Koba Koindredi, the diamond of New Caledonia

Discipline and family nucleus define and explain Koba Koindredi's career, who at the age of 20 made his debut in Alcorcón as a scorer for Valencia, thus continuing the saga of diamonds that Pablo Longoria left at the club, a legacy that Javi Gracia (Yunus, Racic, Manu Vallejo …) is knowing how to exploit.

Koba's grandfather, Isidore, fought in World War I. and his father, Nicolás, continued the military tradition in the 21st Infantry Regiment of the French Navy. Koba, with origins from New Caledonia, an oceanic island under the tutelage of France, was born in Djibouti, an African country to which his father was assigned on a peacekeeping mission, although shortly afterwards the family settled in the French town of Freujus, near Cannes.

There he began to play soccer. Until 2007 at Fresujenne, then at Frejus Saint-Raphael, where Adil Rami or Fayçal also started.. But unlike them, and so many other French pearls, Koba, his family, despite receiving various offers, refused until 2017 to enter a professional club. His parents prioritized keeping the family together and that is why Koba continued in Frejus until he was 16 years old, when he entered he signed for Lens.

There its growth was dazzling. In a few months it was released with France Sub'17 and Sub'19. Pablo Longoria, who arrived in Valencia from Turin already with reports from the boy, began to cook his signing in Pinatar and Marbella, where he played with France. Koba informed Lens in the summer of 2018 that he would not renew his contract that expired a year later.

English and Italian clubs called at his door, but Valencia's youth youth promotion project convinced him. Lens did not negotiate his departure until January 2019. The agreement, 150,000 euros and a percentage of its sale. Koba lived in Paterna for 6 months and in summer, while Marcelino summoned him for the preseason stage in Switzerland, his entire family (he has four brothers) settled in Valencia, where he signed until 2022, but with clauses that augur a simple renovation like Yunus's.

Koba, a close friend of Yunus, found in the locker room the shelter of veterans like Mangala and Kevin Gameiro. Valencia was pleased to have him tied when he was uncovered in the prestigious international tournament of Toulon in 2019 and even more so in an exhibition offered by the midfielder in a match against him Chelsea of the Youth League.

Koba, who is physically still to be polished, kid with entrenched and rigid values ​​from the cradle, It has the virtue of versatility, being able to occupy different positions in the center of the field. Her curls and her 184 centimeters in height give her presence in the field, where prioritize hitting with the left foot and explodes his stride.

Koba has found in Javi Gracia's Valencia the opportunities that Marcelino could not give him because he was thrown out just at the beginning of the season and that Celades preferred not to give him. The Frenchman made his debut in the First Division in the final stretch of the match against Granada and has played in the three Cup qualifiers that Valencia has played (Terrassa, Yeclano and Alcorcón). But it is a fixture in the dynamics of the first team and has entered twelve other calls.