Youssouf Hersi
Youssouf Hersi | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 20, 1982 Ethiopia |
| Occupation | Professional footballer (former) |
| Years active | –2015 |
| Known for | Attacking midfielder, clubs including Ajax, NAC Breda, NEC, Heerenveen, Vitesse, Twente, De Graafschap, AEK Athens, Western Sydney Wanderers, Perth Glory |
Youssouf Hersi (born 20 August 1982) is a former professional soccer player who operated primarily as an attacking midfielder. Although born in Ethiopia, Hersi represented the Netherlands at various youth international levels.
Club career
Throughout his career in the Netherlands, Hersi played for several clubs including Ajax, NAC Breda, NEC, Heerenveen, Vitesse, Twente, and De Graafschap. His playing journey also took him to Greece where he featured for AEK Athens.
In September 2012, Hersi joined the Australian A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers. He netted his inaugural goal for the club during the Sydney Derby in December 2012. Following this, he renewed his contract in February 2013 and went on to establish an Australian football milestone by achieving 14 consecutive victories as a player in March 2013. Unfortunately, a suspension prevented him from participating in the 2013 A-League Grand Final, which ended in defeat for the Wanderers.
Hersi signed with Perth Glory in May 2014 but opted to terminate his contract one year early with the club’s consent in May 2015.
A transfer to the Central Coast Mariners was planned for February 2016 but did not materialize due to complications with visa approval.
International career
Hersi was part of the Dutch under-21 squad that competed at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. Although he never earned a senior cap for the Netherlands, he showed willingness to represent his country of birth, Ethiopia, at the international level.