Togo's squad for the World Cup finals in Germany comprises the following 23 players:
(Statistics up to and including May 25 2006)
GOALKEEPERS
16-Kossi Agassa (FC Metz, France). Born 2.7.78. Caps: 48 Goals: 0.
Played in all but one of the 12 matches that the Togolese took to get to the 2006 World Cup finals and has been his country's undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for the last five years. Started at Etoile Filante in Lome before moving to Africa Sports in the Ivory Coast and then to Metz in France.
1-Ouro-Nimini Tchangirou (Djoliba, Mali). Born 31.12.77. Caps: 9 Goals: 0.
Second-choice goalkeeper who has intermittent appearances over the last five years. Moved to Mali club Djoliba last year from Semassi Sokode in Togo.
22-Kodjovi Doji Obilale (Etoile Filante). Born 11.08.82. Caps: 0 Goals: 0
Called up as a late replacement at the African Nations Cup finals in Egypt earlier this year but did not play. Helped his club to finish as runners-up in the Togo league last month.
DEFENDERS
3-Jean Paul Yaovi Abalo Dosseh (Apoel Nicosia, Cyprus). Born 26.6.75. Caps: 64 Goals: 1.
Has played for 13 years in the Togolese team, competing also in four African Nations Cup finals. Brought up in France and played at Amiens for almost his entire career before being handed a free transfer at the end of the 2004/2005 season.
12-Eric Akoto (Admira Wacker, Austria). Born 20.7.80. Caps: 32 Goals: 1
Tall, Ghanaian-born defender who played first at Etoile Filante in Lome and then Liberty Professionals in neighbouring Ghana before moving to Austria. Had spells at Grazer AK, FK Austria-Vienna and Admira Wacker, who handed him a free transfer in February. He also spent one season in Germany's second division with Rot-Weiss Erfurt.
19-Ludovic Assemoassa (Ciudad Murcia, Spain). Born 18.9.80. Caps: 5 Goals: 0
Born in France to a Togolese father and Cameroonian mother. Made his debut in August's friendly against Morocco and was included in the squad for the African Nations Cup finals in Egypt in January.
23-Toure Assimiou (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany). Born 1.1.88. Caps: 1 Goals: 0
German under-18 international who has yet to play in the Bundesliga. Made his debut for Togo against Saudi Arabia in Sittard on May 14.
13-Richmond Forson (Jeanne d'Arc Poire, France). Born 23.5.80. Caps: 7 Goals: 0
Born in Ghana but brought up in France, where he started his career at FC Metz. Won two caps in 2001 and was brought back in November for the tournament in Teheran where Togo lost to Paraguay and Iran.
21-Karim Guede (Hamburg SV, Germany). Born 7.1.85. Caps: 0 Goals: 0
Reserve team player with his German club who is also one of the surprise selections by coach Pfister. Raised in Germany and is on his first outing with Togo's national team.
2-Dare Nibombe (Mons-Bergen, Belgium). Born 16.6.80. Caps: 15 Goals: 0.
Centre back who played in Ghana before going to Belgium and who had trials with English club Stoke City last July. His elder brother Wake Nibombe was a long-standing goalkeeper for Togo.
5-Massamesso Tchangai (Benevento, Italy). Born 8.8.78. Caps: 33 Goals: 2
Signed by the Italian club Udinese after appearing for Togo at the 1998 African Nations Cup finals in Burkina Faso. But he failed to make the grade in Serie A and was loaned instead to Nova Gorika in Slovenia and the Dutch club De Graafschaap before moving to Viterbese and Benevento in the Italian lower leagues.
MIDFIELDERS
8-Kuami Agboh (Beveren, Belgium). Born 28.12.77. Caps: 4 Goals: 0
There is uncertainty about Agboh's status as a former French junior international whose sudden inclusion in the Togo squad comes after the expiry of FIFA's deadline for nationality changes for players aged over 21. Left out of the 2006 Nations Cup squad.
6-Yao Aziawanou (Young Boys Berne, Switzerland). Born 30.11.79. Caps: 31 Goals: 1
Made his international debut a decade ago but his appearances have been sporadic and his stated date of birth does not seem credible given that his first cap was in 1995. Was first on the books of FC Nantes in France before beginning an 11-season career in the Swiss league.
9-Thomas Dossevi (Valenciennes, France). Born 6.3.79. Caps: 9 Goals: 1
Played for Togo at the 2002 African Nations Cup finals and although he did not compete in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers he came close to selection for January's Nations Cup finals in Egypt. Born in France to a Togolese father, who played for FC Tours as a professional, and a French mother.
20-Affo Omorou Erassa (AS Moulins, France). Born 19.2.1983: Caps: 5 Goals: 0.
Third division French-based player who was recalled to the squad by Pfister. Played in Ligue 2 in the 2004/2005 season with Clermont Foot.
10-Cherif Toure Mamam (Metz, France). Born: 13.1.1978. Caps: 38 Goals: 7.
Mamam has played in Germany, Scotland, the Middle East and has now signed for French Ligue 1 club Metz. When he played at the 1998 African Nations Cup finals, his birth date was given as 1978 but documents lodged with the French league this season state that he was born in 1981.
15-Alaixys Romao (Louhans-Cuiseaux, France). Born 18.1.1984. Caps: 10 Goals: 0
Romao was discovered by Togo in August, 2005, making a strong impression in his debut for the country in the friendly win over Morocco in Rouen, France. Born in L'Hay-les-Roses in France, Romao started his career at Toulouse and was chosen for France's under-18 team.
7-Moustapha Salifou (Brest, France). Born 1.6.83. Caps: 33 Goals: 4
Signed for the French Ligue 2 club Brest at the start of the 2005/2006 season after three years of competing in the German second division with RW Oberhausen. Made his debut at the start of the 2002 World Cup qualifiers and served mainly as a substitute in the successful 2006 qualifying campaign.
FORWARDS
18-Yao Junior Senaya (YF Juventus Zurich, Switzerland). Born 19.4.84. Caps: 15 Goals: 2.
Scored two goals in the World Cup qualifying campaign. His elder brother Yao has been in the Togo side since 1998 and the two are now playing in Switzerland.
4-Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, England). Born 26.2.83. Caps: 28 Goals: 12.
Adebayor's goals proved the catalyst for Togo's surprise qualification for the 2006 World Cup finals with the lanky Monaco striker banging in 10 goals in the qualifying campaign, the best return from an African striker. Adebayor moved to Europe at the age of 15 and was spotted by FC Metz at a junior tournament in Sweden.
17-Mohamed Kader Coubadja (En Avant Guingamp, France). Born 8.4.74 Caps: 45 Goals: 12.
Much travelled footballer who proved the toast of Togo with his two goals in the vital qualifying tie away in the Congo that secured the country's berth at the World Cup finals. Signed by Parma in 1998 but never played in Serie A. Instead Parma parked him at Swiss club Lugano and Al Ahli Tripoli in Libya and later with Vicenza in Serie B.
11-Robert Malm (Brest, France). Born 21.8.73. Caps: 1 Goals; 0
French-born striker who is to move to Montpellier after the World Cup. Had been invited previously by Togo to play for their national team but agreed only in recent months.
14-Adekanmi Olufade (Al Sailiya, Qatar). Born 7.1.80. Caps: 24 Goals: 0
Born in Lome to Nigerian immigrant parents but started as a professional with the Ivorian club Satellite FC. It was their cooperation agreement with Lokeren in Belgium that led to Olufade's move to Europe in 2000.
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