Salomon Kalou

Early career

Kalou was born in Oumé. Like his older brother, Bonaventure, he began his career with local club ASEC Mimosas, before moving to Europe. He signed for Feyenoord in 2003 and in 2004, he was loaned to Feyenoord's "satellite club", Excelsior. Kalou then returned to Feyenoord and played in the Dutch top flight Eredivisie for two seasons from 2004 to 2006. During his time with the Rotterdam-based club, he scored 35 goals in 67 league appearances, also winning the Johan Cruijff Award in 2005 as the most promising young talent of the season. Kalou, together with Dirk Kuyt, were affectionately known as "K2" by Feyenoord fans and the Dutch media, a play on the words of K3, a Belgian pop band. Kalou was linked to several other clubs, including Auxerre, the French team his brother played for.

Chelsea

2006–07 season

Kalou moved to Chelsea on 30 May 2006 for an undisclosed fee, believed to be approximately £9 million. Under contract with Chelsea until 2009, Kalou was handed the number 21 shirt. Chelsea manager José Mourinho praised the young Ivorian as being hardworking, versatile, eager to improve and unafraid of the physical side of the game. Kalou admitted that he brought a camera with him to his first training session at Chelsea's training centre at Cobham because he could not believe that he was going to be rubbing shoulders with famous footballers like Michael Ballack, John Terry and Didier Drogba. Describing the experience, Kalou said…

Failure to acquire Dutch citizenship

While at Feyenoord, Kalou sought fast-track naturalisation to become a Dutch citizen and play on the Netherlands national football team. His application was supported by national team manager Marco van Basten, and Dutch football icon Johan Cruyff. The process drew attention as the Dutch were scheduled to play the Ivory Coast at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and he would likely play against his brother. His application was rejected in August 2005 by Minister of Immigration Rita Verdonk, who believed that he would soon move to a bigger foreign club. In February 2006 the Council of State ordered that the decision be revised. Verdonk released the same verdict in May, saying that Kalou was ineligible for fast-track naturalisation and would have to go through the same tests as other applicants, thereby ruling Kalou out of the World Cup. During the process, Dutch insurance company Centraal Beheer made a television advertisement in which Kalou represents the Netherlands' rivals Germany against them. He took legal action for use of his image and name in the film.

Ivory Coast

Kalou's failure to acquire Dutch citizenship was a factor in his decision to leave Feyenoord for Chelsea. He was called up for the Ivory Coast several times in 2006 but rejected them all. His debut game in a 1–0 friendly win over Guinea on 6 February 2007, and on 21 March he scored his first goal in a 3–0 friendly victory against Mauritius. Kalou was called up…

Club

As of 15 January 2023

International

As of match played 11 November 2017

Scores and results list Ivory Coast's goal tally first.

Kalou has two brothers and eight sisters. His brother, Bonaventure Kalou, also played professional football. Kalou joined Feyenoord during the time his brother Bonaventure was playing for the club. In 2010, Kalou set up The Kalou Foundation, dedicated to providing facilities for social welfare and recreation of those who have need of such facilities by reason of youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances and also for the relief of sickness worldwide.