Odilon Kossounou
A commanding Ivorian defender whose pace and power have made him a key figure for club and country on the biggest stages.
Born 2001 (age 25)·Ivorian footballer·Birthday: January 4·Generation Z
Biography
Odilon Kossounou helped Bayer Leverkusen capture a historic domestic double, becoming an integral part of their defense. His journey began at ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan before igniting in Sweden with Hammarby. A move to Club Brugge saw him mature into a formidable centre-back, his performances in the UEFA Champions League drawing attention. That led to the Bundesliga. For the Ivory Coast, Kossounou was a pillar during the nation's triumphant 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, battling through injury to help secure the title. His ascent from African academies to European defenses has been rapid and unyielding.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Odilon was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Odilon Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Odilon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast national team.
- Secured a historic Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double with Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023-24 season.
- Earned a key transfer to the German top flight after winning two Belgian Pro League titles with Club Brugge.
Did You Know?
He shares a birthday with fellow Ivorian football star Wilfried Zaha.
Kossounou began his European career in Sweden with Hammarby IF after leaving his native Ivory Coast.
He is known for his exceptional recovery speed, often clocking some of the fastest sprint speeds in the Bundesliga for a defender.
“My strength is a weapon, but I built my game on tactical discipline.”
