Gilles Yapi Yapo

Gilles Donald Yapi Yapo (born 30 January 1982 in Abidjan) is an Ivorian footballer who currently plays in midfield for Zürich in the Swiss Challenge League. He has represented Ivorian national team.

Yapi Yapo started his career at ASEC Mimosas and then moved to Europe with Beveren. He joined Nantes on a loan contract in Januar 2004 and on 17 May he signed a three-year contract because his contract with Beveren was due to expire in the summer. At this stage of his career, he played as an attacking midfielder. He was on the fringe at Nantes in the 2005–06 season, prompting a loan move to Young Boys. He then joined Young Boys on a permanent basis, where he played as a defensive midfielder and playmaker.

Yapi Yapo then moved to Basel in the summer of 2010 on a free transfer, penning a three-year contract. He played his club debut on 20 July 2010 in the 3:2 home win against FC Zürich. He scored his first goal for the club on 1 August 2010 in the 3:0 home win against FC St. Gallen. With Basel Gilles Yapi Yapo won the Swiss Championship at the end of the 2010–11 season.

During just the second game of the 2011–12 Swiss Super League season Yapi suffered a rupture of the cruciate ligament and didn't play again until the away draw in the Stade de Suisse, Wankdorf against Young Boys on 16 February 2012. At the end of the 2011–12 season Yapi won the Double, the League Championship title and the Swiss Cup with Basel.

At the end of the Swiss Super League season 2012–13 he won the Championship title and was Swiss Cup runner up with Basel. In the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League Basel advanced as far as the semi-finals, there being matched against the reigning UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea, but were knocked out being beaten 2–5 on aggregate.

On 9 November 2014, Aarau player and former Basel teammate Sandro Wieser committed a knee-high challenge on Yapi Yapo in a league match, leaving the latter's career in serious doubt. He suffered torn anterior and cruciate ligaments, a torn meniscus, a torn kneecap tendon, serious cartilage damage and deep bruising to his thigh. Wieser was shown a straight red card for the tackle, and was later suspended for six matches by the Swiss league. With Yapi Yapo highly unlikely to ever play again, Zürich president Ancillo Canepa launched legal proceedings against Wieser.

Yapi did eventually return to action as a first-half substitute in a 3–3 draw against FC Thun at the Letzigrund on 13 September 2015, scoring the third Zürich goal in the process.

Yapi Yapo was part of the Côte d'Ivoire team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He was also selected in the preliminary Côte d'Ivoire squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but was eventually dropped along with Bakari Kone and Emerse Fae, who played with him in the 2006 World Cup. Yapi Yapo retired from the Côte d'Ivoire national team after this.

• Côte d'Ivoire Premier Division: 1999-2000, 2000–01

• Swiss Super League: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
• Swiss Cup: 2011–12
• Uhrencup: 2011