8. "Nicolas Pépé"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190425080215/https://www.losc.fr/joueur/losc-nicolas-pepe-2018-2019
  9. L'Équipe
    https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/FootballFicheJoueur54623.html
  10. leparisien
    https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/guingamp-lille-nicolas-pepe-la-nouvelle-star-de-la-ligue-1-10-02-2019-8008365.php
  11. Goal
    https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/lilles-nicolas-pepe-credits-goalkeeping-experience-for/10jg1642dtmco1f7d12jkg0rbm
  12. BBC Sport
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49144687
  13. "AC Ajaccio vs. Angers SCO"
    http://www.lfp.fr/ligue2/feuille_match/79300
  14. Ouest-France
    http://www.ouest-france.fr/nicolas-pepe-le-juvenile-atout-offensif-du-sco-3004548
  15. Centre-Presse
    https://www.centre-presse.fr/article-462606-football-l-ancien-poitevin-nicolas-pepe-monte-en-ligue-avec-orleans.html
  16. BBC Sport
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39909497
  17. L'Équipe
    https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Nicolas-pepe-signe-au-losc-pour-cinq-ans-off/812377
  18. Sky Sports
    https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2831912-love-at-first-sight-how-nicolas-pepe-sent-europes-top-clubs-weak-at-the-knees
  19. "The French Connection: Nicolas Pepe – Europe's most wanted"
    https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/the-french-connection-nicolas-pepe-europes-most-wanted/ry3s0n6kd77g141jfkcp20bgs
  20. 10 Sport
    https://le10sport.com/football/ligue1/losc/losc-les-confidences-de-nicolas-pepe-sur-marcelo-bielsa-413363
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