Despite nine years spent in the British lower division championships, defender Cédric Kipré still dreams of discovering the Premier League. In the meantime, it is in Reims, in Ligue 1 that the 27-year-old colossus is honing his weapons, before the big call-up hoped for in England and the Ivorian selection.
4 mins
Leicester, West Bromwich, Wigan in England, Motherwell in Scotland, Cardiff City in Wales, Cédric Kipré’s CV smacks of British football. But that of the lower divisions: direct, crude and physical football. Far from the standards of the current Premier League where the “beautiful game” mark is affixed to most teams, even supposedly modest ones. The elegant left-hander, with a sure start, never had the opportunity to break the lines at the top level after almost ten years of roaming the British teams. A frustration, but still a challenge for the Paris native who plans to one day (nearly) face attackers like Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah Or Nicholas Jackson. “ My goal is always the same, repeats Cédric Kipré. I always dreamed of playing in the Premier League. I had signed for a Premier League club (Leicester), but unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to play. »
Meeting with N’Golo Kanté
The 193 cm tall defender actually had the opportunity to set foot on the pitches of the prestigious English championship at the age of 18. He had just arrived from Paris-Saint Germain where he was trained and had decided to answer the call in 2014 from Leicester who would be crowned champion two years later.
In the club based in Filbert Way, the young Parisian even met N’Golo Kanté who hosted him for a month, while he found an apartment. Kipré will thus play with the Foxes youth teams for three seasons before moving on to British experiences, far from the Premier League: Motherwell, Wigan, West Brom, Cardiff, with an interlude in Belgium (Charleroi).
“ And now, maybe I’ve taken a different path to one day get to the English Premier League », confides the Ivorian during a meeting organized by the Professional Football League.
Also readLigue 1, OM, Mbappé: Didier Drogba with an open heart with RFI (1/2)
The other path took him to Reims where he signed for three seasons last July. Trained at PSG, the central defender, an admirer of Marquinhos, had never played in Ligue 1. Well received » in Reims, “a” stable club, Cédric Kipré “ wants to play a series of matches and find » its true level. For the moment, he has played 10 matches in 13 days and is discovering a championship where he has fewer defensive actions to perform. “ There is much less contact with attackers. They fit less into me. There are fewer aerial duels Alsohe believes. In England, it’s really a fight, the Championship matches “.
Called by Emerse Faé
By arriving in Ligue 1, Cédric Kipré does not hide the hope of better exposure, just to catch the eye of recruiters from the…Premier League, but also from the Ivorian selection. As with the English championship, the one who was born in France to two Ivorian parents, has already smelled the Elephants, but he remains waiting for a first cape. Summoned last October for CAN 2025 qualifiersthe former striker, converted to winger, then midfielder, before ending up as a defender, remained on the bench of the team Ivory Coast. “There are a lot of people in that position, in central defensehe admits, hoping to be called up again next March during the playoffs of the 2026 World Cup.
In the meantime, he discovered the selection of the reigning African champions, escorted by his teammates from Reims, defender Emmanuel Agbadou and striker Oumar Diakite “ super happy » for him.
Today, a few days before the end of the year, Cédric Kipré has several wishes: “ play as many matches as possible, have no injuries, the best with Reims, be called up for selection “. And a transfer to the Premier League as the icing on the cake…
Also readDidier Drogba: “After winning the CAN, Ivory Coast must go to the World Cup” (2/2)