Kolo Touré

Arsenal

Kolo Touré joined Premier League team Arsenal from ASEC Mimosas on a long-term contract for a fee of £150,000 on 14 February 2002 after a short trial. His status as a full international meant that he was able to secure a British work permit. Touré made his debut for the first team on 11 August 2002, in the 1–0 win over Liverpool in the FA Community Shield, in which he played the final five minutes as a substitute for Dennis Bergkamp. Initially regarded as a utility player, he started his Arsenal career as a defensive midfielder as well as at right-back. He scored his first Arsenal goal at Stamford Bridge in a 1–1 draw against Chelsea on 1 September, having replaced the injured Edu after half an hour. Arsenal won the FA Cup, with Touré an unused substitute in the final against Southampton. At the start of the 2003–04 season, Wenger began using Touré as a central defender alongside Sol Campbell. Touré inherited his position from veteran Martin Keown, whom he praised as a mentor; Arsenal won the league without losing a game that season. Touré was in and out of the Arsenal team during the 2004–05 season, battling for a first team place with the likes of Philippe Senderos and Pascal Cygan to play alongside Campbell in defence. Touré ended the season with a FA Cup winners medal playing 50 times for Arsenal that season and scoring one goal. His only goal of the 2004–05 season came in the 90th minute of Arsenal's UEFA Champions League last 16 round tie against…

Touré made his debut for Ivory Coast in April 2000 against Rwanda. He played in all five games for the Ivory Coast as they finished runners up to the hosts in the African Cup of Nations in Egypt in January 2006. He was named in the 23-man squad taken by coach Henri Michel to the 2006 FIFA World Cup and made his first appearance in a FIFA World Cup on 11 June 2006 in a 2–1 loss to Argentina. He was also called up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was the captain in the team's first game against Portugal due to Didier Drogba's injury. On 10 August 2010, Touré headed the only goal of a friendly win over Italy at West Ham United's Boleyn Ground. In December 2014, Touré announced his intention to retire from international football after the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. He played his final game in the final of the tournament on 8 February 2015, where Ivory Coast beat Ghana 9–8 on penalties after the game ended 0–0. He took the seventh penalty for Ivory Coast, which he scored. On 15 February 2015, he confirmed his retirement from international duty.

On 9 August 2017, the Ivorian Football Federation appointed Touré as a new member of their coaching staff for the African Nations Championship and under-23 team. He joined Celtic's coaching staff as a technical assistant in September 2017. In February 2019, Brendan Rodgers left Celtic for Leicester City, and Touré also joined Leicester as a first team coach.

Wigan Athletic

On 29 November 2022, Wigan Athletic appointed Touré as first team manager on a three-and-a-half-year deal. On 2 January 2023, Touré's team lost their third consecutive game by the scoreline of 4–1, and dropped to last place in the Championship as a result. Toure was sacked by Wigan on 26 January 2023, with the club bottom of the Championship and failing to win any of his nine games in charge.

Manchester City

On 15 July 2025, after having spent a period as an assistant coach at Manchester City's Elite Development Squad, Touré was appointed as an assistant coach to Pep Guardiola for the men's team.

Touré was born in Bouaké, Ivory Coast. He is the older brother of Ibrahim Touré and Yaya Touré. Ibrahim died of cancer in 2014, aged 28. They also have a sister, Belinda. In his early teens he was picked up by Abidjan club, ASEC Mimosas, who ran a disciplined and successful academy (originated by Jean-Marc Guillou).