Wilfried Bony

About Wilfried Bony

The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations belonged to Ivory Coast. Wilfried Bony was there when they lifted the trophy, a striker who had proven himself among Europe's elite.

Wilfried Guemiand Bony was born on December 10, 1988, in Ivory Coast. He began his professional career at Issia Wazy before catching the eye of bigger clubs across Europe.

In 2007, Sparta Prague signed the young striker. Bony flourished in the Czech First League, helping the club win the title in 2009–10. His performances earned him a move to Dutch football.

Vitesse came calling in January 2011. Bony became the Eredivisie's top scorer in 2012–13, netting consistently and attracting Premier League attention. A £12 million transfer to Swansea City followed in the summer of 2013.

The Welsh club was where Bony truly announced himself on English football's biggest stage. He scored 35 goals in 70 appearances for the Swans. His hunger and finishing impressed Manchester City enough to bid £28 million in January 2015.

City brought him in as a striker option but minutes proved scarce. When Pep Guardiola arrived in mid-2016, Bony's path became even narrower. He joined Stoke City on loan for the 2016–17 season to play regular football again.

Bony returned to Swansea in August 2017. A loan spell with Al-Arabi followed before Swansea released him in May 2019. Al-Ittihad signed him in 2020, but the partnership lasted only ten games across ten months before a mutual agreement ended it.

For Ivory Coast, Bony made his debut in 2010. He was selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. That 2015 victory in his homeland remains his greatest honour. It capped a career that saw him compete at the highest levels of European club football and international competition.