| Is |
Football player Athlete Canadian football player American football player |
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| From | France | ||
| Type | Sports | ||
| Gender | male | ||
| Birth | 29 September 1994, Le Mans, France | ||
| Age: | 25 years | ||
| Star sign | Libra | ||
| Stats |
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Valentin Gnahoua (born September 29, 1994) is a French professional gridiron football defensive end for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was the first overall pick by the Tiger-Cats in the 2019 European CFL Draft.
Early years
Gnahoua began playing American football in 2011, joining a local semi-pro team, the Caimans du Mans, as a sixteen-year old. He was drawn to the sport after watching a National Football League game on television earlier that year.
In 2016, he arrived in Canada, playing one season of collegiate football for the McGill Redmen before a sudden increase in international student tuition forced him to return to France.
Professional career
Berlin Rebels
He rejoined the Caimans in 2017, playing well enough early on in the campaign to get signed by the Berlin Rebels of the German Football League (GFL) midway through the 2017 GFL season. He recorded 47 tackles and nine sacks during his two seasons with the Rebels.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
In 2019, he was announced as one of the 18 European players invited to the 2019 CFL Combine in Toronto. The following month, in April, he was selected by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as the first overall pick in the inaugural European CFL draft, part of commissioner Randy Ambrosie’s initiative to grow the league’s presence internationally. He began the season as a member of the practice squad, but made his debut during their week 9 matchup against the BC Lions on August 10, recovering an onside kick that led to a second-quarter field goal in the 35-34 victory.
Personal life
His father was a professional association football (soccer) player who was a member of the Ivory Coast national football team and played professionally in France, where Valentin was born.