Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 30
Birth Date: Dec 30, 1979
Birth Place: Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Height: 5' 11" (1.80m)
Weight: 154 lbs (70 kg)
Club: Lokeren (BEL)
International Caps: 45
Club History
Lokeren (BEL): 2007-
Beveren (BEL): 2003-2007
Rennes (FRA): 2000-2003
ASEC Mimosas (CIV): 1999-2000
from Wikipedia (full wiki)
Boubacar "Copa" Barry (born 30 December 1979) is a Ivorian footballer who plays for Lokeren and the Ivoirian national team as a goalkeeper. He has played for Lokeren since July 2007.
In Belgium, he plays under the football name of "Copa", however, in the national team of the Ivory Coast, his football name is his regular name.
He has 45 caps for the national team entering the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and was called up to the 2006 World Cup. He appeared in the final group match against Serbia and Montenegro in 22 June 2006, which Côte d'Ivoire won 3-2.
from ESPN SoccerNet
The undisputed No.1 choice for the Ivory Coast has been playing his club football in Belgium for the last three years and if the most fancied of the African teams are to shine in the World Cup this summer, they will need Barry to eradicate any errors.
With most of the power in this Elephants side operating in the attacking third, the feeling is Barry can be exposed at the back and yet he is capable of pulling off the most agile of saves when he is tested. A veteran of the 2006 World Cup finals squad, he is convinced the Ivorians moment has arrived.
"We know the pressure is on us, but we now have a great coach in Sven Goran Eriksson and a squad that can beat anyone when we are at our best," says this former Beveren and Stade Rennes stopper. "We all need to be united and make the most of the opportunity in front of us."
from FIFA.com
Boubacar ‘Copa’ Barry is one of the real stars of Belgian football, admired for his saves, positive attitude, and high energy. Receiving his award for best keeper in the 2009 Belgian championship, he was reduced to tears, dedicating the trophy to the victims of the tragedy that took place ahead of the Côte d’Ivoire-Malawi game in Abidjan.
The only reason that Boubacar pulled on the goalkeeper’s gloves in the first place was to get into the acclaimed ASEC Abidjan academy. After starting off in the juniors at Adjame's Stella Club - another fertile source of players for the Elephants - Jean-Marc Guillou spotted his talents between the posts. Things then began to move very fast for the boy who used to spend hours playing street football.
During a tour of France, he was spotted by Stade Rennais, and the French club later offered him an amateur licence. After a season in the reserves and the lower leagues, the young keeper signed a professional contract with the Breton club, but a lack of action led to a loan spell at Belgian outfit Beveren. Playing alongside his Ivorian team-mates at the Flemish club, he was ranked Belgium’s second-best keeper and reached the finals of the Belgian Cup in 2004. Beveren were impressed, so he stayed on rather than returning to France to play understudy to Petr Cech.
In 2006, Henri Michel made him his second-choice keeper at the FIFA World Cup™, and he has been a part of every campaign since. As undisputed first choice in the qualifiers this time around, Barry, who has kept goal for Lokeren since 2007, played 11 matches and 990 minutes of football. Only Emmanuel Eboué and Didier Zokora can boast more time on the pitch on the road to Côte d’Ivoire’s second FIFA World Cup.
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