1. Overview
Rudy Philippe Michel Camille Gestede (born on October 10, 1988) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. He began his career in the youth ranks of FC Metz in France, later progressing to its senior team. Gestede then moved to England, where he notably helped Cardiff City achieve promotion to the Premier League. He established a prolific partnership with Jordan Rhodes during his time at Blackburn Rovers, where he was recognized as the Championship Player of the Month. His career also included spells in the Premier League with Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, before playing in Australia for Melbourne Victory FC, Greece for Panetolikos, and Iran for Esteghlal, where he contributed to a league championship win.
Internationally, Gestede represented the France under-19 national team before switching his allegiance to the Benin national team, for whom he earned 11 caps. After announcing his retirement from playing in 2023, Gestede returned to his former club, Blackburn Rovers, in 2024, taking on the role of Head of Football Operations.
2. Early life and youth career
Rudy Gestede was born on October 10, 1988, in Essey-lès-Nancy, France. His early life was marked by his involvement in football, which would later lead him to a professional career.
2.1. Youth career at Metz
Gestede joined the youth academy of French club FC Metz at the age of 16 in 2004. A year later, in 2005, he signed his first professional contract with Metz's B team, where he began to develop his skills further. In 2007, he was promoted to the first team of FC Metz. However, he continued to play for the B team until 2010, indicating a gradual progression and continued development within the club's structure. During his time with the B team, Gestede made 27 appearances and scored 3 goals. For the Metz first team, he made 28 appearances and scored 3 goals between 2007 and 2011.
3. Club career
Rudy Gestede's professional club career spanned several countries and leagues, beginning in France and primarily developing in England, before moving to Australia, Greece, and Iran.
3.1. Metz
After progressing through the youth ranks and playing for the B team, Gestede was promoted to the FC Metz first team in 2007. Despite his promotion, he did not secure a regular starting spot, leading to a loan spell. In 2009, he was sent on loan to AS Cannes, where he gained significant first-team experience. During his time at Cannes, Gestede made 22 appearances and scored 4 goals. He returned to Metz in 2010 but left the club in 2011.
3.2. Cardiff City
Gestede joined Football League Championship side Cardiff City in July 2011, initially on a week-long trial during the club's training camp in Seville, Spain. He quickly made an impression, scoring his first goal for Cardiff in a pre-season friendly against Charlton Athletic on July 15. After passing a medical examination, Gestede was officially unveiled as a Cardiff City player on July 26, 2011.
He made his competitive debut for Cardiff on August 7, coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute against West Ham United and assisting Kenny Miller for the match's only goal. Gestede's first start for the club came three days later, on August 10, against Oxford United in the League Cup. He marked his 50th appearance for Cardiff with a man-of-the-match performance in a 5-3 victory over Huddersfield Town. Gestede scored his first League Cup goal against Leicester City and later converted a penalty in Cardiff's 7-6 penalty shootout victory. His first league goal came on October 15 against Ipswich Town, which was also his first league start. However, he suffered a hamstring injury on October 21, sidelining him for several weeks. He returned to action on December 10 in a goalless draw against Millwall. Gestede also scored a penalty in Cardiff City's League Cup semi-final victory against Crystal Palace. On February 14, 2012, he scored his third goal for Cardiff in a 3-1 win over Peterborough. In the League Cup Final against Premier League club Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on February 26, Cardiff City lost 3-2 on penalties, with Gestede missing one of his side's spot-kicks. On April 19, Gestede signed a two-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2014.
Gestede faced another setback with a pre-season injury that kept him out for the first two months of the 2012-13 season. He made his return on October 6, coming on as a second-half substitute against Ipswich Town. His first goal of the season came on December 15 in a 2-1 loss against Peterborough United. Gestede scored two headers as Cardiff defeated Nottingham Forest 3-0 at Cardiff City Stadium. He was part of the squad that won the Championship title in April 2013, securing promotion to the Premier League.
3.3. Blackburn Rovers
On November 26, 2013, Rudy Gestede joined Blackburn Rovers on an emergency loan deal until the end of 2013. This move came after his playing time at Cardiff City was significantly reduced following their promotion to the Premier League. Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer expressed that Gestede was precisely the type of player the team needed to support their key striker Jordan Rhodes during a crucial season for the club.
Gestede scored his first goal for Rovers on January 1, 2014, heading in a goal in a 2-1 victory against Leeds United. Impressed with his contributions, Blackburn Rovers signed Gestede permanently on January 1, 2014, along with Tom Cairney, who was also on loan at the club. Gestede signed a three-and-a-half-year deal and quickly established himself in the first team, forming a highly effective and prolific attacking partnership with Jordan Rhodes. On April 21, he achieved a significant milestone by scoring a first-half hat-trick against Birmingham City in a 4-1 win. His exceptional performance in April, where he scored six goals in seven games, earned him the prestigious Football League Championship Player of the Month Award for that month.
3.4. Aston Villa
On July 31, 2015, following considerable speculation, Gestede made a significant move to Premier League club Aston Villa. He signed a five-year contract, with the transfer fee reported to be in the region of 6.00 M GBP. He made an immediate impact, scoring the winning goal with a header on his debut as a substitute in a 1-0 away victory against AFC Bournemouth. On September 22, 2015, Gestede scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 League Cup victory against arch-rivals Birmingham City. Just four days later, on September 26, he netted a brace in a 3-2 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.
3.5. Middlesbrough
On January 2, 2017, Aston Villa accepted a bid from fellow Premier League club Middlesbrough for Rudy Gestede, with the transfer fee again reported to be around 6.00 M GBP. He officially completed his move to Middlesbrough on January 4, 2017. Gestede made his debut for the club and his return to top-flight football in a goalless draw against Watford on January 14, 2017. He scored his first goal for Middlesbrough on March 19, 2017, in a 3-1 defeat against Manchester United. On August 21, 2017, Middlesbrough rejected a 6.00 M GBP bid from Leeds United for the striker.
Gestede faced a series of injuries during his time at Middlesbrough. In September 2017, he sustained a dead leg that required surgery due to internal bleeding. He made his return from this injury on December 2, 2017, against Bristol City. However, he suffered another significant injury in February 2018, fracturing his ankle against Hull City, which nearly ended his season. Despite the severity, he managed to return on May 15, 2018, as a second-half substitute in Middlesbrough's Championship Playoff Semi-Final second leg against Aston Villa. Gestede was ultimately released by Middlesbrough on June 30, 2020, after reportedly refusing to play the remaining games of the 2019-20 season.
3.6. Melbourne Victory
On November 25, 2020, Melbourne Victory announced that they had signed Gestede to bolster their squad. Upon his signing, Gestede stated his enthusiasm for joining the club, noting his impression of the vision outlined by the club, particularly by coach Grant Brebner, regarding their brand of football and his prospective role within it. In his debut season with Melbourne Victory during the 2020-21 A-League campaign, Gestede made 18 appearances. He contributed 5 goals and 2 assists, finishing as Melbourne Victory's joint top goalscorer alongside Jake Brimmer and Elvis Kamsoba for that season.
3.7. Panetolikos
Following his period with Melbourne Victory, Rudy Gestede signed a two-year deal with Greek club Panetolikos. His tenure with the club was brief, as he made only 3 appearances, all of which were starts, and scored just one goal before his departure.
3.8. Esteghlal
On October 30, 2021, Gestede signed a two-year contract with Iranian club Esteghlal. He was assigned the shirt number 39. Six days later, he made his debut for the club in a 1-1 draw against Fajr Sepasi. On December 24, he scored his first goal for Esteghlal in a 3-0 victory against Shahr Khodro. A significant moment in his career came on March 17, 2022, when he scored just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in a match against Persepolis, making him Esteghlal's first non-Iranian player to score in the historic Tehran Derby. Gestede's contributions helped Esteghlal win the 2021-22 Persian Gulf Pro League championship. He departed the club after his first season, with his contract terminated by mutual consent on June 1, 2022.
4. International career
Rudy Gestede had an international career that saw him represent France at the youth level before switching his allegiance to Benin, the country of his parent's origin. He was also eligible to represent the United States through a grandparent.
4.1. France youth national team
Gestede played for the France under-19 national team from 2006 to 2008. During this period, he made 17 appearances for the youth squad.
4.2. Benin national team
In February 2013, Gestede received his first call-up to the Benin national football team for the World Cup qualifiers, due to his Beninese heritage. He went on to earn 11 caps for the national side, scoring 3 goals. After a three-year absence from international duty, Gestede was recalled to the Benin national team in August 2019.
5. Post-playing career
After a distinguished playing career, Rudy Gestede transitioned into a new role within football, returning to a familiar club.
5.1. Retirement
Rudy Gestede officially announced his retirement from professional football on June 1, 2023, concluding his career as a striker.
5.2. Role at Blackburn Rovers
On June 14, 2024, Gestede returned to his former club, Blackburn Rovers, in a key administrative capacity. He was appointed as the Head of Football Operations, marking his transition from playing to a significant behind-the-scenes role in club management and strategy.
6. Personal life
Rudy Gestede maintains a private personal life while being publicly known for certain aspects.
6.1. Family
In the summer of 2012, Rudy Gestede's wife, Hawa, gave birth to their first child, a son named Elijah Gestede.
6.2. Religion
Rudy Gestede is a Muslim.
7. Honours
Cardiff City
- Football League Championship: 2012-13
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2011-12
Esteghlal
- Persian Gulf Pro League: 2021-22
Individual
- Football League Championship Player of the Month: April 2014
8. Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Metz B | 2005-2010 | |||||||||
| 27 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 27 | 3 | |||
| Metz | 2010-11 | Ligue 2 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 |
| Cannes (loan) | 2009-2010 | |||||||||
| 22 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 22 | 4 | |||
| Cardiff City | 2011-12 | Championship | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 31 | 3 |
| 2012-13 | Championship | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 5 | |
| 2013-14 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 55 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 63 | 9 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 2013-14 | Championship | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2013-14 | Championship | 21 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 12 |
| 2014-15 | Championship | 39 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 22 | |
| Total | 66 | 33 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 35 | ||
| Aston Villa | 2015-16 | Premier League | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 36 | 6 |
| 2016-17 | Championship | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 4 | |
| Total | 50 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 58 | 10 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2016-17 | Premier League | 16 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | Championship | 19 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 4 | |
| 2018-19 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2019-20 | Championship | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 2 | |
| Total | 59 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 71 | 8 | ||
| Melbourne Victory | 2020-21 | A-League | 17 | 5 | - | - | 17 | 5 | ||
| Panetolikos | 2021 | Super League | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 |
| Esteghlal | 2021-22 | Persian Gulf Pro League | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | 25 | 3 | |
| Career total | 339 | 72 | 24 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 380 | 84 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France U-19 | 2006-2008 | 17 | 0 |
| Benin | 2013-2016 | 11 | 3 |
| Career Total | 28 | 3 | |