Ludovic Ajorque (born 25 February 1994) is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Ligue 1 club Brest, on loan from Bundesliga club Mainz 05.
 Ajorque with Strasbourg in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 25 February 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Saint-Denis, Réunion, France | ||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Brest (on loan from Mainz 05) | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011 | AS Excelsior | ||
| 2012–2014 | Angers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2016 | Angers | 0 | (0) |
| 2012–2016 | Angers II | 37 | (14) |
| 2014–2015 | → Poiré-sur-Vie (loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | → Poiré-sur-Vie II (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | → Luçon (loan) | 32 | (9) |
| 2016–2018 | Clermont | 65 | (19) |
| 2017 | Clermont II | 2 | (1) |
| 2018–2023 | Strasbourg | 135 | (46) |
| 2023– | Mainz 05 | 43 | (8) |
| 2024– | → Brest (loan) | 13 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 December 2024 | |||
Developed at Angers, where he made only one Coupe de la Ligue appearance, he played for two years with Clermont in Ligue 2 before a €1.5 million move to Ligue 1 team Strasbourg in 2018. He played 149 times for Strasbourg, scoring 50 goals and winning the Coupe de la Ligue in 2019.
Club career
editEarly career
editAjorque began his career at AS Excelsior on his native island before moving to Angers SCO, where he played mainly for the reserve team in the fifth tier. His sole game for Angers was on 12 August 2014 in the first round of the Coupe de la Ligue, playing the first 57 minutes of a 2–1 home win over Nîmes.[2]
In July 2016, following a season on loan at Luçon in the Championnat National, Ajorque transferred to Ligue 2 club Clermont on a three-year deal.[3] After 14 goals in 37 games in 2017–18, he signed a four-year deal at Strasbourg in Ligue 1.[4] The transfer fee was €1.5 million.[5]
Strasbourg
editAjorque made his top-flight debut on 12 August 2018, starting as the season began with a 2–0 win at Bordeaux, and scored the first of his nine goals on 1 September to open a 3–2 home loss to Nantes.[6] The following 19 January, he scored twice in a 5–1 win at Monaco,[7] and added another brace on 9 March as the team came from behind to draw with Lyon at the Stade de la Meinau.[8]
In the 2018–19 Coupe de la Ligue, Ajorque played four games and scored twice as the Alsatians won the trophy for the first time in 14 years. His penalty opened a 2–1 win at Lyon in the quarter-finals on 8 January, and he equalised in a 3–2 home win over Bordeaux three weeks later.[9] With this result, the team entered the UEFA Europa League, where he scored in each leg of a 4–3 aggregate win over Maccabi Haifa.[10]
In June 2020, Ajorque extended his contract until 2024.[11] In the ensuing season, in which his team finished two points above the relegation play-offs, he scored 16 goals in 35 games; this put him joint fourth behind Kylian Mbappé, Wissam Ben Yedder and Memphis Depay.[12] In 2021–22, his 12 goals put him in 10th.[13] On 7 November, he was sent off for the first time in his career for a foul on Fábio in a 2–2 draw at Nantes.[14]
In the first half of the 2022–23 Ligue 1 season, Ajorque netted just once in 13 games.[15]
Mainz 05
editOn 24 January 2023, Ajorque signed for Bundesliga club Mainz 05 for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.[16] He made his debut the following day, playing the last ten minutes of a 2–1 home loss to Borussia Dortmund as a substitute for Karim Onisiwo, and scored his first goal on 24 February in a 4–0 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Mewa Arena.[17] He totalled six goals in 17 games as his team finished 9th; this included an equaliser in a 3–1 comeback win against eventual champions FC Bayern Munich on 22 April.[18]
Loan to Brest
editOn 25 July 2024, Ajorque moved to Brest in Ligue 1 on loan with an option to buy.[19]
International career
editBorn in Réunion, Ajorque is of Malagasy descent and was approached to join the Madagascar national team in March 2018.[20] He has said he wants to concentrate on club football.[21]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played 10 December 2024[22]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Angers II | 2012–13 | CFA 2 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | 1 | |||
| 2013–14 | CFA 2 | 22 | 10 | — | — | — | 22 | 10 | ||||
| 2014–15 | CFA 2 | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | 8 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 37 | 14 | — | — | — | 37 | 14 | |||||
| Angers | 2014–15 | Ligue 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Poiré-sur-Vie (loan) | 2014–15 | National | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 2 | ||
| Poiré-sur-Vie II (loan) | 2014–15 | CFA 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Luçon (loan) | 2015–16 | National | 32 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 9 | ||
| Clermont | 2016–17 | Ligue 2 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 30 | 6 | |
| 2017–18 | Ligue 2 | 37 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 40 | 14 | ||
| Total | 65 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 70 | 20 | |||
| Clermont II | 2016–17 | CFA 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||
| Strasbourg | 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | 29 | 11 | |
| 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[c] | 2 | 33 | 10 | |
| 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 16 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 16 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 36 | 12 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 12 | |||
| 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| Total | 135 | 46 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 149 | 50 | ||
| Mainz 05 | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 17 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 6 | ||
| 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 26 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 28 | 3 | |||
| Total | 43 | 8 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 46 | 9 | ||||
| Brest (loan) | 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 5[d] | 0 | 18 | 4 | |
| Career total | 343 | 103 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 372 | 109 | ||
- ^ Includes Coupe de France, DFB-Pokal
- ^ Includes Coupe de la Ligue
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
Honours
editStrasbourg
References
edit- ^ "Ludovic Ajorque" (in German). 1. FSV Mainz 05. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ Raguin, Antoine (9 February 2019). "Ligue 1. Ludovic Ajorque : " Sans Angers, je serais peut-être aujourd'hui à la Réunion "" [:Ligue 1. Ludovic Ajorque: "Without Angers, I would probably be in Réunion today"]. Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Transfert : Ludovic Ajorque (Angers) à Clermont" [Transfer: Ludovic Ajorque (Angers) to Clermont]. L'Équipe (in French). 26 July 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Football : le Réunionnais Ludovic Ajorque signe à Strasbourg" [Football: Réunion's Ludovic Ajorque signs for Strasbourg]. L'Info (in French). 5 June 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Ligue 1: Strasbourg et Ajorque détruisent Monaco, qui replonge en enfer" [Ligue 1: Strasbourg and Ajorque destroy Monaco, who fall back into Hell]. La Croix (in French). Agence France-Presse. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Nus, Pierre; Dreosto, Luc (1 September 2018). "LIGUE 1 : Le Racing Club de Strasbourg s'incline 3 buts à 2 face à Nantes" [LIGUE 2: Racing Club de Strasbourg fall 3 goals to 2 against Nantes] (in French). France Bleu. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Rain, Arthur (19 January 2019). "Ligue 1, 21e journée: Strasbourg va humilier Monaco avec un doublé de Ludovic Ajorque (1-5)" [Ligue 1, 21st matchday: Strasbourg go and humiliate Monaco with a brace from Ludovic Ajorque (1-5)]. 20 minutes (in French). Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Ligue 1. Lyon mis en échec par Strasbourg" [Ligue 1. Lyon put in check by Strasbourg]. Le Télégramme (in French). 9 March 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Lejolivet, Pierre (30 January 2019). "Strasbourg croque Bordeaux et rejoint Guingamp en finale de la Coupe de la Ligue" [Strasbourg crack Bordeaux and join Guingamp in the Coupe de la Ligue final]. Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Strasbourg squeak past Maccabi Haïfa; Lokomotiv Plovdiv next". Get Football News France. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Ligue 1 : Ludovic Ajorque prolonge de deux ans avec Strasbourg" [Ligue 1: Ludovic Ajorque extends for two years with Strasbourg]. L'Équipe (in French). 30 June 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Ligue 1 : Le classement final des buteurs de Ligue 1, le triplé pour Kylian Mbappé !" [Ligue 1: Final goalscorers ranking in Ligue 1, hat-trick for Kylian Mbappé!]. Ouest-France (in French). 25 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Mbappé termina como máximo goleador de la Ligue 1 con 28 goles" [Mbappé finishes as Ligue 1 top scorer with 28 goals] (in Spanish). Medio Tiempo. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Aubry, Pierre-Alexandre (7 November 2021). "FC Nantes - RC Strasbourg : Pourquoi le rouge d'Ajorque a fait du mal... aux Nantais" [FC Nantes - RC Strasbourg: Why Ajorque's red card was bad for... Nantes]. 20 minutes (in French). Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Locquet, Aurélie (24 January 2023). "Ligue 1 : Ludovic Ajorque quitte Strasbourg pour Mayence" [Ligue 1: Ludovic Ajorque leaves Strasbourg for Mainz] (in French). France Bleu. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Mercato : Ajorque quitte Strasbourg pour Mayence" [Transfer market: Ajorque leaves Strasbourg for Mainz]. Le Figaro (in French). 24 January 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Ludovic Ajorque opens Mainz account in routine Borussia Mönchengladbach win". Bundesliga. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Olives-Berthet, Cyril (29 April 2023). "Transféré cet hiver de Strasbourg à Mayence, Ludovic Ajorque n'est pas dépaysé" [Transferred this winter from Strasbourg to Mainz, Ludovic Ajorque is not disorientated]. L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "AJORQUE ZU STADE BREST" [AJORQUE TO STADE BREST] (in German). Mainz 05. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ "Madagascar : Ronny Rodelin (Caen) bientôt avec les Barea ?". sports.orange.fr. 30 March 2018.
- ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (5 May 2019). "2019 Africa Cup of Nations: Madagascar coach Dupuis to stick with squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ Ludovic Ajorque at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "Strasbourg Win French League Cup After Penalty Shootout". The Quint. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
External links
edit- Profile at the 1. FSV Mainz 05 website (in German)
- Ludovic Ajorque at Soccerway.com
- Ludovic Ajorque at WorldFootball.net
- Ludovic Ajorque at kicker (in German)
- Ludovic Ajorque at FBref.com
- Ludovic Ajorque at the German Football Association